Wisconsin’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (WI-TF1) is a team of individuals specializing in urban hazard mitigation, search and rescue, and incident stabilization. While their emphasis is the location and extrication of victims trapped in collapsed structures or confined spaces, the task force is capable of responding to state and national disasters including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and man-made technological and terrorist events. WI-TF1 is a response asset owned and managed by Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), funded through federal Homeland Security funds.
WI-TF1 is comprised of more than 140 highly-trained personnel including structural engineers, canine handlers, technical search specialists, doctors, and advanced rescue personnel. Many of the members of WI-TF1 are firefighters with local fire departments that have an agreement with WEM to make their personnel available for training and deployment. The participating fire departments are reimbursed by the State when their personnel are participating in WI-TF1 activities. There are currently 25 fire departments that have agreements with WEM for participation on the task force. The GCFD currently has two personnel who are members of WI-TF1, and will be adding four more members to the WI-TF1 roster in 2024.
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