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Councilman Greg Stanton's
Arcadia News Column
October 2001
America has been immersed in sorrow and shock during recent weeks, and our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones in New York and Washington D.C. It is comforting, however, to know that our country has so many brave and skilled women and men willing to risk their lives to save others.
Here in the city of Phoenix, our Fire Department is part of a national network of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) task forces established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to respond quickly to catastrophes. The Phoenix Fire Department USAR Task Force has responded to disasters nationwide, including the Northridge earthquake in California and the Oklahoma City bombing. A Phoenix Fire Department USAR team of 70 was standing by for dispatch to New York City, scheduled to leave on Sept. 19. This group includes firefighters, a canine team, doctors and a chaplain.
Each USAR task force is divided into four teams: search, rescue, medical and technical. These groups require training in structural collapse, trench rescue and confined space rescue. The Search Team uses dogs, listening devices, “search-cams” and other technical search equipment to locate victims under the debris of a disaster. The Rescue Team is skilled in rescue tactics and techniques such as extrications, rope rescue operations and stabilization. The Medical Team is responsible for all team member medical needs. Finally, the Technical Team includes structural specialists in the areas of engineering, hazardous materials, equipment, communications and logistics.
We are proud of our public safety officials who do everything they can to make Phoenix and the rest of our great country as safe and secure as possible. Next time you see a police officer or firefighter, please say “thank you” for what they do.
For more information about our USAR Task Force, please call my office at 602-262-7491 or e-mail me at greg.stanton@phoenix.gov.
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