Colorado Task Force 1 Returns from Hurricane Ida
Hurricane Ida made landfall last week on August 29; and when it did, Colorado Task Force 1 (CO-TF1) was there to meet it. Now, after a week of grueling search and rescue efforts, CO-TF1 is on its way home to the Centennial State.
According to 9News, 45 of Colorado’s elite first responders began their journey home from Louisiana today, September 5, and are expected to reach Denver around Tuesday evening. Their return comes after several nights of intense travel and over a week of search and rescue work in New Orleans and Grand Isle, Louisiana, both of which were hard-hit by the storm.
According to the West Metro Fire Rescue Twitter page, when CO-TF1 were first deployed to Louisiana, they undertook an all-night road trip to stage at Alexandria, Louisiana, to wait and prepare until Hurricane Ida made landfall. However, the team instead ended up in Lafayette, LA, due to reroutes during the long night of travel. But after a short rest in a rec center gym, they travelled another 2.5 hours to reach New Orleans, and, eventually, Grand Isle.
Upon their return, the members of CO-TF1 will disperse back to their respective departments, which include the following:
- West Metro Fire Rescue
- South Metro Fire Rescue
- Denver Fire Department
- Castle Rock Fire Department
- Golden Fire Department
- Colorado Springs Fire Department
- Poudre Fire Authority
- Loveland Fire Rescue Authority
- Thornton Fire Department
- Arvada Fire Protection District
- Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District
- Summit Fire & EMS
- North Metro Fire Rescue
- Fort Carson Fire Department
Thank you, Colorado Task Force 1, for all your work to aid and assist those in their darkest hours.