Colorado Springs firefighters join statewide task force to support storm-riddled Tennessee
Three members of the Colorado Springs Fire Department are part of a team that headed to Tennessee over the weekend to join search and rescue efforts following a series of severe storms that have killed at least 10 people and injured hundreds more, according to CSFD.
Colorado Task Force 1, a team composed of responders from 15 agencies, including CSFD, loaded up their gear and headed out on the road Friday, bound for Memphis as the region braced for another possible round of storms.
The task force is designed to operate in disaster areas without impacting local resources, according to the West Metro Fire District website. The team is equipped and trained to perform search and rescue operations in damaged or collapsed buildings, emergency medical care, damage assessment and control, and a number of other functions, officials said.
A chain of severe storms, and at least one reported tornado, swept through Tennessee last week, causing at least 10 deaths, damaging homes and prompting a state emergency declaration.
CTF-1 members could be tasked to help with swift water rescue, search and recovery, structural collapse or other emergencies, officials wrote in a social media post.
“The team is prepared for any and all assignments,” the post read.