LAS VEGAS KLAS — Members of Nevada Task Force 1 have returned home after a two-wave deployment to assist with recovery efforts following hurricane damage in Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Matthew Gordon, a task leader with the team, noted the unusual nature of responding to consecutive disasters, stating, Most of us are first responders when we’re not doing the USAR work, and for us to adapt and change on the fly is something we prepare for.
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), a FEMA branch, consists of 28 teams nationwide, including Nevada’s. Gordon highlighted the importance of both large-scale operations and small acts of care, such as checking individuals’ blood pressure, delivering food and water, and assisting with debris removal.
This Type 1 deployment involved a full staff of 80, operating 24 hours a day with all necessary equipment. Gordon noted that this storm caused more water damage than wind damage, a shift from previous hurricanes that resulted in greater wind destruction.
Now back at the task force warehouse, the team is reflecting and regrouping. We’re bringing all our folks back in today and tomorrow to debrief what we learned, what went well, and what we can do better for the next one, Gordon remarked.
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