The Boone County Fire Protection District says more than 60 members of Columbia-based Missouri Task Force One(MO-TF1) are in heavily-damaged Asheville, North Carolina this (Sunday) evening.
The Weather Channel reports dozens are dead and that some parts of western North Carolina are cut off by flooding and mudslides. Asheville has about 95,000 residents. The Associated Press (AP) reports Asheville has been isolated after Helene damaged roads and knocked power and cell service out.
Boone County Fire Protection District assistant chief Gale Blomenkamp tells 939 the Eagle that the 62 Missouri Task Force One members in Asheville are conducting search and rescue missions and damage assessments. Mr. Blomenkamp says there are also three Missouri Task Force One members in Orlando, Florida.
The Missouri Task Force One members were in Lincoln County, Georgia this weekend, assisting local authorities with a search and rescue mission. Crews had to use chainsaws to reach a house, where they found a man who died after a large tree fell on his house. The 62 Missouri Task Force One members in North Carolina are traveling with more than 100,000 pounds of equipment and two live-find K-9 units.
