LINN  —  As of 5 a.m. Tuesday, all Osage Ambulance District (OAD) Disaster Response Team returned from deployment to assist with Hurricane Helene, flooding in the Carolinas, and Hurricane Milton recovery efforts.

“We are proud of their hard work and commitment to providing critical care during these disasters,” said OAD EMS Chief Josh Krull. “Our teams stayed on the front lines until we were released by AMR. Please keep those affected by these emergencies in your thoughts.”

Under American Medical Response’s (AMR) contract, OAD responded to the request to provide assistance to Florida in response to Hurricane Helene. Crews were deployed on Sept. 25 and could have various tasks, including the triage, treatment, and transport of patients, as well as providing on-scene medical stand-by. Krull noted they may also be asked to participate in the transport and placement of patients to help free up bed space at receiving hospitals or provide other patient care-related duties as the local government identifies needs.

Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26 at the Big Bend coastal region of northwest Florida with a storm surge reported at over 15 feet. The Category 4 hurricane unleashed devastation across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee, with more than 230 people killed.

While in Florida, AMR actively monitored Tropical Storm Milton, which became a Category 3 hurricane that hit the Siesta Key area on Oct. 9. At least 24 people were killed in the storm, according to reports.

Due to the widespread devastation, additional ambulances and personnel were deployed under the direction of Pafford Medical Services.

However, Krull said the district maintained a strong presence in this area. “This deployment in no way impacted our ability to meet patient needs in our local community,” he added.