LAFD Members Return From FEMA Task Force Deployment to Hurricane-Ravaged North Carolina

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Oct. 15 (KNN) — A team of Los Angeles Fire Department members who have also chosen to be part of the FEMA Task Force returned to Los Angeles Tuesday evening after supporting first responders in hurricane-ravaged Asheville, North Carolina.

Stepping up to a stack of media microphones fresh off the cross-country drive for a press conference at 6 p.m., LAFD Captain II Tom Henzgen, Task Force leader for this specific team, spoke of the experiences dealing with the devastation of the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton on the city of Asheville. He said that the list of those missing was growing day by day.

A team of 18 LAFD members deployed on September 27, 2024, driving 52 hours cross-country with all necessary equipment to Asheville, where they encountered severe devastation. Upon arrival, the team immediately collaborated with local police, fire resources, and other FEMA Task Forces to provide critical assistance.

Members of the team, including Chief David Ortiz, were available to the media to share their experiences and insights from their deployment.

Henzgen said the devastation was more than most of the team had ever seen before and that everyone was just so eager to help save people. He said that no matter how tired the crews felt, no one showed it because their help was so needed. They helped each other and kept the morale up. Henzgen commended the team for being “outstanding.”

Henzgen spoke of the rigorous and grueling tests one must pass to get on the team, along with certifications and knowledge of rescue techniques. Then there are the ethics courses — the list goes on.

KNN asked LAFD Spokesperson Margaret Stewart about the gear and supplies needed for this deployment. Stewart told KNN that all the gear the team needed was already packed and ready to go for the trip across the country and that all fire department gear is always ready when needed.

She also said that FEMA funds the Task Force, and firefighters can choose to do it in addition to their jobs with the LAFD.

When asked about Henzgen’s career as a firefighter with the LAFD, Stewart told KNN he has been with the department for 26 years and is assigned at Urban Search and Rescue, Station 88.

Henzgen was named Firefighter of the Month in January 2019, according to the website supportlafd.org.

At that time, he said, “No matter where I go, the best reward is just offering assistance in a time of need. Having that opportunity to go help, I don’t need anything more than that.”

Keith Johnson, Video Journalist / KNN