Calcutta Firefighters, K-9 going to Texas flood zone

 The Calcutta Fire Search and Rescue Team is heading to Texas this afternoon to assist with search and recovery operations after devastating floods. The team, including fire personnel, rescue equipment, and K-9 Solace, departed from the Calcutta Fire Station in St. Clair Township Wednesday Afternoon.

K-9 Solace, part of the Calcutta Fire Search and Rescue Team, is a cadaver dog. She is available not only for Calcutta but also for calls throughout the county and surrounding areas. The 2-year-old German Shepherd was donated by Fire Chief and K-9 handler Dave McCoy.

"Every single deployment we've gone on, K-9s end up there, not in large amounts. A lot of time it's on the shortage side," said McCoy, seeing the need for dogs in search and rescue options years ago.

Solace is just two years old, but completed cadaver training in fall of 2024, before being deployed shortly after thereafter, for Hurricane Helene search and rescue efforts.

"The last one we did about four days, going from daylight to dark. I was really shocked with how well she did but being a younger dog, that helps some," McCoy explained.

More than 160 people are still missing in Texas, days after a powerful wall of water on July 4 killed over 100 people, according to the Associated Press. Kerrville Command Operations activated the Calcutta team for water rescue and K-9 cadaver assistance.

The deployment marks another effort by the Calcutta Fire Department to aid in large-scale natural disasters.

"We have shadow boxes for every trip we've done so there is eight of them, well there will be eight of them after this trip," said Randy Schneider, Lieutenant at Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department.

The Calcutta firefighters have a history of responding to emergencies beyond their local area. In February, the department's Water Rescue and Search and Rescue teams were called to Floyd County, Kentucky, to help with flooding.

They performed active water rescues and worked with local emergency services. The deployment followed previous assistance in Kentucky during the 2022 floods in Perry and Breathitt Counties.

Last year, in May 2024, six Calcutta firefighters were recognized for their work after Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina. They collected and delivered trailers full of supplies to Asheville, North Carolina, shortly after the storm caused widespread flooding and destroyed homes.

In December 2021, three Calcutta firefighters, including Chief David McCoy and Firefighter Randy Schneider, volunteered in Mayfield, Kentucky, after a tornado. They helped with cleanup efforts and even restored the community's damaged Christmas tree, bringing a moment of hope to the devastated town.

Chief McCoy said their experiences in these various disasters have better prepared the department for any emergencies that might occur in Calcutta or Columbiana County.

The search and rescue team, along with solace will hit the ground running Thursday afternoon.