Ohio Task Force 1 mobilizes to Florida ahead of tropical storm

Ohio Task Force 1 will go to Orlando for staging with a specific destination yet to be determined.

The task force said on Facebook they received activation orders Tuesday to mobilize as a Type I team to support the FEMA Region 4 (consisting of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) with 82 members skilled in the various aspects of search and rescue operations, including water rescue and K-9.

In addition, 50 tons of equipment will be brought and will deploy as a self-contained, all-hazard response team.

The goal is to support local responders without placing additional demands on local resources, according to the task force.

“The early activation of OH-TF1 will put them in a better position to respond to affected areas if state/local officials request assistance,” the task force said.

Additional teams included in this activation are Tennessee Task Force 1, Virginia Task Force 1 and Virginia Task Force 2, Indiana Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 1.