GEORGIA — (NYPD News) — Members of the NYPD, FDNY, and New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) prepared Thursday night to head south to Georgia to help first responders with hurricane Matthew relief efforts. The New York City cops, firefighters and OEM members make up FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue New York Task Force 1.
The primary mission will be water operations. The Task Force carries hard-bottom boats, inflatable boats and and members are all swift water trained. The team is fully self-sufficient, and is comprised of firefighters, EMS members and NYPD Emergency Service Unit, Communications and K-9 officers.
The National Urban Search and Rescue System was established under the authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1989. Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces are trained in confined space rescue during national disasters involving collapse of reinforced steel, concrete and wood frame structures.
The Task Force that includes NYPD officers has been deployed to natural disasters around the world that include hurricanes, earthquakes, and building collapses, as well as events such as the Oklahoma City bombing.
