Search and rescue in the United States

Last updated

Charlotte Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue vehicle USAR 1.JPG
Charlotte Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue vehicle

Search and rescue in the United States involves a wide range of organizations that have search and rescue responsibilities.

Contents

In January 2008, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the National Response Framework (NRF) which serves as the guiding document for a federal response during a national emergency. In addition to the NRF there are 15 annexes relating to Emergency Support Functions (ESF) which includes other federal agencies that contain resources or expertise to support an emergency. Search and Rescue is included as ESF-9 and divides SAR into four primary elements while assigning a federal agency with the lead role for each of the four elements. [1]

In the U.S., SAR standards are developed primarily by ASTM International and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) which are then used by organizations such as the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA), the National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR), and the NFPA to develop training that will meet or exceed those standards. [2] Within ASTM International, most standards of relevance to SAR are developed by Committee F32 on Search and Rescue. Formed in 1988, the committee had 85 current members and jurisdiction of 38 approved standards. [2]

National organizations

State organizations

Rescue workers and boats on the central span and the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1 August 2007 I-35W-rescue-Minneapolis-20070801.jpg
Rescue workers and boats on the central span and the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1 August 2007
Alabama
California
Colorado
Florida
Maryland
Michigan
Missouri
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Virginia

Virginia benefits from a state-coordinated system of training and response under the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). Under Title 44 of the Code of Virginia, VDEM develops and maintains the Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operations Plan (COVEOP) that includes the ESF-9 Annex for Search and Rescue. Similar to the federal version of ESF-9 under the National Response Framework (NRF), VDEM divides SAR into four primary elements. While VDEM functions as the lead for ESF-9, many agencies, departments, and volunteer organizations routinely responds to and supports SAR operations in the Commonwealth of Virginia. [34] [35]

Washington

Aeronautical

Search and rescue services for downed, missing, or overdue aircraft and Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs). Organizations include:

Inland/Wilderness

For search and rescue of lost and missing persons in a wide variety of circumstances and environments, resources include:

Maritime/Waterborne

Providing search and rescue for vessels in distress in coastal and inland waters, resources include:

USAR/Disaster

To provide response in the event of collapsed structures and significant events, organizations include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Search and rescue</span> Search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger

Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search is conducted over. These include mountain rescue; ground search and rescue, including the use of search and rescue dogs; urban search and rescue in cities; combat search and rescue on the battlefield and air-sea rescue over water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain rescue</span> Search and rescue activities

Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometimes also used to apply to search and rescue in other wilderness environments. This tends to include mountains with technical rope access issues, snow, avalanches, ice, crevasses, glaciers, alpine environments and high altitudes. The difficult and remote nature of the terrain in which mountain rescue often occurs has resulted in the development of a number of specific pieces of equipment and techniques. Helicopters are often used to quickly extract casualties, and search dogs may be deployed to find a casualty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Search and Rescue Program</span>

The National Search and Rescue Program (NSP) is the name given by the Government of Canada to the collective search and rescue (SAR) activities in Canada. Until 2015, the NSP was administered by the National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia</span>

The Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia, commonly known as Bomba, is a federal agency of Malaysia responsible for firefighting and technical rescue. Bomba is a Malay word derived from the Portuguese bombeiros which means 'firefighters'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force</span> Task force in American emergency management

A FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force is a team of individuals specializing in urban search and rescue, disaster recovery, and emergency triage and medicine. The teams are deployed to emergency and disaster sites within six hours of notification. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created the Task Force concept to provide support for large scale disasters in the United States. FEMA provides financial, technical and training support for the Task Forces as well as creating and verifying the standards of Task Force personnel and equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department</span>

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is a combination career and volunteer organization that provides fire suppression services, emergency medical response services, technical rescue services, hazardous materials Response services, water rescue services, life safety education, fire prevention and arson investigation services to Fairfax County, Virginia. Emergency medical services include advanced life support response by ALS capable engines and transport units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Beach Fire Department</span>

The Virginia Beach Fire Department (VBFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Virginia Beach, Virginia. The department protects an area of 249 square miles (640 km2) as well as 59 square miles (150 km2) of inland waterways and 38 miles (61 km) of shoreline. The independent city is home to a population of 450,882, not including the summer population growth due to tourism, making it the most populous city in Virginia and the 39th largest city in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urban Search and Rescue Missouri Task Force 1</span> FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Boone County, Missouri

Urban Search and Rescue Missouri Task Force 1 (MO-TF1) 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 (WMD) Response Team for the state of Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1</span>

Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1 or VA-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Fairfax County, Virginia. VA-TF1 is sponsored by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain rescue in England and Wales</span> UK rescue services

