Surfside Building Collapse
National US&R Response System
6/30/2021
Currently, every Florida Urban Search and Rescue Task Force is deployed to the collapse of the Champlain Towers South.
Virginia Task Force-Two Activated to Florida – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has activated the Virginia Beach based Urban Search and Rescue Team, Virginia Task Force 2 (VATF2), to deploy to Surfside, Fla., to assist with the Surfside Condo collapse. VATF-2 USAR is one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams positioned across the country. The Virginia Beach Fire Department is the sponsoring agency for VATF-2.
6/27/2021
Current Operations: The National US&R Response System has deployed the following resources at the request of the State of Florida/Region IV; 4 Structures Specialists (from VA- TF2 & VA-TF1) as single resources, and the Blue Incident Support Team Mission Ready Package-Command-IST (15 personnel) to support the management of search and rescue operations. The following three System resources have been issued Alert Orders as NIMS Type 1 US&R Task Forces VA-TF2, VA- TF1 & OH-TF1.
Information Sources
Miami Dade Fire Rescue Dispatch & Initial Size-Up of the 12 Story Condominium Collapse on Miami Beach.
Update-to-date Information Sources
Task Forces
Shoring
Shoring after a vehicle collision into a house
Anywhere buildings and houses a found, a roadway is not far away. Vehicles into a structure happen everywhere and make sure you know the shoring resources available from mutual aid or a technical rescue team.
Vehicle into a porch
Anywhere buildings and houses a found, a roadway is not far away. Vehicles into a structure happen everywhere and make sure you know the shoring resources available from mutual aid or a technical rescue team.
Shoring
Delivery Truck Into a Home
The type of call that can happen anywhere at anytime. It can be an impaired driver or a complete accident. Either way, it can happen and we need a plan to stabilize the structure especially if any occupants are trapped in the vehicle and/or the structure.
Vehicle into a Structure
The type of call that can happen anywhere at anytime. It can be an impaired driver or a complete accident. Either way, it can happen and we need a plan to stabilize the structure especially if any occupants are trapped in the vehicle and/or the structure. Do you have the right equipment to shore the structure? If not, who around you does and what’s their equipment cache and staffing levels for USAR type calls?
Here’s a few pictures that the Middlesex County Urban Search and Rescue Team posted on their Facebook page of a delivery truck that crashed into an occupied structure.
Shoring
Paratech Virtual Workshop: Trench Advanced
Checkout the advanced trench presentation by leading industry experts. It kicks off with Paratech’s Nigel Letherby followed by MUSAR’s Chief Ron Zawlocki and professional civil engineer Craig Dashner.
Paratech Virtual Workshop: Trench Advanced
Below is a great advanced trench presentation by leading industry experts. It kicks off with Paratech’s Nigel Letherby followed by MUSAR’s Chief Ron Zawlocki and professional civil engineer Craig Dashner. Craig works closely with Chief Zawlocki to bring the fire service real world knowledge to keep everyone on scene safe. Below is a description off his Linkedin profile of some of the work that he does with the fire service.
I also volunteer my time working with a Ron Zawloki, a Fire Department Instructor, on the development and refinement of Trench Rescue Shoring Standards. So much of what has been taught to the fire service throughout the years was never reviewed by an Engineer, or was poorly designed, and much of it is a false sense of security and down right dangerous. Working with Ron, we are developing shoring systems that can be deployed rapidly, be flexible to different conditions and provide adequate safety for the victim and rescuers.
Make sure you checkout the full list of different videos available on the Paratech YouTube channel.