FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force
Encyclopedia
A FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (US&R Task Force) is a team of individuals specializing in urban search and rescue
, disaster recovery, and emergency triage
and medicine. The teams are deployed to emergency and disaster sites within six hours of notification. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) created the Task Force concept to provide support for large scale disaster
s in the United States. FEMA provides financial, technical and training support for the Task Forces as well as creating and verifying the standards of Task Force personnel and equipment.
There are 28 Task Forces in the United States, each sponsored by a local agency. In the event of a disaster in the United States, the nearest three Task Forces will be activated and sent to the site of the disaster. If the situation is large enough, additional teams will be activated.
Each task force member is a specialist in one of four areas:
The search and rescue personnel are organized into four Rescue Squads, each composed of an Officer and five Rescue Specialists, and are capable of working 12-hour alternating shifts. The medical personnel include two task force physicians and four Medical Specialists.
are a critical element of each US&R Task Force as their keen sense of smell allows them to locate victims that might go undiscovered. The majority of the dog-handlers on the Task Forces are civilian volunteers. The dogs are usually considered to be family pets by the handlers when the dogs are not on duty.
The canine rescuers will become dejected if they are unsuccessful in locating victims, as they consider search and rescue to be a type of game. To keep the spirits of the canines up, one of the Task Force members will hide in the rubble so the dog will have a successful 'find'. In most instances, the dogs do not wear any safety equipment while working a debris pile as they need to be able to splay their paws to obtain maximum traction. Because of the distinct possibility of injury from broken glass and metal, the medical unit maintains supplies for the canine rescuers.
Each of the canines is categorized as either Type II Disaster Search Canine (Basic certification) or Type I Disaster Search Canine (Advanced certification).
and Metro-Dade County Fire Department
created search and rescue teams to deal with rescue operations in collapsed buildings. The State Department
and the Office of Foreign Disaster Aid requested the help of these teams to assist with rescue operations in the 1985 Mexico City
, the 1990 Luzon
and the 1989 Leninakan earthquakes
.
Seeing the value in having a network of such teams in the United States, FEMA created the National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System in 1989. In 1991, the concept was incorporated into the National Response Plan
. FEMA sponsored 25 national urban search-and-rescue task forces. The number of teams has expanded to 28 since 1991.
The U.S. Army's 911th Engineer Company, modeled on a FEMA USAR Task Force, provides additional response to the National Capital Region.
transport aircraft or two C-130
transport aircraft.
The equipment cache allows the Task Force to operate independently for up to four days. The cache contains five categories of equipment: Medical, Search and Rescue, Communications, Technical Support and Logistics.
Items included in the medical cache are medicines, intravenous fluids, blankets, suture sets, airways, tracheal tubes, defibrillators, burn treatment supplies, bone saws and scalpel
s. On site, the "durable" medical equipment
will stay with the Task Force when patients are transferred to other medical facilities. The local medical facilities must provide their own medical equipment
as the equipment may be needed again by the Task Force.
Construction type equipment such as concrete saw
s, jackhammer
s, drill
s and rope
. Technical rescue type equipment such as lifting airbags, shore systems, and hydraulic rescue tools
. Non-reusable shoring material such as lumber
and pipe
is not included in the cache and is to be found or acquired at the disaster site.
, lights, radios, cellular phone
s, laptop computer
s Task Force personnel will be issued portable radios at the point of departure to a disaster and are responsible for that radio until the Task Force returns to the point of departure. The radios operate in the 403-430 MHz range and are capable of penetrating structures and below grade environments (i.e. underground).
s, sensitive listening devices, measuring devices such as laser rangefinders, strain gauge
s and levels
; audio-visual equipment such as still and video camera
s, LCD projector
s; haz-mat equipment and support equipment for canines such as kennel
s, harnesses
and sleeping pads.
s, cots, food and water, as well as cold weather gear
, portable toilets, portable showers, safety equipment such as glove
s, earplug
s, kneepads, respirator
s and protective eyewear
; administrative equipment such as office supplies
and reference materials; equipment maintenance materials and Task Force member's personal gear.
Urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces due to natural disasters, structural collapse, transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.USAR teams in different countries may be organised in a...
