Urban Search and Rescue Missouri Task Force 1


Urban Search and Rescue Missouri Task Force 1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Boone County, Missouri. The task force 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

MO-TF1 is capable of performing the following operations:
  • Conduct physical search and rescue operations in damaged/collapsed structures, flooded areas and transportation accident scenes
  • Provide emergency medical care at disaster sites for trapped victims and task force members
  • Carry out reconnaissance duties to assess damage and determine needs, then use that information to provide feedback to all agencies involved
  • Provide disaster communications support using state-of-the-art satellite systems
  • Conduct hazardous materials surveys/evaluations of affected areas
  • Assist in stabilizing damaged structures, including shoring and cribbing operations
Urban search and rescue involves the location, rescue 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.
If a disaster event warrants national US&R support, FEMA will deploy the three closest task forces within six hours of notification, and additional teams as necessary. The role of these task forces is to support state and local emergency responders' efforts to locate victims and manage recovery operations.
Each task force consists of 70 specially trained personnel, four canines and a comprehensive equipment cache. US&R task force members work in four areas of specialization: search, to find victims trapped after a disaster; rescue, which includes safely digging victims out of tons of collapsed concrete and metal; technical, made up of structural specialists who make rescues safe for the rescuers; and medical, which cares for the victims before and after a rescue.

Organization

The task force is divided into six specialized teams.
;Search
;Rescue
;Hazardous Materials
;Medical
;Logistics
;Plans

Member Departments

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  • Creve Coeur Fire Protection District
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Deployments

Federal deployments

State Deployments