Colorado Task Force 1 returns home after weeks of helping hurricane victims 

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — About 80 members of Colorado Task Force 1 returned home Monday after spending weeks deployed in the southeast helping hurricane victims.

The FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team is made up of first responders from the area and is sponsored by West Metro Fire Rescue.

Some people were gone for 12 days, but others were gone for nearly three weeks. Rick Peterson’s family was there waiting for him as his vehicle pulled into the training center in Lakewood.

“Knowing that he’s out there helping people, we are very proud of him,” his wife, Tammy Peterson, said. 

About 45 members of the task force were originally deployed to North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Then about 80 were sent to Florida after Hurricane Milton. They helped with search and rescue efforts and assessed damage to nearly 40,000 buildings in the Clearwater area. That region was affected by both hurricanes.

“We saw a lot of wind damage to structures. We saw the flood damage on structures,” said Brian Ertle, the task force leader.

The group used everything from dogs to boats to large equipment to get the job done.

“We found people that had sheltered in place and they were without power, food and water and we were able to direct them to the right areas,” Ertle said.

As the group unloaded their gear, Ertle said they would be ready to go again when called.