, disaster recovery, and emergency triage
Triage
Triage or ) is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition. This rations patient treatment efficiently when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately. The term comes from the French verb trier, meaning to separate,...
and medicine. The teams are deployed to emergency and disaster sites within six hours of notification. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) created the Task Force concept to provide support for large scale disaster
Disaster
A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment...
s in the United States. FEMA provides financial, technical and training support for the Task Forces as well as creating and verifying the standards of Task Force personnel and equipment.
There are 28 Task Forces in the United States, each sponsored by a local agency. In the event of a disaster in the United States, the nearest three Task Forces will be activated and sent to the site of the disaster. If the situation is large enough, additional teams will be activated.
Task Force makeup
Each Task Force is capable of deploying as a Type I with 70 personnel or a Type III with 28 personnel. This deployment configuration is increased if the Task Force mobilizes for a ground transport.Each task force member is a specialist in one of four areas:
- Search - locating victims of a disaster
- Rescue - extricating a victim from the location where they are trapped, usually involving removing debris from around the victim
- Technical - structural specialistsStructural engineerStructural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants...
who provide engineering support for the rescuers - Medical - providing medical treatmentEmergency medicineEmergency medicine is a medical specialty in which physicians care for patients with acute illnesses or injuries which require immediate medical attention. While not usually providing long-term or continuing care, emergency medicine physicians diagnose a variety of illnesses and undertake acute...
for the team, canines and victims before, during and after rescue
The search and rescue personnel are organized into four Rescue Squads, each composed of an Officer and five Rescue Specialists, and are capable of working 12-hour alternating shifts. The medical personnel include two task force physicians and four Medical Specialists.
Canine rescuers
The canine rescuersSearch and rescue dog
The use of dogs in search and rescue is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people. Dedicated handlers and well-trained dogs are required for the use of dogs to be effective in search efforts...
are a critical element of each US&R Task Force as their keen sense of smell allows them to locate victims that might go undiscovered. The majority of the dog-handlers on the Task Forces are civilian volunteers. The dogs are usually considered to be family pets by the handlers when the dogs are not on duty.
The canine rescuers will become dejected if they are unsuccessful in locating victims, as they consider search and rescue to be a type of game. To keep the spirits of the canines up, one of the Task Force members will hide in the rubble so the dog will have a successful 'find'. In most instances, the dogs do not wear any safety equipment while working a debris pile as they need to be able to splay their paws to obtain maximum traction. Because of the distinct possibility of injury from broken glass and metal, the medical unit maintains supplies for the canine rescuers.
Each of the canines is categorized as either Type II Disaster Search Canine (Basic certification) or Type I Disaster Search Canine (Advanced certification).
History
The origins of the FEMA Task Forces goes back to the early 1980s when the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue DepartmentFairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is a combination career and volunteer organization that provides fire suppression, emergency medical, technical rescue, hazardous materials, water rescue, life safety education, fire prevention and arson investigation services to Fairfax County, Virginia...
and Metro-Dade County Fire Department
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department is the combined fire and emergency services department for Miami-Dade County, Florida. Its headquarters are in Doral....
created search and rescue teams to deal with rescue operations in collapsed buildings. The State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
and the Office of Foreign Disaster Aid requested the help of these teams to assist with rescue operations in the 1985 Mexico City
1985 Mexico City earthquake
The 1985 Mexico City earthquake, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that struck Mexico City on the early morning of 19 September 1985 at around 7:19 AM , caused the deaths of at least 10,000 people and serious damage to the greater Mexico City Area. The complete seismic event...
, the 1990 Luzon
1990 Luzon earthquake
The Luzon earthquake occurred on Monday, July 16, 1990, at 4:26 PM local time in the Philippines. The densely populated island of Luzon was struck by an earthquake with a 7.8 Ms...
and the 1989 Leninakan earthquakes
Leninakan Earthquake
The Spitak Earthquake was a tremor with a magnitude of 6.9, that took place on December 7, 1988 at 11:41 local time in the Spitak region of Armenia, then part of the Soviet Union...
.
