Texas Task Force 1 headed to Houston, San Antonio

The Governor’s Division of Emergency Management has forward deployed Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) to San Antonio and Houston in advance of Hurricane Ike.

This morning, a Type-III wide-area search and rescue squad and four water rescue teams are en route to San Antonio, while the Type-I heavy search and rescue squad and six water rescue teams are on the way to Houston.

“We are strategically staging our search and rescue assets on both sides of the forecasted path of Hurricane Ike,” said TX-TF1 Director Bob McKee.

Texas Task Force 1 was activated Tuesday to its College Station Gateway facility.

About Texas Task Force 1
Texas Task Force 1 is sponsored by the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and is comprised of more than 400 personnel representing more than 60 jurisdictions and agencies from across the state of Texas and is one of 28 teams in the national urban search and rescue system under FEMA. Texas Task Force 1 and TEEX coordinate state-wide requests for search and rescue. TEEX and the Task Force are headquartered in College Station.

About the Texas Engineering Extension Service
TEEX, a member of The Texas A&M University System, offers hands-on, customized first responder training, homeland security exercises, technical assistance and technology transfer services impacting Texas and beyond. TEEX programs include fire services, homeland security, law enforcement, public works, safety and health, search and rescue, and economic development.

Jay G. Socol,
Communications Director

979.458.6837 (o)
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Chuck Glenewinkel,
Media Relations Coordinator
979.458.7758 (o)
979.229.6453 (c)