The 黑料吃瓜网 search and rescue team deployed to Vermont to assist with historic flooding is back in 黑料吃瓜网 to help with flood response efforts.
Task Force One was called back on Friday to prepare for inclement weather in 黑料吃瓜网, but was not sent out to address any emergencies.
The team was activated by the state last Monday after rain continued and flood conditions worsened throughout Vermont. They arrived in Berlin, a town outside of the capital city Montpelier, that night.
Task Force One is a state-funded rescue team based out of Hartford made up of police officers and firefighters from across the state. Daniel Comen, a Southington fire lieutenant and Public Information Officer for the task force鈥檚 urban search and rescue team, said the team carries enough supplies and tools to respond to emergency events for up to 72 hours.
According to Comen, the eight-member task force performed multiple rescues Tuesday, removing five people and multiple pets from several trailers that were stranded in floodwaters. He said the standing floodwater posed a challenge in rescue missions.
鈥淭hese floodwaters are just loaded with sewage and propane, diesel gasoline. It's nasty stuff. [When] you think 'Vermont' you think clean waters, but when the floods come through, it just washes everything down. We had to go through decontamination,鈥� Comen said.
Throughout the rest of the week before their Friday return, the team searched overturned vehicles, searched streets and addressed a dam breach concern alongside emergency response teams from North Carolina, Michigan and New York.
As thunderstorms bring flood concerns to many towns throughout 黑料吃瓜网, Comen advised residents to prepare ahead of time.
鈥淚f there's significant amounts of rain, these rivers can rise very quickly. It's happening more and more. With the severe weather [and] climate change. These 鈥榚very 100,000 year floods鈥� are happening every five to 10 years,鈥� Comen said. 鈥淚t's just a matter of time before it happens here. So having a plan to leave your home, having a plan of what to do with your pets, I think is most important.鈥