Urban Search and Rescue South Carolina Task Force 1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Urban Search and Rescue South Carolina Task Force 1 or SC-TF1 is an urban search and rescue task force that is sponsored by the South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Committee, which was created by the South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Act of 2000.[1] [2] The committee is made up of fire service representatives, the State Emergency Management Director, the State Forestry Director, and a representative from a county Emergency Management agency. It is a part of the State Emergency Operations Plan and can deploy within South Carolina, or out of state through existing mutual aid agreements or through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.[3]
While not part of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, SC-TF1 has equivalent staffing and equipment to the FEMA recommendations, including robust search, rescue, planning, HAZMAT/WMD, medical and logistics sections capable of self-sustained 24 hour heavy rescue operations for over 72 hours and for deployments of up to 10 days. It is a founding member of the State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance (SUSAR)[4] [5]which is a network of North American state and commonwealth urban search and rescue resources that formed after a meeting in South Carolina in 2005.
SC-TF1 was one of the first state urban search and rescue resources to be deployed into St. Tammany Parish and St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina in September, 2005.[6]
Four regional urban search and rescue teams are part of the South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization plan but not part of SC-TF1. They are located in Charleston, Greenville, Hilton Head Island, and Myrtle Beach.
Contents |
[edit] Deployments
- SC-TF1 was legally deployed by the State of Louisiana on September 2, 2005 to assist in search and rescue operations for Hurricane Katrina. In joint operations with St. Tammany Fire District, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Alabama Search and Rescue Task Force, SC-TF1 was part of the effort that moved more than 2,800 people to safety (250 of whom were in immediate peril), and searched 25,000 homes and businesses in 9 days.[7]
[edit] In the news
- SC-TF1 personnel were interviewed as they practiced for WMD response with other South Carolina first responders on June 1, 2005.
- Members of SC-TF1 were interviewed while on deployment in St. Tammany Parish on CBS's The Early Show with Tracy Smith on September 8, 2005.
- SC-TF1 was featured in the ETV and PBS documentary special "Care from the heart." Video clips: Dial-up. Broadband.
- Fast-forward to 10:45 and 22.55.
- SC-TF1 personnel met with New York Mayor and candidate for the 2008 United States Presidential race Rudy Giuliani and were interviewedwith other South Carolina first responders on February 21, 2007.
[edit] References
- ^ South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization Act of 2000 South Carolina Title 23 Chapter 49. South Carolina Legislature. Retrieved on February 5, 2007.
- ^ S.917 South Carolina General Assembly, 116th Session, 2005-2006 Emergency Response Task Force Recognition. South Carolina Legislature. Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
- ^ Emergency Management Assistance Compact. National Emergency Managers Association. Retrieved on February 5, 2007.
- ^ State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance. SUSAR. Retrieved on February 5, 2007.
- ^ LLR Fire Academy Hosts Rescue Summit. SC Fire Academy. Retrieved on February 14, 2007.
- ^ ETV's WJWJ-TV Reporter Holly Bounds Report on South Carolina Rescue Efforts After Hurricane Katrina. South Carolina Educational Television Commission. Retrieved on February 5, 2007.
- ^ Larry Hess, Fire Chief St. Tammany Fire District No. 1 "An Open Letter To the Citizens of St. Tammany Fire District No. 1" September 26, 2005 - Accessed February 10, 2007.
[edit] External links
South Carolina Firefighter Mobilization