Seeing the value in having a network of such teams in the United States, FEMA created the National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System in 1989. In 1991, the concept was incorporated into the National Response Plan
National Response Plan
The National Response Plan was a United States national plan to respond to emergencies such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks. It came into effect in December 2004 , and was superseded by the National Response Framework on March 22, 2008....
. FEMA sponsored 25 national urban search-and-rescue task forces. The number of teams has expanded to 28 since 1991.
Notable US&R Task Force responses
Task Forces respond to a variety of different situations ranging from natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes to man-made disasters such as gas explosions and bombings. Listed below are a few of the notable situations that US&R Task Forces have responded to:- Hurricane Iniki, KauaiKauaiKauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
- September 11, 1992 - Northridge earthquakeNorthridge earthquakeThe Northridge earthquake was a massive earthquake that occurred on January 17, 1994, at 04:31 Pacific Standard Time in Reseda, a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, lasting for about 10–20 seconds...
, Los Angeles County, CaliforniaLos Angeles County, CaliforniaLos Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
- January 17, 1994 - Oklahoma City bombingOklahoma City bombingThe Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
, Oklahoma City, OklahomaOklahoma City, OklahomaOklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
- April 19, 1995 - Hurricane Opal, Fort Walton Beach, FloridaFort Walton Beach, FloridaFort Walton Beach is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of 2005, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach was 19,992, and as of 2010, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach is 19,507 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau...
- October 6, 1995 - Humberto Vidal ExplosionHumberto Vidal ExplosionThe Humberto Vidal Explosion was a gas explosion that occurred on November 21, 1996 at the Humberto Vidal shoe store located in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. The explosion killed 33 and wounded more than 80 others when the building collapsed...
, Río Piedras, Puerto RicoRío Piedras, Puerto RicoRío Piedras is a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Founded in 1714, it has been the home of the University of Puerto Rico's main campus since 1903, earning the town the popular name of Ciudad Universitaria...
- November 21, 1996 - Explosion of DeBruce Grain Elevator, Wichita, KansasWichita, KansasWichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
- 8 June 1998 - Izmit, Turkey earthquake - August 17, 1999
- Athens, Greece earthquake - September 7, 1999
- Hurricane FloydHurricane FloydHurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached...
- North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
- September 16, 1999 - Düzce, Turkey earthquake - 12 November 1999
- World Trade Center and Pentagon attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, New York, New York and Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
- September 11, 2001 - 2002 Winter Olympics2002 Winter OlympicsThe 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
, Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
- February 8–24, 2002 (Task Forces acted in a supporting role) - 2005 Hurricane Katrina
- 2006 Hurricane Ernesto
- 2007 Greensburg, Kansas
- 2008 Hurricane Ike & Gustav
- 2010 Port-au-Prince, Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquakeThe 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
- 2011 Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake (CA-TF2)
- 2011 Tōhoku, Japan earthquake and tsunami2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunamiThe 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
(CA-TF2, VA-TF1)
Task Force locations
The 28 teams of the US&R Task Force program are spread throughout the United States. The teams are identified by the official two-letter U.S. Postal Service state abbreviations followed by the letters TF for Task Force and a sequential number for the number of the task force for that state. For example, the newest task force in the state of California, the San Diego Task Force, is identified as CA-TF8, being the 8th task force to be created in California.- AZ-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Arizona Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Arizona Task Force 1 or AZ-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Phoenix, Arizona. AZ-TF1 is sponsored by the Phoenix Fire Department....
- Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
- Phoenix Fire DepartmentPhoenix Fire DepartmentThe Phoenix Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Phoenix. The Phoenix Fire Department responded to 148,673 incidents during 2010, with 88% being for emergency medical services... - CA-TF1Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 1 or CA-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Los Angeles, California. CA-TF1 is sponsored by the Los Angeles Fire Department....
- Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
- Los Angeles City Fire DepartmentLos Angeles Fire DepartmentThe Los Angeles Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles.... - CA-TF2Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 2Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 2 or CA-TF2 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Los Angeles County, California...
- Los Angeles County, CaliforniaLos Angeles County, CaliforniaLos Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
- Los Angeles County Fire DepartmentLos Angeles County Fire DepartmentThe Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including La Habra. It should not be confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, which serves the city of... - CA-TF3Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 3Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 3 or CA-TF3 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Menlo Park, California. CA-TF3 is sponsored by the Menlo Park Fire Department.CA-TF3 was created in September 1991....
