Mourners stop to pay respects to the missing victims at the memorial outside St. Joseph Catholic Church near the collapsed Champlain Towers condo in Surfside, Fla., on Wednesday. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Jack Franco (R) and his wife stop to say a prayer for the missing people at the memorial. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
On Tuesday, after discovering 18 dead, emergency workers shifted efforts to recovery instead of rescue. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
In an effort to prepare for incoming Tropical Storm Elsa, the search for victims was suspended due to the controlled demolition of the remainder of Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside, Fla., on Sunday. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Rescue workers temporarily stopped the search for victims on July 1, due to a shift in the rubble at the partially collapsed residential building. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
People stop at a makeshift memorial June 30 for victims of the disaster. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
The White House announced the President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit Surfside. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
A new team of rescue workers walk to the check-in station. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Rescue workers continue to search for victims at the site of Champlain Towers on June 29. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Rescue workers continue to search for victims at the site of a partially collapsed residential building in Surfside, Fla. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Rescue workers continue to work through the rubble on June 28. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Rescue workers watch as a victim is lifted up by a crane. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Rescue workers get ready to lift a yellow body bag with the remains of a victim from the disaster. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
A visitor to a memorial wall near the site of the collapsed Champlain Towers in Surfside, Fla., wipes away tears on June 27. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Visitors hug in front of the memorial wall. Photo By Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (L) walk with their heads down to a press conference near the site. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Signs and flowers are placed on a fence across from the building site. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Few remains have been freed from the rubble. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Miami-Dade fire and rescue workers get ready to access the source of the small fires that continue to breakout as rescue workers work on the partially collapsed building on June 25. Photo By Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Occasional rain and fires have complicated search-and-rescue efforts at the site. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Heavy equipment is used to carefully dig through the debris. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Rescue workers and their dogs get ready for another shift of searching through the debris. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Residents from the area watch the rescue workers. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Miami-Dade police supply therapy dogs for residents and children to play with while waiting for transportation to temporary living quarters. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration on Friday to provide federal aid to the area. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
There were no signs of foul play in causing the collapse of the building, built in 1981. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses the media near the building, issuing a state of emergency for Miami-Dade County. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Residents of the tower and friends and family of the missing gather to await news from search-and-rescue efforts. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Residents who survived the building collapse wait for transportation to temporary living quarters. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
Champlain Towers is located on the Atlantic Ocean in Surfside, Fla., about three miles north of Miami Beach. Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI
July 23 (UPI) -- Firefighters and rescue teams searching for victims of a Florida condo collapse ended their efforts Friday after nearly a month of removing and sifting through debris, local officials said.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Urban Search and Rescue Team, Florida Task Force One and the City of Miami Fire Department's Florida Task Force 2 left the site of Champlain Towers South in Surfside around noon, WTVJ-TV in Miami reported.
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The departures came nearly one month after the building partially collapsed in the middle of the night, killing at least 97 people.
WSVN-TV in Miami reported the first responders took time to pay respects to the dozens who died in the collapse before leaving the site.
"Providing closure to families was the ultimate test of everybody here and I think we did our best to do that and to make sure that everybody knew that we were in it 1,000 percent to make sure that they had the closure they needed for this disaster," Miami Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Scott Dean said.
Though the search of the debris for human remains has ended, one family says they still haven't been informed whether their loved one has been found and identified.
Ikey Hedaya told CNN that his sister, Estelle Hedaya, 54, lived in an apartment in the building, half of which collapsed. She was not among the 97 victims identified -- 96 found in the rubble and one who died after being transported to the hospital.
"The tough part is seeing my parents like this, day after day," he said. "I just want my sister to be at peace and get the honor and respect she deserves."
Authorities confirmed one person reported missing has yet to be identified. The Washington Post reported that some 26 million pounds of rubble have been taken off-site, where searchers are continuing to sift through the debris for any further remains.
"We are continuing to search with enormous care and diligence and to work closely hand-in-hand with faith leaders as we have since the beginning of this process," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Wednesday. "In collapses like this one, it is unfortunately very difficult to recover all the remains."