The North Carolina Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Program was established in 2001 to address various disasters throughout the state. Statistics reveal that 90% of disaster victims are rescued within the first few hours following an incident. Regional US&R teams deliver prompt assistance to victims and communities by quickly deploying trained and well-equipped personnel to conduct search and rescue operations.

Operating under the guidance of North Carolina Emergency Management, Urban Search and Rescue teams support communities that have become overwhelmed due to natural or manmade disasters when local and neighboring resources have been exhausted. These NC Urban Search and Rescue task forces don't take control of the scene; instead, they assist the local incident commander by providing anything from technical support to a full-scale task force response, tailored to meet specific needs.

North Carolina is home to seven regional Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces. Among these is North Carolina Task Force 10, which comprises members from Greenville Fire/Rescue and New Bern Fire-Rescue. The primary mission of Task Force 10 is to offer specialized life-saving assistance to state, tribal, and local authorities when called upon for incidents or potential emergencies. We are equipped and trained to locate, access, treat, and extricate victims that have been affected. Depending on the incident's nature and location, the State Emergency Operations Center identifies the closest and most suitable resources for deployment.

Additionally, North Carolina Task Force 10 is part of the North Carolina Swiftwater Search and Rescue program, which features numerous teams positioned across the state. These teams specialize in performing rescues in swiftwater and flood situations, enabling them to respond effectively in critical conditions.

Capabilities

North Carolina Task Force 10 is a crucial resource available around the clock and ready to deploy within four hours to any emergency situation, whether in-state or out-of-state. Incident commanders can request the team’s assistance through their local Emergency Management Coordinator.

As a NIMS Type III Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) team with a NIMS Type I Swiftwater component, we specialize in various rescue operations. Our specialties include rescue and mitigation in structural collapses, trench rescues, high-angle rescues, confined space rescues, wide area search and swiftwater/floodwater rescues. We maintain a robust cache of specialized equipment designed for breaching and breaking concrete, along with extensive metal cutting and search-and-rescue equipment. Additionally, the team can also be contacted for specific equipment or technical knowledge needed at an incident at any time.

Team Information

Program Administrators / Task Force Leaders:
Brad Johnston – Greenville Fire/Rescue
Steven Jerome – New Bern Fire-Rescue