Colorado’s elite disaster response team has cleared a major hurdle in its flood recovery mission down in Texas — but they’re not packing up just yet.

Colorado Task Force 1 (CO-TF1), deployed to Kerr County after catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River, announced it has completed 100% of its land-based primary search area. That’s a big deal. But secondary searches, sonar scans, and emotional closure for families? Still ahead.

Flooded Towns, High Stakes, And Colorado’s Role on the Ground

The flash floods that tore through Texas earlier this month left behind a trail of destruction — homes gutted, vehicles washed out, and multiple people unaccounted for.

That’s where CO-TF1 comes in.

Made up of firefighters, paramedics, structural engineers, and search dogs, the team was dispatched to support local responders with specialized equipment and experience. They’ve been combing through wreckage and riverbanks since their arrival.

“Secondary searches have now commenced throughout the division,” the team said in a Facebook update over the weekend.

K9 Units, Riverbanks, and Long Days in the Texas Heat

July 19 marked a turning point. That’s when CO-TF1, aided by search K9s, identified 54 specific areas for targeted follow-up. It was meticulous work, under brutal conditions.

In just a few days:

• All land-based primary searches were completed

• Teams began secondary sweeps, checking again for anyone missed

• In-water sonar operations were prepped for launch

Monday’s mission involves sonar scans of submerged areas — a delicate and often frustrating process, slowed by murky waters and shifting debris.

“They’re doing a job most of us wouldn’t want to even imagine,” said one Kerr County official.

Three Days Left — Maybe

CO-TF1 estimates it will take “two additional operational periods” to finish the secondary searches. Realistically, that means three more days, unless conditions change. And they often do.

One-sentence pause here.

Searches like this rarely end with a clean finish. Flood waters recede unevenly, and debris can hide signs of victims even after multiple sweeps.

This Isn’t CO-TF1’s First Rodeo — Or Its Last

This isn’t the first time Colorado Task Force 1 has answered the call across state lines. The FEMA-certified team has responded to hurricanes, wildfires, and building collapses — from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 to the Surfside condo collapse in Florida.

The group is one of 28 federal task forces across the country, and one of the most active.

A look at CO-TF1’s major deployments since 2020:

It’s a relentless cycle — train, deploy, debrief, repeat. But the group’s leaders say the job is about more than skill. It’s about grit, and empathy.

On The Ground, But Also On Social Media

CO-TF1 has kept the public looped in through frequent Facebook posts — part transparency, part morale boost. Each update includes details about search phases, conditions, and milestones.

That open line has helped families in Texas — and back in Colorado — feel connected to the effort.

They’re not just checking boxes. They’re showing their work.

And when the mission ends later this week, it won’t be just about who was found. It’ll be about who showed up.