Five Riverside firefighters and two search dogs returned July 23 from a 15-day deployment to Kerr County, Texas, where they assisted in search and recovery operations following devastating July 4 floods.
California Task Force 6 deployed July 6 to central Texas as part of the federal response to flooding that caused multiple fatalities. The team worked across a 120-mile search area, coordinating with FEMA Type 1 teams and local agencies.
"Their mission was to recover victims of this tragic loss of life and rescue people," Fire Chief Steve McKinster said during a press conference Wednesday at the department's fire training center on St. Lawrence Street.
The deployment included firefighters Mark Lookerse, Robert Stine, Chris Baker and Peter Sellas, followed by Sharon Gattas, along with K-9 Riley and canine Harley. Team members conducted targeted searches in areas inaccessible to ground crews, working primarily from boats due to changed river conditions.
Peter Sellas, the task force's emergency service coordinator and canine coordinator, said extreme humidity posed the greatest challenge for both personnel and dogs.
"The heat is much like our heat here. However, the humidity was exhausting both for us and especially for the canines," Sellas said. "We had to hydrate them differently, work them differently, and rest them differently."
The team also encountered poisonous snakes, wild boar, and a mountain lion during searches. Clay mud made terrain difficult to navigate, while debris-filled rivers created additional hazards.
"It's always hard to transition from rescue to recovery," Sellas said. "We understand that we're providing closure for these families because at some point, they cling to hope that they'll encounter their loved one and that they'll find them alive."
Team manager Chris Baker said the 120-mile footprint required daily 5 a.m. phone briefings, with divisions spread 10 to 50 miles apart. The team worked hand in hand with FEMA resources for the first week, conducting specialized canine searches in areas ground teams couldn't access.
"The community of Texas and volunteers who came from all over the country—these people went to work," Baker said. "They honestly made our jobs a lot easier in certain areas."
Operating under the Incident Command System, the team coordinated closely with Kerr County officials and the local emergency operations center throughout the deployment.
California Task Force 6 is one of eight FEMA urban search and rescue task forces in California and one of 28 nationally. Based in Riverside, the team responds to earthquakes, floods, building collapses and other disasters requiring specialized rescue capabilities.
"We have long been a city that answers the call—not just for our own community, but for others in times of crisis," Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said during Wednesday's press conference. "That spirit of service led the team as they deployed hundreds of miles away, joining the coordinated federal response."
The task force has deployed to major incidents including the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the 2001 World Trade Center attacks, Hurricane Katrina, the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and Hurricanes Milton and Helene in fall 2024.
Riverside serves as the host agency for the multi-jurisdictional team, which includes personnel from Corona, Hemet, Murrieta, the Pechanga Fire Department and Riverside County Fire.
