Massachusetts Task Force 1 (MA-TF1), sponsored by the City of Beverly, Massachusetts, maintains the heritage established by the Lexington Minutemen at the onset of the American Revolution: the spirit of cooperation and volunteerism that sustains the vitality of a democratic society as well as the infrastructure of emergency response.
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The National Urban Search and Rescue System
The National Urban Search and Rescue System was established under the authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1989. It is a framework for structuring local emergency service personnel into integrated disaster response task forces. Massachusetts Task Force 1 (MA-TF1), is a specialized rescue organization comprised of highly trained Firefighters, Technical Rescue Technicians, Medical Professionals, Canine Handlers, Engineers, Physicians and Civilians with specialty skills from various cities and departments located throughout New England.
Massachusetts Task Force 1 (MA-TF1) is one of 28 FEMA US&R Task Forces spread throughout the continental United States trained and equipped by FEMA to handle structural collapse.
MA-TF1 task force can:
- Conduct physical search and rescue operations in damaged/collapsed structures.
- Emergency medical care for entrapped survivors, task force personnel and search canines.
- Reconnaissance to assess damage and needs and provide feedback to local, state and federal officials.
- Assessment/shut off of utilities to houses and other buildings.
- Survey and evaluate hazardous material threats.
- Provide structural and hazard evaluations of buildings needed for immediate occupancy to support disaster relief operations.
- Stabilizing damaged structures, including shoring and cribbing.
- Hazardous Materials Equipment Push Packages (HEPP) for operations in a contaminated environment.
- US&R operations in a water environment.
Beverly Never Forgets September 11