Ohio Task Force 1 crews staged for ‘Debby’ tropical storm response

Video of related coverage on Hurricane Debby

DAYTON, Ohio ( WDTN ) — While Tropical Storm Debby prepares to make a second landfall on Wednesday, Ohio Task Force 1 prepares for action.

Ohio Task Force 1 (OH-TF1) is currently stationed in South Carolina if state or local officials ask for their skilled support. In total, 47 members, two K-9s and 50 tons of equipment are staged along the southeastern coast of the U.S.

Officials at the National Hurricane Center say Debby is expected to gather strength in the Atlantic Ocean, bringing record amounts of rainfall and potentially life-threatening conditions.

Task Force Leader Adam Landis said members have had days filled with training to prepare them for possible missions.

“Yesterday morning we covered communications and the intricacies of our specific team radios. Our Hazards-Mat team reviewed decon procedures and equipment. Then our Plans team conducted an in-depth training on SARCOP and data collection – a critical piece of our search and rescue toolkit,” said Landis.

Three other type III task forces have been activated and deployed to areas expected to be impacted by the storm. These include Pennsylvania Task Force 1, New Jersey Task Force 1 and Missouri Task Force 1.

Currently, there is no timeline for OH-TF1’s staging or return home.

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