TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced on Saturday Kansas deployed Kansas Task Force 1, consisting of two Type 3 swift-water search and rescue teams, through the Office of the State Fire Marshal, to assist the State of Texas in areas impacted by flooding from recent heavy rains. KS-TF1 departed on July 12 from Olathe and upon arrival will be assigned to Kerrville in Kerr County.
"Our hearts go out to the families and communities in Texas who have been impacted by these devastating floods," Governor Laura Kelly said. "Kansas is always ready to send assistance to other states when disasters strike."
A request from Texas was sent to the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, and this task force was sent as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which is a multistate, mutual aid agreement that facilitates interstate assistance in response and recovery operations during a disaster.
"Kansas has again answered the call to assist," Mark Engholm, Kansas Fire Marshal said. "Our goal is to provide professionally trained rescuers and equipment where they are needed most, support rescue efforts, and help alleviate suffering caused by the devastating flooding in Texas."
The Type 3 swift-water/flood rescue teams with hard-bottom, inflatable boats with personnel will be sent from the Kansas State Fire Marshal, Chanute Fire Department, Kansas City Kansas Fire Department, Olathe Fire Department, Salina Fire Department, Shawnee Kansas Fire Department, and Sedgwick County Fire District #1.
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.
Following the EMAC agreement, Kansas and assisting departments will be reimbursed for costs associated with the deployment.