Loved ones welcome Virginia Task Force 1 members home after 22-day rescue mission

CHANTILLY, Va. ( DC News Now ) — Members of Virginia Task Force 1 (VATF1), which was deployed to Florida and North Carolina due to Hurricane Helene, returned home to Fairfax County on Wednesday night.

The first responders, who returned home to an open-arms welcome from family members including spouses and children, described the devastation they saw and the challenges they faced.

“As far as being in the mountains [in the Asheville, North Carolina area], we’re not used to that,” said Capt. Jen Hiner. “There were a lot of mudslides, things that we were just not used to as a team that gets deployed for hurricanes and earthquakes and stuff like that. So it was a challenge when it came to getting those big trucks with trailers up those mountains and up steep areas and mudslides. And we were just worried about different things that we’ve never encountered before as a team.”

VATF1 began their deployment in Florida but moved to North Carolina when they realized the extent of the damage. Multiple members described roads that were destroyed in the storm.

The deployment lasted 22 days.

“People were coming out on their front porches clapping every time they saw our trucks and boats and everything that we came with drive by,” Hiner said. “When they saw us in a grocery store or passing on the streets, they were honking. They were clapping. They were so happy that we were there. So the sense of community there is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

Hiner and others described the resilience of the people of North Carolina.

While they said the mission was the focus for the past three weeks, they also acknowledged appreciation for families back home and the joy of Wednesday’s reunion.

“It’s hard, in one sense, to leave,” Master Technician Kevin Reyes, said. “Luckily, our spouses are strong and they can take care of everything, which allows us to go ahead and focus on the mission. And we can focus all of our attention on the citizens that we’re helping.”

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