Toledo firefighters are helping to respond to Hurricane Ian

TOLEDO, Ohio — As safety officials continue to monitor the latest developments in Hurricane Jan, local first responders are helping people stay safe.

Toledo Assistant Chief Firefighter John Kaminsky is one of many crews from around the country currently assisting in the relief effort. Kaminsky traveled over the weekend to assist with response operations and will assist local first responders with whatever they need.

“It’s nice to know that you’re here to offer some comfort, that we’re here to hopefully put people in a better position to recover from the storm and rescue them if necessary,” Assistant Chief Kaminski said.

Kaminski is not the first Toledo firefighter to help with natural disaster relief. There are several Toledo firefighters who are part of Ohio Task Force One, which helps when disaster strikes.

“When you go, nobody goes to these places because they want to be there, but they have a desire to help,” said Lt. Jamie Morlock of Toledo Fire and Rescue.

Morlock assisted in past hurricane relief efforts during Hurricanes Harvey, Floyd and Delta.

Much of their job is to assist local emergency responders with whatever is needed.

“If they need us to go through and knock, which is basically assessing structural damage and making contact with the homeowners in the neighborhood, we will do that. And sometimes you walk 12 miles doing that,” said Jake Hoffman, a Toledo firefighter and member of the Ohio task force.

“The initial missions could be during a hurricane, water rescue during flooding areas with boats and the like, or vehicles capable of driving through high water,” Lt. Morlock said.

Alabama currently has only one firefighter from Toledo waiting for Hurricane Ian to make landfall.

“Now they’re just waiting to be assigned, and they’re waiting to narrow the path of the storm. It’s like working at a firehouse where you just sit there and wait for the call. practice and see what happens!” – said Hoffman.

More local headlines from WTOL 11