TX-TF1 wraps up second day of search & rescue in West, TX

COLLEGE STATION – Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) is wrapping up their second operational period in support of the search & rescue efforts in West, TX. Yesterday, TX-TF1 completed wide area, primary and secondary searches of the surrounding neighborhood. The team concluded the day concentrating on the devastated apartment complex, performing shoring and delayering operations.

Today the task force continued to delayer the apartment complex structure and perform secondary searches of the neighborhood north of Meadows Drive. The team also performed a wide area search of the West Fertilizer Plant. The team will spend the night in West. If no additional objectives are identified by local authorities on Saturday, the team will demobilize and return to College Station in the morning.

Who is TX-TF1?

TX-TF1 is sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and has deployed over 90 times since 1997, including the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, Sept. 11th World Trade Center attack, and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike. TX-TF1 can be activated by the Texas Division of Emergency Management or as one of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) 28 sanctioned urban search and rescue teams.

Members of TX-TF1 range from firefighters and medical personnel, to structural engineers, and come from all areas capable of reporting to College Station within a five-hour window. The task force consists of three separate units of approximately 80 members each. The teams rotate on a monthly standby, stand down or on call status. The “Red” Team is currently on call for deployment.