Recovery work in Surfside, Florida ended Friday, 29 days after the Champlain Towers South building collapsed killing at least 97 people.
“Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is transitioning the search and recovery effort to the Miami-Dade Police Department,” the county said in a press release on Friday.
97 victims were identified including 96 that were recovered from the collapse and one that passed away in the hospital. 242 people are accounted for.
The county said one victim is still unaccounted for, but “the operation is ongoing, and MDPD is continuing to search the debris pile both for human remains and for personal items until they have completed a full additional search of the debris.”
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava (D) called the first responders “superheroes” who “have stepped up to serve this community in the wake of unprecedented disaster — not just by leading the search and rescue and recovery operation but through the care and compassion they demonstrated to all the families, doing everything they could to bring closure to those who lost loved ones.”
Members of two task forces were saluted as they demobilized Friday, local ABC affiliate WPLG reported.
Florida Task Force 2 members were led in a procession to the City of Miami Fire Rescue Headquarters, where they were met with a water-cannon salute.
“Providing closure to families was the ultimate test of everybody here, and I think we did our best to do that,” Scott Dean, the leader of Florida Task Force 2 said.
Task Force 1 were honored at a separate ceremony in Doral at Miami-Dade Fire Rescue headquarters.
“It’s obviously devastating. It’s obviously a difficult situation across the board,” county Fire Chief Alan Cominsky said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the men and women that represent Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.”
City of Miami Fire Chief Joseph Zahralban acknowledged that for some of the first responders this is the start of mental health healing.
“This is a weight that you will carry with you for some time,” he said. “It is OK if you are having problems, it is OK if it becomes difficult for you to deal with. If you can’t sleep at night, call me.”
