People in Texas are getting more help from the Miami Valley.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, Ohio Task Force 1 (OH-TF1) sent more K-9 teams to help with search and recovery efforts underway from this month’s deadly flooding.
Four additional Canine Search Specialists were deployed to Texas on Friday.
“We’ve always known they might need more resources,” said Nick Fathergill.
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The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) activated them on Thursday.
Hours later, the team was ready to go.
“This is Sumo,” Fathergill told News Center 7. “He’s a 2-year-old human remains detective K9. I’ve been working with him since he was about 8 weeks old. We’ve been working for about two years now.”
OH-TF1 wrote in a social media post on Friday that the members assembled, got sworn in, and went to the airport.
As News Center 7 previously reported, OH-TF1 sent three team members and two canines on July 11 to respond to Central Texas for search and rescue efforts.
Fathergill said he does not know exactly what he will be doing in Texas. However, he has been on deployments before. He said that he and Sumo are both ready to work.
“They’re usually long days. This time of year, Texas can be warm,” he said. “(It) means a lot of rotations so the dogs can rest, and we can take care of ourselves, so we can help in any way we can.”
Fathergill said they could be in Texas for as long as two weeks.
The team was expected to arrive in Texas Friday evening.
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