Members of the Wisconsin Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1 pack gear Sept. 10 before heading south to assist with Hurricane Irma response efforts in Florida. The task force mission was cancelled due to less storm damage than anticipated. Wisconsin Emergency Management photo

MADISON, Wis. — Members of Wisconsin’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (WI-TF1) are on their way back to Wisconsin. The team had been requested by the state of Florida to assist with search and rescue efforts in the Jacksonville area, but the mission was cancelled when damage from Hurricane Irma was less severe than anticipated in that area.

The state of Florida requested WI-TF1 on Sunday for a 10-day deployment. Members were bringing specialized equipment and supplies ranging from communications support to swift water rescue.

The team should return to Camp Douglas, Wisconsin tomorrow and will begin demobilizing. This WI-TF1 team has 35 members and comprises first responders from eight fire departments across Wisconsin — Antigo, Appleton, Beloit, Chippewa Falls, Green Bay, Janesville, La Crosse, and Oshkosh. The team also includes two volunteer search dog handlers and staff from the Regional Emergency All-Climate Training Center (REACT) based at Camp Douglas.