Instructors Apply Haiti Experience for Urban Search & Rescue Class

COLLEGE STATION — As a special learning experience, three instructors will be in College Station to provide Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Urban Search and Rescue students with valuable insight and understanding of the unique challenges faced by responders immediately following a large-scale incident. All of these individuals are members of New York Task Force 1 (NY-TF1) and were part of the rescue and humanitarian efforts immediately following the Haiti earthquake disaster.

NY-TF1, along with the TEEX-sponsored TX-TF1, is part of the FEMA National Urban Search and Rescue Response System. The instructors have offered to their colleagues an opportunity to discuss the lessons learned during their time in Haiti to two different groups of responders. The first group are responders from across the country enrolled in an 80-hour Structural Collapse Technician course.

The second group is the Wyoming 84th WMD-Civil Support Team which has been in Disaster City® the past week conducting training and exercises. Incorporating these real-world lessons empowers the next generation of responders to be ready for the next large -cale earthquake or other natural disaster.

About Disaster City®
Since 1998, TX-TF1 has used their unique facilities at Disaster City® as its primary training and testing area for large scale incidents. Located in College Station, Texas, this 52-acre mock city, includes numerous full-scale collapsed buildings and has trained search and rescue teams from across the United States, Europe, Asia and South America.

Media Invited
The media are invited to a presentation at 12:30 p.m. by these three seasoned rescue veterans on their experiences in Haiti.
To reserve your space, please notify TEEX Public Relations Director, Brian Blake. This event is not open to the public.

Point of Contact:

Brian Blake

TEEX Public Relations Director

Office Number: 979-458-6837

Cell Phone Number: 979-324-8995