DENVER — Colorado Task Force 1 (CO-TF1) is returning home after spending more than a week helping victims of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana.
CO-TF1 headed out early in the morning of August 28 to the Gulf Coast, according to West Metro Fire Rescue (WMFR), and 45 members of the task force were deployed.
CO-TF1, made up of highly trained first responders, helps with search and rescue in urban settings across the country.
Hurricane Ida made landfall Aug. 29 as a Category 4 storm. It hit on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, just down the Mississippi River from New Orleans.
CO-TF1 also responded to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The team arrived early Aug. 29 in Louisiana and was deployed to New Orleans not long after. They conducted search and rescue operations there, a day after Ida caused extensive damage in the area.
They then moved operations to Grand Isle, Louisiana, a barrier island that was hit hard by the hurricane.
The task force wrapped up its work and began their journey home Sunday. The team is expected to arrive back in Denver sometime Tuesday evening.
CO-TF1 has about 200 members from 28 public and private agencies in Colorado. They include firefighters, paramedics, physicians, structural engineers, hazardous materials technicians, heavy rigging specialists and canine handlers. The team must be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours of deployment, according to WMFR.
The members who deployed were from:
- West Metro Fire Rescue
- South Metro Fire Rescue
- Denver Fire Department
- Castle Rock Fire Department
- Golden Fire Department
- Colorado Springs Fire Department
- Poudre Fire Authority
- Loveland Fire Rescue Authority
- Thornton Fire Department
- Arvada Fire Protection District
- Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District
- Summit Fire & EMS
- North Metro Fire Rescue
- Fort Carson Fire Department
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