Washington State Task Force 1 returns after supporting recovery efforts in the southeast

Washington State Task Force 1 is coming home after being deployed to support recovery efforts in Florida and North Carolina following the hurricanes that came through the southeast.

On Friday, the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management announced that part of the task force was returning later that evening.

The remaining team and 90,000 pounds of equipment will be arriving early next week.

Washington State Task Force 1, made up of emergency personnel from around Puget Sound, was deployed to Florida in support of recovery efforts after Hurricane Milton made landfall.

After the job was complete, they were directed to North Carolina to assist in recovery efforts in areas devastated by Hurricane Helen.

The following agencies made up the task force:

• Pierce County Department of Emergency Management

• Pierce County Planning & Public Works

• Pierce County Sheriff’s Department

• Seattle Fire Department

• Tacoma Fire Department

• Central Pierce Fire & Rescue

• West Pierce Fire & Rescue

• CouerD’Alene Fire Department

• Eastside Fire & Rescue

• Bothell Fire Department

• South King Fire

• Valley Regional Fire & Rescue

• Shoreline Fire Department

• City of Bellevue, Washington – Government

• Redmond WA Fire

• Renton Regional Fire Authority

• Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority

• The City of Kirkland – Fire

• Tacoma Emergency Care Physicians

• Mt. Rainier Emergency Physicians

• Tacoma Public Utilities