Ind. Task Force Heads To Puerto Rico For Search And Rescue Mission

A team of search and rescue operatives from Indiana is responding to a major storm for the third time in less than a month.

Indiana Task Force 1 is headed to Puerto Rico for relief efforts following the landfall of Hurricane Maria. The team also responded to hurricanes Harvey and Irma earlier this month.

The team consists of 27 members trained in search and rescue as well as several K-9 units.

INTF-1's Hazmat Support package has been requested in Puerto Rico to support #hurricanemaria operations. This is storm #3 for the unit. pic.twitter.com/rvLW73g9My

— Indiana Task Force 1 (@IN_Task_Force_1) September 22, 2017

Task force spokesperson Michael Pruitt is on the ground in San Juan awaiting his team’s arrival. He says being gone for long periods of times is just part of the job.

“They know that there’s a mission at hand, and they’re going to do whatever it takes to get this taken care of,” he says. “Eventually, when it’s all said and done, they’ll return home to their families. We just don’t know when it’s going to be yet.”

Hoosiers have reached out to the team to check on family members on the island. Pruitt says the team will attempt to reach these people as their resources allow.

Rescue Dogs Risk, Blitz, Eddie & Virgil makin the trek 2 Puerto Rico w/ handlers Janalee & Gary as @IN_Task_Force_1 heads to #HurricaneMaria pic.twitter.com/bnSUBx36OY

— IFD NEWS (@IFD_NEWS) September 20, 2017