Mountain rescue services in England and Wales operate under the association of Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW), formerly called Mountain Rescue Council of England & Wales. The association has a number of regional mountain rescue teams, each of which is an independent charity. The team members are highly trained volunteers who are called out by the police.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mounted search and rescue</span> Specialty within search and rescue

Mounted search and rescue (MSAR) is a specialty within search and rescue (SAR), using horses as search partners and for transportation to search for missing persons. SAR responders on horseback are primarily a search resource, but also can provide off-road logistics support and transportation. Mounted SAR responders can in some terrains move faster on the ground than a human on foot, can transport more equipment, and may be physically less exhausted than a SAR responder performing the same task on foot. Mounted SAR responders typically have longer initial response times than groundpounder SAR resources, due to the time required to pick up trailer, horse(s), and perhaps also water, feed, and equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue</span>

Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue is a non-profit volunteer search and rescue resource for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. The agency also offers its 3,000-5,000 hours of volunteer service to other areas, including Clackamas, Columbia, Washington, Marion, Hood River, Wasco, Tillamook, and Clatsop counties in Oregon, and Skamania and Clark counties in Washington. The organization was first created in 1961 in cooperation with the Boy Scouts of America, and is one of the longest continually used Explorer Search and Rescue units in the United States. In 1986, sponsorship of the MCSO SAR was transferred to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. MCSO SAR is part of the Mount Hood Search and Rescue Council. MCSO receives funding from the Department of Homeland Security within the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) to create a regional resource.

In the United States, mountain rescue is handled by professional teams within some national parks and by volunteer teams elsewhere. Volunteer teams are often members of the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Mountain Rescue</span>

Seattle Mountain Rescue (SMR) is an all volunteer non-profit mountain rescue team operating out of King County, Washington. SMR is part of the King County Search & Rescue Association (KCSARA) and is also part of the Mountain Rescue Association, frequently working with other King County SAR teams as well as neighboring mountain rescue teams, including Everett Mountain Rescue, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, and Olympic Mountain Rescue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue</span>

Slysavarnarfélagið Landsbjörg or the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR) is a national association of rescue units and accident prevention divisions. Its member organizations consist of 99 rescue units, 70 accident prevention and women's divisions and 50 youth sections. Altogether the association has about 10,000 volunteer members and are present in most towns. Although the rescue teams function as a kind of public service, they are not supported or paid for by the government but by donation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marin County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue</span> Military unit

Marin County Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer organization in Marin County within Marin County Sheriff's Office. With approximately sixty active members, Marin County's Search and Rescue responds to searches for missing children and adults, evidence and other search requests in the county and on mutual aid calls anywhere in the state of California. Marin SAR is a mountain rescue Type I team with the motto of: "Anytime, Anywhere, Any Weather."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surrey Search and Rescue</span>

Surrey Search and Rescue (SurSAR) is a lowland search and rescue team based in Surrey, United Kingdom, who respond for missing person search, water rescue, drone imaging and other taskings at the request of Surrey Police and Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, as well as other statutory and government agencies. In common with most UKSAR teams, SurSAR's members are volunteers. The team has been a registered charity in England and Wales since October 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas County search and rescue</span> All-volunteer organization in Colorado

Douglas County Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer organization in Douglas County within Douglas County Sheriff's Office. With approximately sixty active members year-round, Douglas County's Search and Rescue responds to searches for missing children and adults, evidence and other search requests in the county and on mutual aid calls anywhere in the state of Colorado. Douglas SAR is a mountain rescue Type I certified team able to handle the toughest terrain and remain out in the field without resupply for extended periods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad</span>

The Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad was established in 1950 as an all-volunteer EMS agency providing free service to a community of approximately 55,000 residents, including approximately half of Montgomery County, Virginia, and the Town of Blacksburg, which is home to Virginia Tech. The squad has approximately 120 members, including full-time community residents with other jobs and high school and college students.

