Minnesota K-9 Unit Task Force 1 to assist Texas flood recovery

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Task Force 1, a K-9 unit trained to respond to a variety of rescue situations, will assist Texas with flood recovery efforts.

A member of Minnesota Task Force 1 team with a K-9 (photo courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety). (Supplied)

Expand

Minnesota assisting in Texas flood recovery

Big picture view:

State officials say Minnesota Task Force 1 is a search and rescue team that is trained in assisting with structural collapse, heavy rescue, wide-area search, trench rescue, confined space rescue, rope rescue and advanced medical care.

The team is equipped for 24-hour operations, allowing it to "work in any disaster area, including those with little or no infrastructure", according to the Minnesota Governor's Office.

The aid is being provided through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC, which is a mutual aid agreement between all 50 states. EMAC responses are coordinated through Minnesota's Department of Public Safety Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

What they're saying:

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz shared the following statement on the operation:

"In the wake of unprecedented flooding, communities in Texas are dealing with heartbreaking loss and destruction. As search and recovery missions continue, I’m incredibly grateful to our Minnesota Task Force 1 K-9 Unit for stepping up and traveling to assist our neighbors in this time of tragedy. We know their heroic work will make a difference."

The backstory:

The current death toll from the flooding in Texas is 129 people as of Saturday, with more than 170 people still missing.

Heavy rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to rise more than 26 feet in less than an hour on July 4.

What you can do:

Visit go.fox/txfloodrelief to support the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.

The Source: This story uses information shared by the Office of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Severe Weather Texas St. Paul Tim Walz