Kansas sends swift-water rescue teams to Florida

Kansas deployed a Type 1 swift water search and rescue team, Kansas Task Force 1, through the Office of the State Fire Marshal to assist the state of Florida and local jurisdictions responding to Hurricane Helene. Teams departed the evening of Sept. 24 from Olathe and Wichita. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management received the request from Florida and the task force was sent as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which is a multistate, mutual aid agreement that facilitates interstate assistance in response and recovery operations during a disaster.

One Type I swift water/flood rescue teams with hard-bottom, and inflatable boats with personnel will be sent from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Derby Fire Department, Junction City Fire Department, Manhattan Fire Department, Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, Olathe Fire Department, Sedgwick County Fire District 1, and the Wichita Fire Department.

The teams will conduct search and rescue operations. Their objectives will be: To Search for and rescue individuals, provide basic life support (BLS) medical care, transport humans and animals to the nearest location for secondary air or land transport, provide shore-based and boat-based water rescue, provide animal rescues, and support helicopter and urban search and rescue in water environments.

In accordance with the EMAC agreement, Kansas will be reimbursed for cost associated with the deployment.