Arizona Task Force 1 has deployed 49 members to Texas as part of a large-scale federal recovery effort following one of the worst flood disasters in the state’s history.
The team, which includes live-find dogs, medical personnel, structural engineers and technical rescue specialists, is working along a 60-mile stretch of river.
Officials say the floods have killed more than 120 people and left over 160 still unaccounted for, making it one of the deadliest flood events in recent U.S. history.
Tom Taylor, the program manager for the task force, says the team is fully equipped and trained for large-scale search and recovery missions like this one. Still, the emotional weight of the disaster is heavy.
“The feedback I’m getting from the guys there is that it’s, you know, it’s ... it’s horrible and it’s very depressing,” Taylor said. “There’s so much damage and ... and so they’re just gonna kind of work through it day by day.”
The Arizona team is part of a broader national response coordinated by FEMA. The task force is one of 28 federal urban search and rescue teams across the country trained for emergencies ranging from hurricanes and earthquakes to industrial accidents and wildfires.
This month’s flooding in Texas follows a historic stretch of rainfall that overwhelmed levees, swept away homes and submerged entire communities.
Taylor says Arizona’s deployment is slightly larger than a standard team, in part because of the vast area being searched and the urgent need for specialized canine units.
In addition to search dogs and medical personnel, the team brought a fleet of vehicles and boats, including John boats and inflatable rigid-hull watercraft to access hard-to-reach locations by river.
Structural collapse gear, hazardous materials equipment and communications tools were also deployed.
Taylor, a 15-year veteran of the agency who has responded to disasters across the country, says the work is physically and emotionally demanding — but meaningful.
“As horrible as the situation is ... to take part in something like that, it’s a privilege to be able to assist people in that way,” he said.
The deployment could last up to three weeks, but Taylor says FEMA may request additional support if recovery efforts continue or escalate.
The task force also includes peer support specialists who check in regularly with deployed members to manage the mental health challenges that often follow disaster work.
While the current mission is focused on recovery, Taylor says the team is always prepared for rescue operations in case new situations arise.
For now, the Arizona crew will continue working through the debris, helping bring closure to families and communities left devastated by the floods.
