According to a spokesperson from the Ohio Task Force 1 (OH-TF1), the team has been activated as a Type III team in response to the strengthening of Hurricane Debby in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the latest update from News Center 7 at 11:00, a tropical storm has now been classified as a hurricane.
According to Adam Landis, the leader of OH-TF1, in this line of work, you have to be able to adapt to any situation that comes your way. “You quickly learn to roll with the punches, so to speak, that you don’t know exactly what it’s going to be. So you’re essentially prepared for anything as cliche as that may sound,” Landis said.
Landis has been deployed 11 times with this task force.
As per the National Hurricane Center, Florida is expected to be hit by a storm that may result in over a foot of rainfall and cause strong storm surges in certain areas.
There is a possibility of flash flooding, urban flooding, and isolated river flooding until Wednesday morning.
According to the spokesperson, OH-TF1 will be in the vicinity in case they are required, as they have been activated early.
A total of 47 OH-TF1 members, which included three K9 handlers along with their K9 partners, were sent on deployment.
Nearly a dozen individuals on this team possess water rescue expertise.
Landis stated that many of their deployments are related to flooding and other incidents caused by hurricanes.
According to the spokesperson, the team members possess diverse skills, including expertise in search and rescue operations, HazMat, medical assistance, logistics, safety, communication, and planning.
Landis expressed that the emotions were running high and varied among the team. He mentioned that the guys were excited but also nervous due to the unknown nature of the situation.
The OH-TF1 team is set to venture towards the Atlantic coast, although they have yet to finalize their precise location.
Landis emphasized the significance of having multiple senior officers on the team.
Landis said that observing the older guys’ calm demeanor sets an example for the new guys. He believes that this is a good learning tool as it helps the rookies understand the right way to behave in certain situations.
At 11 p.m. on Sunday, the team departed from their Vandalia headquarters.
According to the spokesperson, Tennessee Task Force 1 and Virginia Task Forces 1 and 2 will also be deployed.
Landis expressed his confidence in the skills of his fellow team members, both men and women, by stating, “When you look around at the guys, the men and women to your left and right on this team, and knowing how good they are at what they do, it’s just a reassuring thing.”
The team has planned to be away for a period of two weeks.
