When Hurricane Floyd struck in September 1999, dozens of search and rescue teams were scattered across the state. While a few had training in swift water rescue, most teams consisted of local volunteers with rudimentary training who simply wanted to help.
Thousands of people are alive today because of the hard work of those dedicated volunteers. But the response highlighted the need for a coordinated statewide program with more consistent training.
After Floyd, the Division of Emergency Management worked with local communities and counties to develop a new way to do business during disasters. The goal was to provide consistent training and equipment so that rescue teams could aid neighboring jurisdictions during a crisis regardless of the conditions or terrain.
Three types of search and rescue programs have been developed over the past decade: Swift Water Rescue Teams, North Carolina Helicopter and Aquatic Rescue Teams and Urban Search and Rescue Teams. These highly-trained and equipped teams, comprised of local volunteer firefighters, law enforcement officials or emergency medical technicians rescue people from flooded homes or vehicles, pull people from fast moving rivers and search collapsed buildings or structures for survivors.
Since all of the teams are owned and operated by cities or counties, many municipalities contact each other directly to request assistance. Help can also be requested through the state's Emergency Management 24-hour Operations Center.
North Carolina has developed a national reputation for its search and rescue program. Today 37 local agencies have swift water rescue teams that meet stringent national standards. Eleven squads have been certified to provide urban search and rescue.
The teams have been trained using national standards and best practices, making them a valuable resource to other states. North Carolina is better prepared today because those local response agencies and the state invested the resources to build a solid, coordinated statewide program.
