By: Eric Vander Woude –

Nebraska Task Force One is finally on their way back home after a week and a half in Texas, helping those affected by Hurricane Harvey. What is Nebraska Task Force One? To some people in Lincoln, they’re family members. To others in Texas this week, they are life savers. But in the books, they are an 80 person team willing to risk their lives to ensure the safety of others all across America.

“My step mom and my dad both work for Nebraska Task Force [One],” said senior Grace Hendricks. During this last week both of her parents have been busy saving lives, but in two very different ways. Mitch Hendricks, her dad and a retired Marine, helped establish communication grids in Texas so that the various organizations could save as many people as possible. And her step mom was part of the group that stayed in the state to help keep the Nebraska families up to date on the conditions of their family members.

The situations that the teams face do not happen everyday, which is why they have to be prepared. “They go through trainings at least twice a year,” said Hendricks. “Not only in Nebraska, but in other states for national trainings.” This not only keeps the Nebraska Task Force One members up to date, but it allows them to work with the other groups across the nation. Such training allowed the task force to complete over 1,500 rescue missions, saving over 4,500 people and 120 pets.

For some people this isn’t their everyday job, it is just a way to help out those in need. “[Nebraska Task Force One] has people from all over Nebraska… firefighters and people that volunteered to be in it,” said Hendricks. This is not the only task force either, there are at least 28 task forces all over the United States.

While in Nebraska, Hendricks helps by sending goods such as food, clothing, and other toiletries. Some of the hurricane victims and rescue crews are unable to receive regular food and, according to Hendricks, have been eating MREs [government issued meal packs] for the past eight days. Diminishing resources isn’t the only issue that Houston is facing. Thousands of displaced Houstonians are still being housed in crowded shelters and are slowly returning to home to find flooded and damaged homes.

“[Victims and volunteers] are in emergency housing,” said Hendricks. “[They stay] in schools and other places like that.”

These crews do more than just save people and pets, they are also trying to prevent chemical spills from happening. A large part of Texas is covered with refineries, some of which have leaked chemicals like methyl acetate and transformer oil. Neither of those are good for people or the environment, which is why crews are trying to contain them before they reach the golf and open waters.

It’s not an easy job to do, the first responders and rescue crews are right at the center of the dangers. “It’s a big risk going down there, you are literally in the same position that all of these people are in,” said Hendricks.