With fires raging in Hawaii, officials there are reaching out for assistance. A five-person team from Nevada Task Force 1 (NV-TF1) arrived Thursday night to assist with search and recovery efforts.
The team, which includes emergency responders from several local jurisdictions and two K-9s, all part of Nevada’s only urban search and rescue team.
Donovan Kafenda is a search team manager and captain with the Henderson Fire Department. He will be working with colleagues who will bring trained dogs, a lab named Dee and golden retriever named Corey. He said the dogs can perform in the desert as well as in tropical terrain.
“The great thing with our dogs is we certify all across the country at different locations. We train all over the place, so they’re ready for whatever task they may be needed for,” said Kafenda.
Members of the Nevada Task Force are trained to be self-sufficient for at least the initial 48 hours. John Steinbeck, chief of Clark County Fire Department, said Las Vegas and Hawaii have “kindred spirits” as Las Vegas is often referred to as the Ninth Island.
Steinbeck said while there are a lot of logistics, ultimately, team members have to be flexible.
“We do everything and anything, and the mission changes on the way, and even after you get there. So you might get out there and you may be looking for live or human remains, whatever it is they need. On the search side of it, it may very well mean that they end up working at a shelter and assisting on those lines. Once we land on the ground, we are a resource there. And the job description is do whatever is necessary,” said Steinbeck.
The Nevada Task force includes members of local fire teams (Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas), two K-9 units and a civilian. While most deployments typically last 10-14 days, the Nevada Task Force does not know how long they will be assisting in Hawaii.
