A Columbus firefighter is among Indiana first responders helping in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.
Local firefighter Marcus Gruner is deployed in Louisiana as a member of Indiana Task Force 1, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.
Indiana Task Force 1 was activated on Aug. 27 as a 45-member Type 3 Urban Search and Rescue Team in response to the hurricane. The team departed for Louisiana on the same day.
The team has been assigned to the far southeastern portion of the state along with other task forces and federal force protection.
Indiana Task Force 1 is part of the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System established by FEMA. The task force is prepared to respond to any natural or human-created disaster 24 hours a day, handling all hazards from local search and rescue to national large scale-incidents.
