Utah Task Force One helping victims in Helene aftermath

SALT LAKE CITY — Devastation is widespread in the Southeast as communities are left with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

As the nation turns its attention to impacted areas, through FEMA, Unified Fire Authority’s Task Force One in Utah has crews with boots on the ground helping out. A group of more than 40 were in Tennessee Thursday.

While Utahns view video and photos of Hurricane Helene ripping through the Southeast, those on the ground are seeing the magnitude of damage up close. 

“You can’t imagine the destruction,” said Bryan Case, Task Force Manager with Unified Fire Authority.

Case is in Unicoi County, Tennessee with the team.

“There are some areas where cars and things like that are stuck in the rivers and waterways and we are making access into those areas to see if there are people that were trapped in those vehicles …We are largely in a recovery mode in these areas that we’re working in,” Case said. 

Amid the search, Case said buildings have been wiped away. As his team helps clear debris fields, he said residents are also facing infrastructure issues along with water and electricity problems.

“We’re also looking at overpasses and bridges. So, our structural engineers are working with locals to figure out how best to approach these areas, because there are many things that are caught up underneath these bridges that have yet to be searched,” said Case.

As of Friday, the team will have been there for one week. They expect to be there for two weeks. 

With more work on the way for task forces across the Southeast, they are prepared to help for the long haul. 

“There’s a threatening storm out in the Gulf Coast now so there’s a good chance that while we’re out, we might be relocated to other states entirely for different events,” Case said.  

According to him, if trouble brews in another area, any teammate from the task force may be called to help. But if one goes, they all go.