Authorized Personnel Only

[Urban Search  And Rescue] [Background] [Components] [Funtional Responsible Elements] [USAR - Minimum Training Requirements] [USAR - OrgChart] [USAR - Task Force Positions] [USAR - On-Site Training]

The Rescue Team

The Rescue Team is one of four functional task force elements. The team is further subdivided into four Rescue Squads. The primary responsibilities of the term are the evaluation of compromised areas, structural stabilization, breaching and site exploration and live victim extrication.

  The Rescue Team, on a mission, is made up of the following positions:

2 - Rescue Team Managers: The Rescue Team Manager is responsible for managing and supervising the rescue function of the task force during incident operations.  The Rescue Team Manager reports directly to the Task Force Leader.

4 - Rescue Squads: Each squad has 1 Rescue Squad Officer and 5 Rescue Specialists.  The Rescue Squad Officer is responsible for managing and supervising one of the rescue squads of the task force during incident operations. The Rescue Squad Officer reports directly to the Rescue Team Manager. In turn, the Rescue Specialist is responsible for performing the rescue function of the task force incident operation.

The Search Team

The Search Team is one of four task force elements.  The primary focus of the team is to locate live victims trapped in collapsed buildings.  The team must provide canine, electronic and physical search strategies, tactics and techniques, either separately or in an integrated fashion, as required.

The Search Team, on a mission, is made up of the following positions:

2 - Search Team Managers:  The Search Team Manager is responsible for managing and supervising the search function of the task force during incident operations.  The Search Team Manager reports directly to the Task Force Leader.

2 - Canine Search Specialists: The Canine Search Specialist is responsible for performing the search function of the task force incident operations. The Canine Search Specialist reports directly to the Search Team Manager.

2 - Technical Search Specialist:

The Technical Search Specialist is responsible for performing the search function of the task force incident operation. The Technical Search Specialist reports directly to the Search Team Manager.        

The Medical Team

The Medical Team is one of four functional task force elements. The team is designed to provide sophisticated and possibly prolonged pre-hospital emergency medical care during a mission and at rescue sites. It is recognized that both serious injuries and illnesses may be encountered and will require treatment. The medical personnel are also responsible for minimizing health risks, intervention of critical incident stress syndrome, and limited treatment of hazardous materials exposure, for task force personnel. In addition, the medical personnel are also capable of providing treatment to the search team canine.

The Medical Team, on a mission, is made up of the following positions:

2 – Medical Team Managers

The Medical Team Manager is responsible for managing and supervising the medical function of the task force during incident operations. The Medical Team Manager reports directly to the Task Force Leader.

4 – Medical Specialists

The Medical Specialist is responsible for performing the medical function of the task force incident operation. The Medical Specialist reports directly to the Medical Team Manager.

The Medical Component of VI-TF1

The medical team is comprised of four Medical Specialists and two Physicians. Many of the medical specialists on the teams are both EMT-Paramedics and fire fighters, and thus have both rescue experience and extensive experience in pre-hospital emergency medical care. The physicians involved in USAR are Emergency Medicine specialists, and have also taken special courses in confined space medicine and rescue systems.

The medical team is designed to bring the Emergency Department out to the field. We carry most of the advanced life support equipment available in a state-of-the-art Emergency Department. In addition to providing advanced emergency medical care in the field, the team continues to train in hazardous materials management, public health issues relevant to disaster management, confined space medicine, and other issues important to the function of a USAR Team.

The Technical Team

 The Technical Team is one of four functional task force elements. The team is comprised of specialists that support the overall search and rescue mission of the task force. The primary responsibilities of the team are the evaluation of hazardous or compromised areas, structural assessment, stabilization advice, hazardous materials monitoring, liaison with local capabilities, communications and logistics responsibilities, and the information management and documentation requirements of the task force.

The Technical Team, on a mission, is made up of the following positions:

2 - Technical Team Managers: The Technical Team Manager is responsible for managing and supervising the technical functions of the task force during incident operations. The Technical Team Manager reports directly to the Task Force Leader.

2 - Structures Specialists:  The Structures Specialist is responsible for performing the various structural assessments for the task force during incident operations. The Structures Specialist reports directly to the Technical Team Manager.

2 – Hazardous Materials Specialists: The Hazardous Materials Specialist is responsible for performing the various hazardous materials assessments for the task force during incident operations. The Hazardous Materials Specialist reports directly to the Technical Teams Manager.

2 – Heavy Equipment and Rigging Specialists

2 – Technical Information Specialists

2 – Communication Specialists

2 – Logistics Specialists