November 6, 2012

MCFRS News Release

Maryland Task Force 1 Returns Home from Mission

Updated arrival time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Public Safety Training Academy
9710 Great Seneca Highway, Rockville

Montgomery County, MD - - - Maryland Task Force 1 (MD-TF1) is headed home after nine days in storm-ravaged New York following last week’s Superstorm. MD-TF1was activatd by the Federal Emergency Mangement Agency (FEMA) as an Urban Search and Rescue Team (US&R) on October 28, 2012. The 80-person task force team consists of firefighters, paramedics, search and rescue specialists, physicians, structural engineers, hazardous materials specialists, logistics and planning personnel as well as a canine team and their handler.

The primary mission of a FEMA US&R team is to locate, rescue/extricate and provide initial medical stabilization to victims of a significant event. In a hurricane scenario the reality is that extensive flooding is likely so the team also deploys water resources (boats and water rescue equipment). As the projected path of the storm placed it coming ashore in New Jersey, the team was moved to Ft. Dix in advance of landfall. The team and its equipment moved in a convoy of 14 vehicles including a command vehicle, tractor trailers, a box truck and 4x4 support vehicles to move personnel and equipment as well as tow utility vehicles, boats, trailers and vans to move personnel in the New York and New Jersey areas.

Additional updates to follow.

###