Ohio Task Force 1 Supports Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts in North Carolina
Ohio Task Force 1 has been dispatched by FEMA to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane. Since last week, the team has been working tirelessly to aid in search and recovery efforts and to assess damage in the affected areas.
After completing their damage assessments in Pasco County, Florida, Task Force 1 has now been reassigned to North Carolina, specifically west of Asheville.
FOX 8 spoke with Task Force Leader Jack Reall on Wednesday about the team’s experiences. “In Florida, we primarily focused on the coastline due to storm surge impacts. There wasn’t much damage inland,” Reall explained. “However, here in North Carolina, the situation is vastly different. This is more akin to my experiences during Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, where we dealt with significant mudslides and mountain hazards. Many of our team members lack experience with this type of recovery effort, making it a new challenge for us.”
In North Carolina, the Task Force is conducting welfare checks on homes where officials have been unable to reach residents. Reall noted that many residents are simply without cell service, preventing communication.
“This is going to be a long-term recovery process for these communities,” Reall emphasized. “We need to keep them in our thoughts and offer support, as this isn’t something they will recover from in just a few weeks. It will take years.”
Once Task Force 1 completes their work near Asheville, Reall anticipates they will be reassigned to another affected area.