- Menlo Park, CaliforniaMenlo Park, CaliforniaMenlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
- Menlo Park Fire DepartmentMenlo Park Fire DepartmentThe Menlo Park Fire Department is the Special District which provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the southernmost end of San Mateo County. According to its web page, "It covers approximately that reaches into the bay." The District's population is estimated to be around... - CA-TF4Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 4Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 4 or CA-TF4 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Oakland, California. CA-TF4 is sponsored by the Oakland Fire Department.CA-TF4 is composed of individuals from a number of different agencies...
- Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
- Oakland Fire DepartmentOakland Fire DepartmentThe city of Oakland, California is protected 24/7 by the 500 professional firefighters of the Oakland Fire Department. The Oakland Fire Department is the only fire and rescue agency in the city of Oakland and operates out of 25 Fire Stations, located throughout the city and the airport... - CA-TF5Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 5Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 5 or CA-TF5 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Orange County, California. CA-TF5 is sponsored by the Orange County Fire Authority....
- Orange County, CaliforniaOrange County, CaliforniaOrange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
- Orange County Fire AuthorityOrange County Fire AuthorityThe Orange County Fire Authority is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for unincorporated areas of Orange County, California and cities that contract OCFA's services.... - CA-TF6Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 6Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 6 or CA-TF6 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Riverside, California. CA-TF6 is sponsored by the Riverside Fire Department....
- Riverside, CaliforniaRiverside, CaliforniaRiverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
- Riverside Fire DepartmentRiverside Fire DepartmentThe Riverside Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Riverside, California.-History:... - CA-TF7Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 7Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 7 or CA-TF7 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Sacramento, California. CA-TF7 is sponsored by the Sacramento Fire Department....
- Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, CaliforniaSacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
- Sacramento Fire DepartmentSacramento Fire DepartmentThe Sacramento Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for Sacramento, California.... - CA-TF8Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 8Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 8 or CA-TF8 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in San Diego, California. CA-TF8 is sponsored by the San Diego Fire Department....
- San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
- San Diego Fire DepartmentSan Diego Fire DepartmentThe San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of San Diego, California, USA. It consists of 46 fire stations covering over . For medical transportation, the department contracts with San Diego Medical Services, or SDMS.... - CO-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Colorado Task Force 1thumb|CO-TF1 at [[World Trade Center]] after the 9/11 attacks.Urban Search and Rescue Colorado Task Force 1 or CO-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Colorado. CO-TF1 is sponsored by the State of Colorado. They were one of the 20 were FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force...
- State of ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains... - FL-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Florida Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Florida Task Force 1 or FL-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Miami-Dade County, Florida. FL-TF1 is sponsored by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department....
- Miami-Dade County, FloridaMiami-Dade County, FloridaMiami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
- Miami-Dade Fire Rescue DepartmentMiami-Dade Fire Rescue DepartmentMiami-Dade Fire Rescue Department is the combined fire and emergency services department for Miami-Dade County, Florida. Its headquarters are in Doral.... - FL-TF2Urban Search and Rescue Florida Task Force 2Urban Search and Rescue Florida Task Force 2 or FL-TF2 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Miami, Florida. FL-TF2 is sponsored by the Miami Fire Department....
- Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
- Miami Fire DepartmentMiami Fire DepartmentThe City of Miami Fire Rescue Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Miami, Florida. This professional fire department protects the city 24/7, 365 and operates out of 14 Fire Stations, located throughout the city's... - IN-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Indiana Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Indiana Task Force 1 or IN-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Marion County, Indiana. IN-TF1 is sponsored by County.- External links :*...
- Marion County, IndianaMarion County, IndianaMarion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 903,393, making it the largest county in the state and 55th most populated county in the country, greater than the population of six states. The county seat is Indianapolis, the state capital and... - MD-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Maryland Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Maryland Task Force 1 or MD-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Montgomery County, Maryland. MD-TF1 is sponsored by Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service....
- Montgomery County, MarylandMontgomery County, MarylandMontgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
- Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service - MA-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Massachusetts Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Massachusetts Task Force 1 or MA-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Beverly, Massachusetts. MA-TF1 is sponsored by the city of Beverly.- External links :...