References

  1. ↑ "Section ESF #9-1".
  2. 1 2 O'Toole, Thomas F. (n.d.). "Committee F32 on Search and Rescue" . Retrieved February 24, 2008.
  3. ↑ National Association for Search and Rescue (November 2009). "National Association for Search and Rescue" . Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  4. ↑ National Association of Volunteer Search and Rescue Teams (2008). "National Association of Volunteer Search and Rescue Teams". Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Alabama Association of Rescue Squads". alars.org. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Alabama Search and Rescue". alsar.gov. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Red Mountain Search Dog Association". rmsda.org. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  8. ↑ San Luis Obispo County Search and Rescue (April 2013). "SLOSAR" . Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  9. ↑ Bay Area Search And Rescue Council (December 2009). "BASARAC" . Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  10. ↑ Marin County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue Team (December 2009). "Marin County Search and Rescue" . Retrieved December 15, 2009.
  11. ↑ San Mateo County (2008). "Volunteer - Search and Rescue Units" . Retrieved October 22, 2009.
  12. ↑ San Diego County (2011). "San Diego Mountain Rescue Team" . Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Montrose Search and Rescue". www.montrosesar.org. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Altadena Mountain Rescue Team". www.amrt.org. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Home". www.smsr.org. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  16. ↑ "AV Search and Rescue". www.avsearchandrescue.com. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Malibu Search & Rescue (Malibu SAR) > Home". www.malibusar.or. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Santa Clarita Valley Search & Rescue Team". www.scvrescue.com. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  19. ↑ "San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team". sdmrt.com. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Mesa County Search and Rescue". mesacountysearchandrescue.org. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Michigan Search and Rescue". MISAR. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  22. ↑ K-9 One SAR (n.d.). "K-9 One" . Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Missouri Task Force 1 organization". BCFPD. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  24. ↑ "New Jersey Task Force 1 organization". NJ-TF1. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  25. ↑ "New Jersey Search and Rescue organization". NJ-TF1. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  26. ↑ "New Mexico Search and Rescue Council".
  27. ↑ Westchester County Technical Rescue Team (2012). "Special Operations Unit" . Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  28. ↑ New York Search And Rescue (2007). "New York Search And Rescue" . Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  29. ↑ Long Island Search and Rescue (2012). "Long Island Search and Rescue" . Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  30. ↑ New York State Federation of Search and Rescue Teams (2013). "New York State Federation of Search and Rescue Teams" . Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  31. ↑ Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue (2016). "Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue" . Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  32. ↑ Rapid Assistance to Community Emergencies (2010). "Rapid Assistance to Community Emergencies" . Retrieved December 24, 2010.
  33. ↑ "East Penn Search and Rescue". 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  34. ↑ Virginia Department of Emergency Management (2009). "vaemergency.com" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  35. ↑ Virginia Department of Emergency Management (2009). "Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operations Plan" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  36. ↑ "Washington State Search and Rescue Volunteer Advisory Council (WA SARVAC)" . Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Jefferson Search and Rescue – Jefferson County, Washington" . Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  38. ↑ "King County Search And Rescue | Our volunteers bring people home to their loved ones" . Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue". SCVSAR. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Spokane County Search and Rescue | Spokane County, WA". www.spokanecounty.org. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  41. ↑ "Pierce County Search and Rescue Council | Pierce County Search and Rescue Council". www.pc-sar-council.org. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  42. ↑ "wasar" . Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  43. ↑ Virginia Wing, Civil Air Patrol]authorlink = (2003). "Virginia Wing Headquarters Civil Air Patrol" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  44. ↑ Virginia Department of State Police (2009). "Aviation Unit" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  45. ↑ Amherst County Search and Rescue (n.d.). "Amherst County Search and Rescue" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  46. ↑ Burleson, Randall C. (2009). "Appalachian Professional Tracking Group, Inc" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  47. ↑ Appalachian Search; Rescue Conference (n.d.). "Welcome to ASRC" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  48. ↑ Black Diamond Search; Rescue Council (2008). "Black Diamond Search and Rescue Council" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  49. ↑ Blue and Gray Search and Rescue (January 2009). "Welcome to Blue and Gray Search and Rescue" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  50. ↑ Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group (February 2012). "Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group" . Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  51. ↑ DOGS-East Search and Rescue (n.d.). "DOGS-East Search and Rescue" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  52. ↑ Greater Atlantic Rescue Dogs (2009). "Greater Atlantic Rescue Dogs" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  53. ↑ DeMarsh, Chris W. (2015). "Jefferson County Search Dog Association" . Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  54. ↑ K-9 Alert Search and Rescue Dogs, Inc (n.d.). "K-9 Alert" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  55. ↑ piedmontsar.org (2009). "piedmontsar.org" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  56. ↑ Search and Rescue Dogs of Maryland (SARDOM) (2008). "SARDOM" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  57. ↑ Southwest Virginia Mountain Rescue Group (2013). "Southwest Virginia Mountain Rescue Group" . Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  58. ↑ Tidewater Search and Rescue (2009). "Welcome to TSAR" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  59. ↑ Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (2009). "Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  60. ↑ Virginia Marine Resources Commission (2009). "Virginia Marine Resources Commission" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  61. ↑ "Smith Point Sea Rescue" . Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  62. ↑ "Eckerd College Search and Rescue" . Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  63. ↑ Fairfax County Urban Search & Rescue (2009). "Welcome to VATF1.org" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  64. ↑ Virginia Task Force 2 (April 2009). "Virginia Task Force 2" . Retrieved May 10, 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.