Mayor Adams Welcomes Home New York City First Responders From Deployment in North Carolina and Florida After Responding to Hurricanes Helene and Milton

October 25, 2024

Members of New York Task Force 1 Assisted with Search, Rescue, and Evacuations During Hurricanes Helene and Milton  

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today welcomed home 192 members of the Urban Search and Rescue New York Task Force 1 (NY-TF1) team and the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) Incident Management Team (IMT) from their deployment to North Carolina and Florida to assist with response and recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. NY-TF1 — whose deployment is activated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — is managed by New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) and comprises personnel from NYCEM, FDNY, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The teams deployed included 151 NY-TF1 members, seven NY-TF1 K9s, and 34 FDNY IMT members. 

“I want to welcome back the frontline heroes who helped rescue and evacuate our brothers and sisters in Florida and North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” said Mayor Adams. “In times of need, New York City is always there to lend a helping hand, and members of the NYPD, FDNY, and NYCEM helped save the lives of our neighbors down south. They are the selfless heroes who show up when we need them most, and on behalf of 8.3 million New Yorkers, thank you to the men and women of New York Task Force 1 for answering the call.” 

“What I love about this city is that New Yorkers never hesitate to step up, and our first responders displayed that spirit when answering the call to help our fellow Americans in their time need,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker. “Partnership is at the heart of everything we do, and this critical aid illustrated the seamless coordination between our public safety agencies and federal, state, and local partners. I am honored to work with this team and proud of their role in keeping communities here at home and across the country safe.” 

"The members of New York Task Force 1 continue to demonstrate an unparalleled commitment to service, courageous spirit, and dedication to their fellow Americans," said NYCEM Commissioner Zach Iscol. "They spent weeks in communities hundreds of miles away, saving lives and providing their expert skillset to those most in need. We are proud to welcome them home. May we honor their sacrifices and strive to embody their heroism in our work serving New York City."   

“We are thrilled to have all the members of New York Task Force 1 safely return home, and we are forever grateful for their life-saving efforts while deployed outside of New York City,” said NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas G. Donlon. “As we welcome them back, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for their capabilities and selfless dedication to public service, regardless of location or circumstance.” 

“The work of New York Task Force 1 is incredible. The members of this team are national heroes, and we thank them for their tireless dedication to service of our country,” said FDNY Fire Commissioner Robert S. Tucker. “The partnership between the NYPD and the FDNY has never been this strong and we know the work being done together on the ground makes New York City safer. The FDNY is honored to send our highly trained members wherever needed, and aid in whatever rescue mission is ahead of them, no matter the challenge. Congratulations on a job well done.”  

During their deployment, NY-TF1 successfully rescued three individuals and four pets, safely evacuated 32 people and one pet, and provided assistance to 31 additional individuals. Their commitment to ensuring the well-being of those in crisis was further exemplified through shelter-in-place welfare checks conducted for 236 individuals who were unable to evacuate. The team also searched 1,459 structures and assessed damage to 4,810 structures, identifying potential risks and prioritizing safety measures. 

The team deployed with a number of capabilities, including in-water rescue, technical search, canine search, a medical team, and logistics coordination from a base of operations. The deployment involved wide area and canine searches, as well as the collection of geospatial data documenting damage and those sheltering in place from the devastating impacts from the hurricanes. 

NY-TF1 specializes in urban search and rescue, disaster recovery, and emergency triage and medicine. With a history of effective deployments that include Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017; Hurricane Florence in 2018; Hurricane Ian in 2022; and Hurricane Ida in 2023, NY-TF1 stands as a testament to New York City’s commitment to helping American communities across the nation in times of crisis. There are 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams strategically located throughout the United States that can be deployed within hours of activation. 

IMTs are federally trained teams of first responders responsible for overseeing large-scale long-duration incidents and emergencies, including forest fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. Following September 11, 2001, an IMT from the U.S. Forestry Service greatly assisted FDNY with the rescue and recovery effort at the World Trade Center site. From this experience, the FDNY IMT was formed to manage incidents here in New York City and across the country. The FDNY IMT has responded to multiple national emergencies including forest fires; to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina; in Broome County, NY following Hurricane Irene; and here in New York City after Hurricane Sandy. The FDNY IMT consists of more than 180 FDNY members from all ranks in the department with specialized training in incident command, rescue operations, logistics, and planning. 

“I’m proud to welcome back 192 members of the Urban Search and Rescue New York Task Force 1 team along with the FDNY Incident Management Team after their deployment to support recovery efforts in North Carolina and Florida,” said U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis. “As a Staten Islander, our community understands the devastation caused by severe flooding, especially as the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy approaches, and we appreciate the selfless actions of New York bravest to help our fellow Americans in their time of need.” 

“When Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated our friends to the south, we sprung into action to aid our fellow Americans in their time of crisis,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “After an exceptional tour of duty, today we give a hero’s welcome to our 192 brave members of the Urban Search and Rescue New York Task Force 1 and the FDNY Incident Management Team. Our entire nation is grateful for their outstanding contributions in the recovery efforts. I am a steadfast supporter of first responders and was proud to pass historic legislation this year providing employment protections to National Guard members responding to disasters. Together, we will provide our first responders everything they need to heroically serve our nation when disaster strikes.” 

“Here in Queens, we remember the generosity shown to us by people from across the country who had our back in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. So, it's only right that New York City have the back of our neighbors to the south in their time of need following hurricanes Helene and Milton,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “To the 192 New York City first responders who have spent the last few weeks helping North Carolina and Florida families recover from these devastating storms, you represent the very best of our city. Thank you for your service and your sacrifice.” 

“Our first responders dedicate their lives to helping those in need, whether it's here in New York or hundreds of miles away,” said New York City Councilmember Joann Ariola. “These men and women are true heroes, and I could not be more proud of each and everyone one of them”