DAYTON, Ohio — Ohio's Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 1 has been placed on alert for possible deployment to Florida for the Champlain Towers collapse.
The task force said it is "currently taking the logistical steps for the team to be fully prepared to roll out the doors."
Preparations are underway and include loading equipment into vehicles and "taking preliminary medical steps to insure the team meets specific health standards, including FEMA required COVID protection measures."
According to authorities in Florida, at least one person has died and 99 individuals remain unaccounted for after a condominium building partially collapsed early Thursday morning. Officials said they have accounted for 102 people from the building.
The task force said it is awaiting final orders to deploy.
In 2019, Task Force 1 was deployed to Florida to assist with Hurricane Dorian.
The task force is one of 28 urban search and rescue teams that function within the National US&R Response System managed by FEMA.
RELATED: At least 1 dead, 99 unaccounted for in Miami-area building collapse
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