History of The National Urban Search & Rescue Response System
The National Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Response System, established under the authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1989, is a framework for organizing federal, state and local partner emergency response teams as integrated federal disaster response task forces. When the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake struck the San Francisco bay area, local resources were quickly overwhelmed by the scale of the event. FEMA held a number of meetings with the fire service to determine how to develop such a program. From these meetings came the National Urban Search and Rescue Response Program. FEMA solicited applications from across the country and from these applications, twenty-five teams were selected. Nevada US&R Task Force 1 was chosen to be part of this elite group. Today, the system consists of 28 US&R Task Forces located throughout the continental United States complete with the necessary tools, equipment, specialized skills and techniques needed for catastrophic events that overwhelm local resources. The Team can be deployed by FEMA to assist state and local governments in a variety of rescue and recovery missions. Nevada Task Force 1 has a full complement of Task Force personnel comprised of different disciplines from the Clark County Fire Department, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, City of North Las Vegas Fire Department, the City of Henderson Fire Department, and civilians with specialized skills in the areas of search, rescue, medicine, hazardous materials, logistics and planning, including technical specialists such as physicians, structural engineers and canine search teams.
Mission Statement
We will rescue those in need, or provide assistance when called upon to do so whether it be a natural disaster or man-made disaster.
Vision Statement
To provide the highest trained professional Urban Search and Rescue Personnel to the National Urban Search and Rescue Program for our Nation, our State and our Community.
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On behalf of the men and women of Nevada Task Force 1 (US&R), the Clark County Fire Department, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, City of North Las Vegas Fire Department, and the City of Henderson Fire Department are proud of the accomplishments of the program and the capabilities it offers to the Las Vegas Community, the State of Nevada and the Nation.