COVINGTON, Ky. — Help is on the way from the Commonwealth down to Florida, where crews are still trying to find people after the devastating collapse of a condo building.

An Ohio task force arrived Thursday evening to relieve the search and rescue crews on the ground. Six members of the team are from Kentucky.

Ryan Hogsten is a heavy rescue captain with the Lexington Fire Department, and one of 80 members of the Ohio Task Force 1 urban search and rescue team heading to Surfside, Florida. 

The tragic partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South Condominium has left at least 18 people dead, and more than 140 unaccounted for.

“Florida's got several USAR teams just like the Ohio task force, they’re doing a great job. But we’re in route to help supplement them, and help with the cause down there,” Hogsten said. “All 80 personnel are eager to go down to help.”

It’s a 22 hour trip from Dayton, where the team deployed a 16-vehicle convoy to Miami. But it’s a trip Covington firefighter Ryan Marzheuser said he’s happy to make.

“First and foremost, it’s for the people that were involved, that were in those buildings, in the towers. We’re going down there for them. To help get them out of there. If it is what it is that we bring peace to that family, then that’s what’s important. That will do. Secondly, we’re going to go down there and relieve the guys that have been down there for a week, week and half working. Give them a break, so they can go home to their families,” Marzheuser said. “We know that if something like this were to happen back home, Florida would be more than happy to come up and help us.”

Marzheuser explained why he joined the task force 11 years ago.

“Growing up in the fire service, I just met guys that were on the team. And they were at 9/11. They talked about it, they talked about the like mindset of the guys in the group,” he said.

FEMA has 28 federal teams ready to deploy in situations like these. 

“Basically, a building that collapses, we’re trained to be able to rescue people out of those types of scenarios,” Hogsten said.

Hogsten said the teams take hours of training, certification and experience to be a part of. They helped at events like the World Trade Center on 9/11, and the Oklahoma City bombing.

Ohio Task Force 1 is one of five FEMA Type-1 Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces activated to help in Florida.

Hogsten has been on the team since 2005, and in the fire service for 27 years. He’s seen his share of rescue missions with the fire department. He said urban search and rescue teams are typically capable of staying out in the field for 14 days, but the team will be in Florida for as long as it’s needed.

“The attitudes are good. This is something that we’ve trained for. Something that we’re willing and eager to do. And we just want to go down and help,” Hogsten said. “I’m just fortunate enough to be a part of this great team.”