Dec. 8, 2021, is officially known as Florida Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 3 Day in Hillsborough County in honor of the first responders that jumped into action after this summer's deadly Surfside condo collapse. In the wake of the tragedy that claimed 98 lives, some 75 men and women across the Tampa Bay area were dispatched to South Florida to assist with search and rescue efforts.
The elite group, led by Andrew Capelleti of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and Captain Brian Eichholz from Tampa Fire Rescue, consisted of members of both agencies as well as St. Pete Fire Rescue.
“The gallant first responders of Florida Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 3 worked side by side, day and night, doing everything they could for the victims of this terrible tragedy and their grieving families," Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen said during Wednesday's meeting.