VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — On Wednesday, the Incident Support Team for Virginia Task Force 2 (VA-TF2) returned to Virginia Beach after two weeks of Hurricane Dorian cleanup.
The team went from Puerto Rico to Florida, to South Carolina, and finally to North Carolina, helping communities impacted by the hurricane.
Team member Greg Vogel said that the experience was something he’s very proud of.
“It’s a very rewarding thing to do something you trained for your entire career and then actually make a rescue. To be able to find somebody and give closure to a family think is the most important thing,” said Vogel.
The Incident Support Team is responsible for setting up ahead of the search-and-rescue missions. The team worked to hand out equipment caches, arrange for food, and set up shelter for the team.
For Fire Captain Wayne Black, returning from the Dorian trip had a special significance since many on the team had been together since 9/11.
There are about 20 members of the VBFD contingent of VA-TF2 who deployed to the Pentagon that day still active, including Captain Black.
“I went to the Pentagon. Our nature of work, we see a lot of death. And we’re the natural fit, I think, to be able to find those people versus the citizens themselves,” said Black.
But Black said it’s a hard memory, regardless of the day.
“It’s very difficult for some people when you start reflecting on what took place, how it totally changed the country to where we’re at right now, related to terrorism events,” said Black.