- Beverly, MassachusettsBeverly, MassachusettsBeverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides... - MO-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Missouri Task Force 1is a Federal Emergency Management Agency based in Boone County, Missouri. MO-TF1 is sponsored by the Boone County Fire Protection District and is designated as the Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Team for the state of Missouri.-Overview:...
- Boone County, MissouriBoone County, MissouriBoone County is a county centrally located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the eighth most populous county in Missouri. In 2010, the population was 162,642. Its county seat, Columbia, is the fifth largest city in Missouri and the anchor city of the Columbia Metropolitan Area.-History:Boone...
- Boone County Fire Protection DistrictBoone County Fire Protection DistrictThe Boone County Fire Protection District provides fire protection and emergency medical services for a large portion of Boone County, Missouri... - NE-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force 1 or NE-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. NE-TF1 is sponsored by the Lincoln Fire & Rescue Department....
- Lincoln, NebraskaLincoln, NebraskaThe City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
- Lincoln Fire & Rescue DepartmentLincoln Fire & Rescue DepartmentThe Lincoln Fire & Rescue Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Lincoln, Nebraska. It was founded on February 9, 1872 consisting of one steam engine, two horse drawn carts, 40 to 50 men, and paraphanelia to outfit a bucket brigade... - NV-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Nevada Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Nevada Task Force 1 or NV-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Clark County, Nevada. NV-TF1 is sponsored by the Clark County Fire Department.- Member agencies :*Clark County Fire Department...
- Clark County, NevadaClark County, Nevada-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
- Clark County Fire DepartmentClark County Fire DepartmentThe Clark County Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection, rescue and emergency medical services for unincorporated Clark County, Nevada.... - NM-TF1Urban Search and Rescue New Mexico Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue New Mexico Task Force or NM-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in the State of New Mexico and is sponsored by the State....
- State of New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S... - NY-TF1Urban Search and Rescue New York Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue New York Task Force 1 or NY-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in New York City, New York. NY-TF1 is jointly sponsored by the Fire Department of New York and the New York City Police Department....
- New York City, New York - Fire Department of New YorkNew York City Fire DepartmentThe New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of the City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response...
, New York City Police DepartmentNew York City Police DepartmentThe New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City... - OH-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Ohio Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Ohio Task Force 1 or OH-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Miami Valley, Ohio. OH-TF1 is sponsored by the municipalities in the Miami Valley.- Deployment :* 1998 - Debruce Grain Elevator Explosion...
- Miami ValleyMiami ValleyThe Miami Valley, broadly, refers to the land area surrounding the Great Miami River in southwest Ohio, USA, and also includes the Little Miami, Mad, and Stillwater rivers as well...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
- PA-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Pennsylvania Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Pennsylvania Task Force or PA-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is sponsored by the Commonwealth.-Participating Agencies:...
- Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... - TN-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Tennessee Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Tennessee Task Force or TN-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Memphis, Tennessee. TN-TF1 is sponsored by the Memphis Fire Services....
- Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
- Memphis Fire ServicesMemphis Fire ServicesMemphis Fire Services is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Memphis, Tennessee.-Mission statement:... - TX-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Texas Task Force 1Texas Task Force 1, abbreviated TX-TF1, is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Texas and is sponsored by the state. It consists of a Type I and a Type III Urban Search and Rescue Team as well as a Water Rescue Task Force. Organized in 1997, it is made up of responders from over 60...
- College Station, TexasCollege Station, TexasCollege Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
- Texas Engineering Extension ServiceTexas Engineering Extension ServiceTexas Engineering Extension Service, abbreviated TEEX, is a state agency that offers training programs and technical assistance to public safety workers, both in Texas and around the world. Established in 1940 as the Industrial Extension Service, the agency took on its current name when it joined... - UT-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Utah Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Utah Task Force or UT-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Salt Lake City, Utah. UT-TF1 is sponsored by the Unified Fire Authority....
- Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
- Unified Fire AuthorityUnified Fire AuthorityThe Unified Fire Authority is the agency that provides fire protection, emergency medical services, and other emergency responses for the unincorporated Salt Lake County, Utah, and for 5 other cities located within the county... - VA-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1 or VA-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Fairfax County, Virginia. VA-TF1 is sponsored by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department....
- Fairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
- Fairfax County Fire and Rescue DepartmentFairfax County Fire and Rescue DepartmentThe Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is a combination career and volunteer organization that provides fire suppression, emergency medical, technical rescue, hazardous materials, water rescue, life safety education, fire prevention and arson investigation services to Fairfax County, Virginia... - VA-TF2Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 2Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 2 or VA-TF2 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. VA-TF2 is sponsored by the Virginia Beach Fire Department....
- Virginia Beach, VirginiaVirginia Beach, VirginiaVirginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
- Virginia Beach Fire DepartmentVirginia Beach Fire DepartmentThe Virginia Beach Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection and non-transport Basic Life Support & Advanced Life Support emergency medical service for Virginia Beach, Virginia, as well as a section of North Carolina... - WA-TF1Urban Search and Rescue Washington Task Force 1Urban Search and Rescue Washington Task Force or WA-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Puget Sound region, Washington and is sponsored by the municipalities in the region....
- Puget Sound regionPuget SoundPuget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
, Washington
The U.S. Army's 911th Engineer Company, modeled on a FEMA USAR Task Force, provides additional response to the National Capital Region.
Task Force equipment
FEMA has created a standardized list of equipment that each Task Force maintains. The 16,400 pieces of equipment are cached and palletized for quick access and transportation. The complete load of equipment weighs 60,000 pounds (27,215 kg) and is designed to be transported by tractor trailer or in the cargo hold of one C-141C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was a military strategic airlifter in service with the Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force...
transport aircraft or two C-130
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
transport aircraft.
The equipment cache allows the Task Force to operate independently for up to four days. The cache contains five categories of equipment: Medical, Search and Rescue, Communications, Technical Support and Logistics.
Medical
The medical portion of the cache includes medical treatment and tools to provide sophisticated medical treatment for victims and task force members, including limited treatment of disaster search canines. The treatment materials are designed to be enough to handle 10 critical cases, 15 moderate cases and 25 minor cases.Items included in the medical cache are medicines, intravenous fluids, blankets, suture sets, airways, tracheal tubes, defibrillators, burn treatment supplies, bone saws and scalpel
Scalpel
A scalpel, or lancet, is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, and various arts and crafts . Scalpels may be single-use disposable or re-usable. Re-usable scalpels can have attached, resharpenable blades or, more commonly, non-attached, replaceable...
s. On site, the "durable" medical equipment
Durable medical equipment
Durable medical equipment is a term of art used to describe any medical equipment used in the home to aid in a better quality of living. It is a benefit included in most insurances. In some cases certain Medicare benefits, that is, whether Medicare may pay for the item...
will stay with the Task Force when patients are transferred to other medical facilities. The local medical facilities must provide their own medical equipment
Medical equipment
Medical equipment is designed to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of medical conditions.-Types:There are several basic types:* Diagnostic equipment includes medical imaging machines, used to aid in diagnosis...
as the equipment may be needed again by the Task Force.
Search and Rescue
The Search and Rescue portion of the cache contains all the equipment that the Search and Rescue teams will need to extricate victims from debris.Construction type equipment such as concrete saw
Concrete saw
A concrete saw is a power tool used for cutting concrete, masonry, brick, asphalt, tile, and other solid materials. It can be a small hand-held cut-off saw, a big walk-behind saw or other styles, and it may be powered by gasoline, hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, or electric motors...
s, jackhammer
Jackhammer
A jackhammer is a pneumatic tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel that was invented by Charles Brady King. Hand-held jackhammers are typically powered by compressed air, but some use electric motors. Larger jackhammers, such as rig mounted hammers used on construction machinery, are...
s, drill
Drill
A drill or drill motor is a tool fitted with a cutting tool attachment or driving tool attachment, usually a drill bit or driver bit, used for drilling holes in various materials or fastening various materials together with the use of fasteners. The attachment is gripped by a chuck at one end of...
s and rope
Rope
A rope is a length of fibres, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength...
. Technical rescue type equipment such as lifting airbags, shore systems, and hydraulic rescue tools
Hydraulic Rescue Tools
Hydraulic rescue tools are used by emergency rescue personnel to assist vehicle extrication of crash victims, as well as other rescues from small spaces. These tools include cutters, spreaders, door busters and rams...
