Tears, Salutes Mark End of Surfside’s 29-Day Recovery Mission After Collapse

Miami-Dade County’s fire department ended their Surfside recovery mission Friday, concluding their 29-day effort to find potential survivors and victims. Officers of Task Force 2 were greeted with salutes at a disbanding ceremony Friday afternoon, with some holding back tears as they hugged their family members. Member Nichole Notte reflected on the emotional toll the job took as she returned home to a 4-month-old. “It was extremely grueling,” she told WPLG. “Especially having a baby at home and seeing the things that we have seen, it’s hard. It’s harder. It’s personal.” Miami-Dade’s police department will continue digging through the debris to locate any human remains and personal items.

“The men and women of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue ran into a collapsed building on the early morning of June 24 and haven’t stopped since,” Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement. “They are true 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.”