TEMA Presents Tennessee’s First Urban Search and Rescue Credential to Tennessee Task Force 2
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency presented Tennessee Task Force 2 with the state’s first Urban Search and Rescue credential today, formally recognizing the Nashville-based team as a specialized statewide response asset for complex rescue operations.
The credential marks a major milestone for emergency response in Tennessee. Tennessee Task Force 2 is the first Urban Search and Rescue team in the state to complete TEMA’s credentialing process, which evaluates teams against state standards for training, equipment, operational readiness, and deployment capability.
Hosted by the Nashville Fire Department, Tennessee Task Force 2 is a multidisciplinary team made up of more than 100 specialists from multiple agencies. The team includes firefighters, structural engineers, medical specialists, canine search teams, hazardous materials experts, heavy equipment operators, and technical rescue personnel trained to respond to some of the most challenging rescue environments.
“Today’s credentialing of Tennessee Task Force 2 strengthens Tennessee’s ability to respond when communities face complex, life-threatening emergencies,” said TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan. “This team brings highly specialized training, equipment, and expertise that can support local responders during incidents such as tornado damage, building collapses, flooding, explosions, earthquakes or other disasters. When seconds matter, having this capability in Tennessee can save lives.”
Urban Search and Rescue teams are trained and equipped to locate, access, stabilize, and rescue people trapped in collapsed structures, confined spaces, disaster zones, and other hazardous environments. These teams can deploy rapidly to emergency or disaster sites and provide critical support when an incident exceeds local day-to-day response capabilities.
Having a credentialed Urban Search and Rescue resource in Tennessee strengthens the state’s ability to support local jurisdictions during major emergencies. Tennessee Task Force 2 can respond as a full task force or divide into smaller units to support sustained, 24-hour operations.
The team’s capabilities include:
- Structural collapse search and rescue
- Emergency medical care for survivors and responders
- Hazard assessments and structural stabilization
- Technical search using fiber-optic cameras, listening devices, and trained canines
- Hazardous materials evaluations
- Water rescue operations using specialized boats and certified personnel
Tennessee Task Force 2 includes personnel from the Nashville Fire Department, Nashville Police Department, Nashville Department of Transportation, Hendersonville Fire Department, Goodlettsville Fire Department, Franklin Fire Department, and Williamson County Emergency Management Agency.
The team can be deployed anywhere in Tennessee at the request of local jurisdictions or TEMA. Tennessee Task Force 2 may also deploy to other states through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact to assist communities during disasters.
Urban Search and Rescue members complete extensive training across specialized disciplines, including FEMA Rescue Systems courses, trench collapse operations, hazardous materials operations, emergency medical care, structural collapse technician training, rigging, heavy equipment operations, canine search, logistics, and communications.
Tennessee’s Urban Search and Rescue system provides specialized state and national response assets capable of supporting local jurisdictions during emergencies and deploying under federal direction during major disasters. These teams are trained to save lives, protect responders, and help stabilize communities following catastrophic events.