TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — After sending troops to North Carolina, Terre Haute troops explain how they plan to restore normalcy to Hurricane Helene victims.
Commander of the 181st Force Support Squadron Major Landon Hinman said the mission is vital.
“The FSRT is the Fatality Search and Recovery Team,” said Hinman. “They are typically assigned to a search area where they will search for decedents, transport to further care, and just help bring closures to those families.”
Hinman said that their training led them to be one of the first teams assigned in this area.
“The emphasis that the FSRT puts on training and response time showed through when we responded to the event in North Carolina because we were one of the first FSRTs to respond and report to the staging area in Hickory, North Carolina,” said Hinman. “Now, we are one of the first FSRTs to be tasked with mission in the area of operation.”
Hinman added that this wouldn’t have been possible without the help of all of their local and state partners.
“The training held for the FSRT is very robust as we exercise quite frequently how we would play,” said Hinman. “We take part in multiple national and state level exercises that allow us to coordinate with local, state, and civil authorities so that we can hit the ground running in a real-world instance like the situation we are facing in North Carolina is a seamless transition and we are able to jump in, perform mission, and be effective right off the bat.”
