Colorado Task Force 1 Arrives In Louisiana To Help With Hurricane Laura Damage

DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado Task Force 1 has arrived in Louisiana and they're gearing up to help out in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Laura. The team left Lakewood on Wednesday afternoon and drove straight through the night, headed down to the Gulf.

"We can't stop at any restaurants to eat, to feed the crews, or stay in hotels or anything like that, so we're eating MREs," Steve Aseltine, a Task Force Leader said.

At the hurricane's peak, winds of 150 mph slammed into structures. The storm was so large, nearly all of the state felt hurricane winds. Hundreds of thousands are now estimated to be without power and affected by wind damage.

"So the thing for us is, depending on everything from providing actual rescues which takes place on water and land to obvious humanitarian needs, if that's required for us," Brandon Garcia, another Task Force Leader said.

The crew this time consisted of 79 members from fire and rescue agencies across the state, including two doctors. They brought with them 18 semis loaded with equipment to help.

"Due to it being a Category 4 hurricane we are expecting it to be areas along the coastline that there is going to be heavy damage and flooding that has gone inland," Garcia added.

In these difficult conditions, members with the force expect to be gone for days, and as experts predict a busy hurricane season some members may be making more than a trip this year.

West Metro Fire Rescue is the sponsoring agency for Colorado Task Force 1, a team under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). There are approximately 200 highly trained members, that including firefighters, paramedics, physicians, structural engineers, hazardous materials technicians, heavy rigging specialists and canine handlers. The Task Force must be totally self-sufficient for the first 72 hours of a deployment.