USAR

More than 330 people and 25 aircraft participated in the largest helicopter aviation search and rescue civilian-military training exercise in the U.S. in Galveston.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management has deployed Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) water rescue squads and Helicopter Search and Rescue Technicians along with TX-TF2 Urban Search and Rescue team to assist local jurisdictions impacted by the severe weather and flooding occurring across the state.

Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) Water Rescue Squads helped to evacuate a flooded RV park after severe weather struck Central and West Texas.

Coming off its busiest year ever, Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) will hold a full-scale Operational Readiness Exercise (ORE) on Feb. 23-24 at Disaster City® in College Station to prepare and train for what could be another active response season.

Thirty-six canine teams tackled the challenges at Disaster City® during the 15th annual FEMA Canine Search Specialist Training Weekend. Eleven US&R task forces were represented at the training event, which was sponsored by Texas A&M Task Force 1.

TX-TF1 experienced its busiest year ever in 2018, and it is gearing up for what could potentially be another year of significant weather events. The team deployed 18 times last year, including 12 deployments in September and October. The team went on both state and federal deployments in response to severe weather, flash flooding, wild fires, and Hurricanes to include Michael, Florence and Olivia.

Texas A&M Task Force 1 has deployed a 6 team members and two canines to assist in the continuing search of occupied areas that were devastated by the Camp Fire in California.

Water Rescue Squads from Texas Task Force 1 were activated and deployed overnight in response to significant heavy rain and historic river flooding over much of Central and North Texas.

FEMA has activated Texas Task Force 1, which is sponsored by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, in response to major Hurricane Michael. In addition, water rescue resources have been deployed in response to flash floods and missing persons in Central and North Texas.

FEMA Urban Search and Rescue demobilized the Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) Water Mission Ready Package after its 19-day deployment to the Carolinas for Hurricane Florence. The Texas Division of Emergency Management also demobilized TX-TF1 members who responded to severe weather in Texas.