MIAMI (WSVN) - After a long drive from Louisiana, South Florida Task Force 2 is back home and with stories to tell about the widespread damage Hurricanes Laura and Delta inflicted in the region.
7News cameras captured the moment a procession of rescue vehicles made their way into a fire house in Miami, Saturday.
“Good to be back!” said one of the firefighters from the task force.
When asked what he was looking forward to now that he was backhome, Task Force member Vincent Latona replied, “Getting home to the family, seeing my wife.”
For the past 10 days, these South Florida first responders have been wading through floodwaters in Lake Charles, a city that has been hit brutally hard by tropical weather this year.
Six weeks ago, Hurricane Laura destroyed homes in the area. Two weeks ago, the city was hit again by Hurricane Delta.
Forty-five members of Task Force 2, along with their search-and-rescue boats and high water trucks, came in to assist.
“It was good opportunity to get out there and help where we could,” said Task Force leader Scott Dean.
They have been evacuated those surrounded by flooding to higher ground, as well as doing wellness checks to ake sure homeowners in the area are doing OK.
For this team, made up mostly of City of Miami firefighters, it has been a busy year.
In January, they flew to Puerto Rico to help out after an earthquake.
Right before they were sent to Lake Charles, they were in Tallahassee after severe weather hit the Panhandle.
Now that they’re home, all their equipment gets a good washdown.
“There’s more storms out there, and we want to make sure that when we leave today, the equipment is ready to roll to go out the door tomorrow if we need to,” said Dean.
These hometown heoes are alays ready to hit the road to help out where needed, but for right now, they’re happy to take a breather back in South Florida.
Family members are usually on hand to welcome Task Force 2 members home, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, that tradition is currently on hold.
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