Just back from Katrina, force is off to battle Rita

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005 | 11:18 a.m.

Karl Lee of the Nevada Task Force-1 returned home from helping with Hurricane Katrina just five days ago, so it's understandable that he'd make a slip of the tongue Wednesday as the group prepared to leave for Texas to assist with the anticipated aftermath of Hurricane Rita.

"The reason why we're here is Hurricane Katrina," Lee told the 30-member crew during a briefing in the local FEMA office moments before they hit the road.

"Rita," several task force members said, and the room burst into laughter.

"Rita. Yes, Rita. The reason why we're here is Hurricane Rita," Lee said, smiling and shaking his head.

Lee, fire logistics specialist for the Clark County Fire Department, is heading up the group that will be staying in a military installation in San Antonio. He estimated they will arrive Friday or Saturday.

Wednesday afternoon, shortly after the task force's caravan departed, Hurricane Rita was upgraded from a category 4 hurricane to a category 5, with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph. It is forecast to make landfall Saturday morning.

Nevada Task Force-1, based in Las Vegas and one of 28 teams scattered across the country, is made up mainly of Clark County firefighters but has emergency room doctors, Metro search-and-rescue specialists handling four dogs trained to sniff out victims and structural engineers to rescue survivors still buried in debris.

Lee said he expects to be doing what the task force specializes in -- urban search and rescue as a result of building collapses rather than the water rescue they handled in New Orleans.

Clark County Fire Chief Earl Greene assured the team that if their families have any crises while they're away, their fellow firefighters will step in.

"Whatever happens here, we'll take care of it," he said. "Take care of each other, stay focused and do what you're trained to do. You have our ultimate support, and I'm just asking you to make us proud."

Most of those who volunteered to go to Texas also spent 17 days in New Orleans, fire department spokesman Bob Leinbach said.

The members are happy to be going, Lee said, but no one knows what to expect.

"On the last mission we could watch TV and see what we were getting into, but this time we have no idea," he said.

As task force member and emergency room doctor Philip Hess prepared to leave, he said the situation is bittersweet -- they have the desire and ability to help people, but they must make personal sacrifices. He was among those who also went to New Orleans.

"It was a little tender talk with my wife, but we'll adapt and overcome," he said.

Firefighter Rick Szczepanek didn't get to go on the Katrina mission, and he said he was excited to be headed to Texas although it means leaving his wife and two children, ages 1 and 3, behind.

"The reason we do this job is to help, but there's a little fear of the unknown," he said.

The task force is expected to be in Texas for about two weeks.