FEMA Field GIS:Support for Urban Search and Rescue: Case Study

FEMA US&R

Virginia Task Force 2

South Carolina Flooding Following Hurricane Joaquin

The power of GIS Technology

• Search and rescue can be intellectual• Really, search and rescue is not all breaking rocks

• The “return on investment” by using GIS for search and rescue is enormous• It is time to use technology and GIS to work smarter not harder

• Leads to better decision making

• Accurate reporting to locals, state EOCs, the FEMA IMT, and the Federal level

• Accuracy leads to trust and trust leads to future missions

• Finally, technology and use of GIS leads to the increase chance for survivors• Non-duplication of services

• Limited responders and large areas to cover (WAS)

Federal Urban Search & Rescue Response System

ESF 9: Search and Rescue

Deployment of a Federal Task Force

• 80 personnel by ground

• Leave point of departure within 4 hours by ground and 6 hours by air

• Self-Sufficient for 72 hours

• 24 hour operations

• Cross Trained Personnel

• Operates under NIMS/ICS

Transportation of the Task Force

Movement of the Cache´

Base of Operation (BoO)

Search and Rescue in the Urban Environment

Wide Area Search (WAS)

VA-TF 2

Response to South Carolina Flooding October 2015

Virginia Task Force 2 National US&R Team

Unprecedented rain fall in South Carolina

The storm was relentless on South Carolinia

Rain fall totals exceeded 18” in 24 hours in Columbia

Assigned to work under SC IMT

• Each day, VA-TF 2 leadership would attend Operational Briefing and receive our assignment.

• October 5-8, VA-TF 2 worked Richland County, SC (east of Columbia)• Performed Wide Area Search

in an area that had not been searched by local fire or rescue

• October 8-11 the Task Force was positioned to Dorchester County to work the Edisto River.

From WAS to water based search and rescue, Federal Task Forces are capable of providing when requested.

This deployment was for the flooding followingHurricane Joaquin

• Integrated with National Park Service, Department of Natural Resources and National Guard

• VA-TF 2 deploys with 6 boats and is trained to perform search and rescue in the water environment.

• Return on Investment: Handheld GPS and Collector Application provided real time report outs to government.

Damage assessment to local, State and Federal Governments

VA-TF 2 destination: Columbia

While in Columbia, air lifted to Williamsburg County

LZ: USNG was our only reference point to Task Force Leaders

Williamsburg County under water

Collector Application and handheld Garmin 60 waypoints

The Edisto River and Collector and Garmin 60

The Federal Response from VA-TF1 and VA-TF 2

VA-TF2 Accomplishments:

• VA-TF 2 traveled 1,244 miles by ground; 110 miles by air (Blackhawk); 12 nautical miles (Edisto River); visited 1,988 homes; marked 4,850 waypoints by GPS/GIS; and marked 4 EHS sites.

FEMA Field GIS:Support for Urban Search and Rescue: Case Study

FEMA US&R

Virginia Task Force 2

South Carolina Flooding Following Hurricane Joaquin