Texas Task Force 1 demobilizing from Oklahoma

Texas Task Force 1 has completed their assigned missions in Moore, OK, in support of the local jurisdiction and is demobilizing today. The Task Force will return to their facility in College Station to go through out processing and then be released to return to their individual homes. TX-TF1 was honored to be in position to help during this tragic time and credits the quick and expert response of local emergency personnel in saving lives.

The Task Force would also like to thank the University of Oklahoma, their Housing and Food Services, Coach Bob Stoops and the entire OU family for going “above and beyond” in helping with food, shelter and hospitality allowing our team to be “rested, fed and freed up to do so much more for the residents of Oklahoma”. Said one member of TX-TF1, “…this is the kind of thing that I know our Aggies would do if the roles were reversed…this was a real “Aggie spirit kind of thing”. Another member of the Task Force spoke of a surprise visit by Coach Bob Stoops. “Yesterday while my squad (Squad 3) had just finished hours of wide area searches, Oklahoma University Football Coach Bob Stoops stopped by and personally thanked us individually. This little gesture gave us a 2nd wind.”

Who is TX-TF1?

TX-TF1 is sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and has deployed over 90 times since 1997, including the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, Sept. 11th World Trade Center attack, and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike. TX-TF1 can be activated by the Texas Division of Emergency Management or as one of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) 28 sanctioned urban search and rescue teams.

Members of TX-TF1 range from firefighters and medical personnel, to structural engineers, and come from all areas capable of reporting to College Station within a five-hour window. The task force consists of three separate units of approximately 80 members each. The teams rotate on a monthly standby, stand down or on call status. The “White” Team is the task force currently on call for deployment.

Task Force Website: www.texastaskforce1.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/txtf1