In an update from the Ohio Task Force One embedded in the Sandy superstore aftermath; as of 5pm Sunday evening, the task force leaders and planning team managers reported the situation had been very dynamic today, with mission parameters sometimes changing every few minutes.

Based on their assessment of remaining searches, some resources of the OH-TF1 are being reassigned to humanitarian missions in various areas of New York City. The missions are underway with coordination of the NYC Mayor’s Office and the NYC Office of Emergency Management. Task force members have set up a distribution system and will be conducting health and wellness checks, and distributing vital commodities and important storm–related contact information to survivors in priority areas identified by New York City.

Overnight, a contingent from OH-TF1 flew by helicopter to Floyd Bennett Field in New York City Brooklyn area and assisted PA-TF1 in setting up a base of operations. Floyd Bennett is the current headquarters of New York Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit, and serves as a base for the NYPD aviation unit.

Sunday morning, those from the overnight detail flew back to Fort Dix for a rest. Those who were at Dix last evening off-loaded the box trucks to allow pickup trucks and vans to convoy to Brooklyn and link-up with other task force personnel who flew there by helicopter this morning.

Once on the ground, OH-TF1 personnel transferred bulk loads of Meals Ready To Eat (MREs), water, blankets, cots and more from tractor trailers to the box trucks. When finished, they drove to designated point of distribution locations in the Coney Island area. Personnel had spent the day going door-to-door and offering these supplies to those in need.

As of mid-day, the plan was for the task force to work a single dawn-to-dusk shift in the Coney Island area, and return to Fort Dix for the evening.