Ohio Task Force One ready to help in wake of Hurricane Laura

Made up of fire departments, local businesses, and folks from across the state, Ohio Task Force One steps up wherever disaster aid is needed, even across the country for a deadly superstorm threatening Louisiana.

RAMPAGE CONTINUES -- AFTERSMASHING INTO THE GULF COASTAS A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE .THE HISTORIC STORM BROUGHTSTORM SURGE MILES INLAND.ATLEAST SIX PEOPLE WERE KILLEDIN LOUISIANA -- MOSTLY FROMTREES CRASHING INTO HOMES.NEARLY 900- THOUSAND HOMESAND BUSINESSES ARE WITHOUTPOWER.

IT WILL BE TAKE DAYSBEFORE THE FULL EXTENT OF THEDAMAGE IS CLEAR.

BUT AN ELITEGROUP -- FROM RIGHT HERE INTHE TRI-STATE -- EQUIPPEDTHEMSELVES QUICKLY anddeployed SOUTH TO HELP."We're doing our best while wecan.

We know if we have to goto work things will be alittledifferent."OHIO TASK FORCE ONEIS IN LOUISIANA -- WAITING FORTHEIR ORDERS TO HELP IN ANYWAY THEY CAN.WCPO 9 NEWSREPORTER JAKE RYLE SPOKE WITHONE OF THE MEMBERS ABOUT THEIRJOURNEY -- AND WHAT COULD LIEAHEAD.THE OHIO TASK FORCE-ONE'SMEMBERS..

LEFT QUIETLY IN THENIGHT..

ALL..

FOR ONEMISSION.They're made up of firedepartments.

Local businesses.Citizens from across thestate.

Ohio Task Force One isreally an amazing asset."FORCINCINNATI FIRE LIEUTENANTMIKE LOTZ.., "Personally, it's beingsurrounded by like mindedpeople.

I really love the workwe do.

HE..

AND THE CREW TRAINYEAR-ROUND..

FOR THEOPPORTUNITY TOHELP.'Live for the chance to usetheir skill.

The only downsideof it is that us using ourskills usually means someoneelse is having a really badday.

Hopefully we're there tomake it a little better."RIGHTNOW..

THE TEAM IS INSHREVEPORT..

STAYING IN ASCHOOL.."There's a few downed treesaround here locally.

ButNothing out of the ordinary.They're without power rightnow.

That's one of the majorproblems they haveLESS THAN200 MILES FROM LAKE CHARLES..WHERE HURRICANE LAURA MADELANDFALL.THEY SIT..

WAITING..FOR ACALL."They could wake us up at 3amand say we need you to gethere now.

Then we're going topick up and go."LOTZ SAYSTHEY'RE PREPARED FOR WATERRESCUES..

STRUCTURALCOLLAPSES..

ANYTHING THEY MAYENCOUNTER.THOUGH..

THEY HOPETHEIR SKILLS WON'T BENEEDED..What are you expecting withthis?

Is there an expectationwith allthis?": "There's never anexpectation.

We've come tothese things and turned aroundand come back home.

Never dida thing.

Come to these things,and been really busy for avery long time."BUT IF THEYARE NEEDED..

THEY SAY THEY'REREADY.EVEN IN THE MIDST..

OF AGLOBALPANDEMIC."We're all wearing masks whentogether.

We're wearing masksin the vehicles.

We're takingevery precaution necessaryknowing that if we do have togo operational, some of themandates are out the window.We can't do our job and stillpractice the procedures inplace."We wish them well as they helpout in the aftermath of thehorrific horrible storm."JAKERYLEWCPO 9 NEW