. Non-reusable shoring material such as lumber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and pipe
Pipe (material)
A pipe is a tubular section or hollow cylinder, usually but not necessarily of circular cross-section, used mainly to convey substances which can flow — liquids and gases , slurries, powders, masses of small solids...
is not included in the cache and is to be found or acquired at the disaster site.
Communications
GeneratorsElectrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
, lights, radios, cellular phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s, laptop computer
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
s Task Force personnel will be issued portable radios at the point of departure to a disaster and are responsible for that radio until the Task Force returns to the point of departure. The radios operate in the 403-430 MHz range and are capable of penetrating structures and below grade environments (i.e. underground).
Technical support
Snake-like cameras, fiberscopeFiberscope
A fiberscope is a flexible fiber optic bundle with an eyepiece at one end, and a lens at the other. It is used for inspection work, often to examine small components in tightly packed equipment, when the inspector cannot easily access the part requiring inspection.The lens is often a wide-angle...
s, sensitive listening devices, measuring devices such as laser rangefinders, strain gauge
Strain gauge
A strain gauge is a device used to measure the strain of an object. Invented by Edward E. Simmons and Arthur C. Ruge in 1938, the most common type of strain gauge consists of an insulating flexible backing which supports a metallic foil pattern. The gauge is attached to the object by a suitable...
s and levels
Dumpy level
A dumpy level, builder's auto level, leveling instrument, or automatic level is an optical instrument used to establish or check points in the same horizontal plane...
; audio-visual equipment such as still and video camera
Camcorder
A camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit. Equipment manufacturers do not seem to have strict guidelines for the term usage...
s, LCD projector
LCD projector
An LCD projector is a type of video projector for displaying video, images or computer data on a screen or other flat surface. It is a modern equivalent of the slide projector or overhead projector...
s; haz-mat equipment and support equipment for canines such as kennel
Crate (pet)
A dog crate is a metal, wire, plastic, or fabric enclosure with a door in which a dog may be kept for security or transportation. For best results in using crates, crate training is recommended. are designed to replicate a dog's natural den and as such can provide them with a place of refuge at...
s, harnesses
Dog harness
A dog harness is piece of equipment for dogs, generally similar to harness tack for horses. There are various designs depending on the type of use, whether it be for assistance to a disabled person, hauling a cart or sled, or pulling a human being, such as in skijoring or pulka...
and sleeping pads.
Logistics
Sleeping bagSleeping bag
A sleeping bag is a protective "bag" for a person to sleep in, essentially a blanket that can be closed with a zipper or similar means, and functions as a bed in situations where a bed is unavailable . Its primary purpose is to provide warmth and thermal insulation...
s, cots, food and water, as well as cold weather gear
Extreme environment clothing
Extreme environment clothing normally refers to clothing for Arctic or mountainous areas on land, although it is sometimes used for survival suits worn by mariners...
, portable toilets, portable showers, safety equipment such as glove
Glove
A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb; if there is an opening but no covering sheath for each finger they are called "fingerless gloves". Fingerless gloves with one large opening rather than individual openings for each...
s, earplug
Earplug
An earplug is a device that is meant to be inserted in the ear canal to protect the wearer's ears from loud noises or the intrusion of water, foreign bodies, dust or excessive wind.-Protection from water:...
s, kneepads, respirator
Respirator
A respirator is a device designed to protect the wearer from inhaling harmful dusts, fumes, vapors, or gases. Respirators come in a wide range of types and sizes used by the military, private industry, and the public...
s and protective eyewear
Eye protection
Eye protection is protective gear for the eyes, which comes in many types depending upon the threat that is to be reduced. The threats can be particles, light, wind blast, heat, sea spray or some type of ball or puck used in sports...
; administrative equipment such as office supplies
Office supplies
Office supplies is the generic term that refers to all supplies regularly used in offices by businesses and other organizations, from private citizens to governments, who work with the collection, refinement, and output of information .The term includes small, expendable, daily use items such as...
and reference materials; equipment maintenance materials and Task Force member's personal gear.