COLUMBUS, Ohio — First responders and K-9 search teams from Ohio Task Force 1 helped find victims at the site of the June 24 Surfside, Fla., condominium collapse over the weekend, authorities said.
What You Need To Know
- First responders from multiple Ohio agencies are working at the site
- The Ohio task force’s K-9s helped recover multiple victims
- Authorities expect some challenges ahead due to an incoming tropical storm
About 80 members of the task force continue to search the collapsed Champlain Towers South building near Miami Beach, where 32 people are confirmed dead and 113 remain unaccounted for as of Tuesday afternoon.
“Our K-9 handlers and K-9s continue to make Ohio proud in this difficult search environment, we are all very impressed with their work,” Task Force Leader Adam Landis said in a statement after the Ohio team assisted with multiple recoveries of victims over the weekend.
07/02/2021 11:15 a.m.–Ohio Task Force 1 (OHTF1), safely arrived in Miami, FL, at 8:00 p.m. EST last night. Our team and…
Posted by Ohio Task Force 1 on Friday, July 2, 2021
Spokesperson Phil Sinewe said search efforts are underway in a better rhythm of work Tuesday, following the implosion of the remaining parts of the building.
The demolition opened up areas for search that were previously restricted due to safety concerns for the first responders.
“All teams are heavily engaged in the efforts to locate victims,” Sinewe said.
The Ohio first responders are working 12-hour shifts and were lodging on a cruise ship, officials said. They deployed to the site on Wednesday from Vandalia, Ohio, loaded up with nearly 50,000 lbs. of life-saving equipment and multiple K-9 teams.
The Ohio first responders are working 12-hour shifts at the condominium collapse site. (Facebook, OHTF-1)
While conditions have improved, Sinewe said the difficulty of the rescue tasks is still exacerbated by the Florida heat and the impending arrival of Tropical Storm Elsa, which could cause work suspension due to lightning or high winds.
Blowing dust and debris is a challenge for the search efforts, but Sinewe said they are optimistic the storm will not cause much disruption to work.
No survivors have been found since the morning of the collapse.
The Ohio task force will remain at the site for at least several more days, he said. There is no firm return date at this time.
The team is comprised of fire, police and medical responders, including members of the Dayton Fire Department, the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department, Huber Heights Fire Division and the Sharonville Fire Department, among other agencies.
“All the rescue personnel on-site are driven to complete a task, they thrive on this rhythm for results,” Planning Team Manager John Kaminski said in a release Tuesday. “Spirits are high as progress moves forward with the search tasks at hand. We are proud of all our personnel.”
