Manitoba rescue workers return from Fort McMurray
The 22-member team included doctor, paramedics and hydro workers
The task force leader with Manitoba's Urban Search and Rescue team says he has mixed feelings about returning home after spending a week assisting emergency crews in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
"Obviously you always want to do more," Tobin Praznik said; however, the Manitoba emergency workers are "very much" happy to be home, he said.
Seeing the devastation caused by wildfires in Fort McMurray in person was indescribable, Praznik said.
"Words can't describe some of the areas and how hard they have been hit," he said.
"We certainly feel for the community and those that have been affected."
The 22-person team from Manitoba included paramedics, a doctor, and Manitoba Hydro employees. They provided 24-hours-a-day support to crews on the ground in 12-hour shifts, said Praznik.
"The major role we played was to be able to support the emergency operation centre that was established," said Praznik.
Some of the Manitoba team's duties included helping firefighters put out hotspots, doing security checks and giving medical assistance to first responders, he said.
"Not one day was the same," said Praznik.
"We found ourselves very spread out and in multiple disciplines throughout the week."
The Fort McMurray wildfire has grown to more than 280,000 hectares and is expected to grow further.
Work to bring 94,000 evacuees back to the city has slowed due to lingering hot spots and toxic smoke in the air, said the province of Alberta on Monday.
with files from Meagan Fiddler