WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The death toll for Hurricane Helene is now at 183. The damage is widespread, as people deal with flooded homes, washed-out roads and debris scattered across entire towns.
Kansas Task Force 1 is a team of first responders from eight agencies, including Wichita, Derby and Sedgwick County. On Sept. 24, the team was deployed to Pinellas County, Florida, and is now in Newton, North Carolina.
The team was called out to help on the east coast before Helene even made landfall.
“This is what we train for,” said Paul Craft, Kansas Taskforce 1 leader.
The Kansas Swift Water Search and Rescue has gotten victims to dry land in Florida.
“We deployed over there and helped with searching in flooded waters since we’re a swift water component,” said Craft.
The team is in North Carolina to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
“We want to save as many lives as possible that we can and so get to as many people who are in harms way who don’t have cell phone capabilities,” said Craft.
Debris-lined streets welcome families facing post-storm cleanup.
“It’s devastating, it’s hard to see, you’re driving past people’s homes, and they’re dragging their personal belongings outside and setting them on the curbs because all their personal belongings are destroyed,” said Craft.
After all this, the residents are still grateful for their help, and survivors of the storm still pause to show their gratitude.
“We’re on the highways in our convoy, and everybody’s got their thumbs up out the window, you know that motivates us. It helps keep us going,” said Craft.
Officials say the Kansas Task Force’s 1 team normally deploys for 14 days; however, because they are helping in multiple states, their travel time could fluctuate.
As for what comes next, it’s rebuilding the electrical system, the utility system, and the roads.
