State & National Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces
Introduction
Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) involves the location, rescue (extrication), and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces. Structural collapse is most often the cause of victims being trapped, but victims may also be trapped in transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches. Urban search and rescue is considered a “multi-hazard” discipline, as it may be needed for a variety of emergencies or disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, storms and tornadoes, floods, dam failures, technological accidents, terrorist activities, and hazardous materials releases. The events may be slow in developing, as in the case of hurricanes, or sudden, as in the case of earthquakes. (source: Federal Emergency Management Agency – FEMA.gov)
A FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force is teams of individuals comprised of firefighters, engineers, medical professionals, canine/handler teams and emergency managers with highly specialized training in urban search and rescue environments, and which serve as a resource for disaster response at local, state, federal, and international levels.
There are 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces within the continental United States, with 8 located in the State of California. (Linked below)
CA-Task Force 1 (CA-TF1) – Los Angeles City Fire Department
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 1 (CA-TF1) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Los Angeles, California and is sponsored by the Los Angeles Fire Department. CA-TF1 was established April 1993 and is one of six Task Forces that is Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) certified having received extensive training in responding to incidents involving chemical, biological or radiological agents.
CA-Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) – Los Angeles County Fire Department
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Los Angeles County, California and is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. CA-TF2 is one of two Task Forces that works with the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance to provide international response to natural and man-made disasters.
CA-Task Force 3 (CA-TF3) – Menlo Park Fire Protection District
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 3 or CA-TF3 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Menlo Park, California and is sponsored by the Menlo Park Fire Department. CA-TF3 was created in September 1991. CA-TF3 is a specially trained and equipped 80 person Urban Search and Rescue Task Force consisting of 18 participating agencies and 60 civilians. There are a total of 220 members in all that are available to respond. Menlo Park firefighters and paramedics rescue specialists, emergency room physicians, structural engineers, heavy equipment specialists, canine search dogs and handlers, hazardous materials technicians, communications specialists, and logistics specialists. This unique technical rescue team responds with 70,000 pounds of prepackaged search and rescue tools and medical equipment to conduct around the clock search and rescue operations at domestic and international disasters, both natural and man-made.
CA-Task Force 4 (CA-TF4) – Oakland City Fire Department
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 4 (CA-TF4) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Oakland, California and is sponsored by the Oakland Fire Department. CA-TF4 is composed of individuals from a number of different agencies including Alameda City Fire Department, Alameda County Fire Department, American Medical Response, Berkeley Fire Department, Camp Parks, Dublin Fire Department, Fremont Fire Department, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, Marin County Fire Department, Novato Fire Department, Oakland Fire Department, San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, Santa Rosa Fire Department and the Stockton Fire Department.
CA-Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) – Orange County Fire Department
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Orange County, California, and is sponsored by the Orange County Fire Authority. CA-TF5 is one of six Task Forces that is Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) certified having received extensive training in responding to incidents involving chemical, biological or radiological agents. Specialists from participating organizations involved with CA-TF5 include Orange County Fire Authority, Anaheim Fire Department, Long Beach Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Montebello Fire Department, Orange City Fire Department.
CA-Task Force 6 (CA-TF6) – Riverside City Fire Department
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 6 (CA-TF6) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Riverside, California and is sponsored by the Riverside Fire Department. Agencies participating in CA-TF6 include City of Corona, City of Hemet, City of Murrieta, Pechanga Fire Department, CAL FIRE / Riverside County Fire Department.
CA-Task Force 7 (CA-TF7) – Sacramento City Fire Department
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 7 (CA-TF7) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Sacramento, California and is sponsored by the Sacramento Fire Department. Specialties within CA TF-7 include: collapse rescue, heavy rigging, logistics, hazardous materials, medical, communications, canine search teams, technical search, and planning. The Task Force is comprised of fire and rescue personnel from Sacramento Fire Department, Folsom Fire Department, Roseville Fire Department, West Sacramento Fire Department, Cosumnes Community Services District, El Dorado County Fire Protection District, Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento County Airports System, and Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. The Task Force also contracts with civilians for emergency physicians and structural engineers.
CA-Task Force 8 (CA-TF8) – San Diego City Fire Department
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 8 (CA-TF8) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in San Diego, California and is sponsored by the San Diego Fire Department. CA-TF8 is comprised of a large variety of emergency and non-emergency agencies and companies in the greater San Diego County region to include Balboa Naval Hospital San Diego, California Dept. of Forestry, Carlsbad Fire, Chula Vista Fire, Coronado Fire, El Cajon Fire, Encinitas Fire, Escondido Fire, Montebello Police, Oceanside Fire, Poway Fire, Rancho Santa Fe Fire, Santee Fire, San Diego City Fire, San Marcos Fire, San Miguel Fire Protection District, San Onofre Fire, City of Vista Public Works, and Vista Fire.