U.S. Urban Search and Rescue Teams: Operations, Funding, and Future Uncertainty
Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams across the United States are critical components of national disaster response, providing specialized capabilities for rescuing individuals and recovering human remains following significant calamities such as building collapses, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires.
Training and Operational Structure
US&R teams engage in rigorous training exercises designed to simulate real-world rescue scenarios. One such exercise involves confined space cutting within concrete structures, requiring trainees to enter narrow openings with tools like blow torches.
These teams are composed of approximately 200 members each, including paramedics, doctors, and engineers. The majority of members have firefighting backgrounds. Specialized training courses cover skills such as handling search and rescue dogs, operating boats in floodwaters, and utilizing heavy equipment like cranes and excavators. A crucial aspect of their training involves complex mathematical calculations to safely lift and maneuver heavy debris, determining factors such as slab weight, center of gravity, and crane capacity.
There are 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue task forces, which adhere to standardized training protocols and use identical equipment, enabling seamless interoperability across the country. Teams are required to be prepared for deployment within six hours of notification for major disasters.
Past Deployments and Scope
US&R teams have responded to numerous national disasters. Recent deployments include rescue operations during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, search efforts following wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, and Los Angeles, California, and rubble sifting after the 2021 condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida.
Funding and Activity Levels
Ken Pagurek, former head of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue branch, indicated that the U.S. program is extensive and highly trained. The national search and rescue system receives approximately $40 million annually from Congress. Pagurek estimated the true cost for training and equipping these teams to be nearly double this allocated amount, citing that funding has not kept pace with inflation over the past 15 to 20 years. This underfunding has reportedly led to challenges in covering basic operational costs, such as vehicle maintenance.
In 2024, US&R teams responded to nine major disasters, matching the highest annual deployment rate since 1999, according to National Urban Search and Rescue Response System records. This increased activity coincides with a rise in extreme weather events.
Proposed Changes to FEMA and Future Uncertainty
The Trump administration has proposed eliminating FEMA in its current form, which has introduced uncertainty regarding the future of the agency's Urban Search and Rescue system. A presidentially-appointed council of emergency management experts is expected to provide recommendations on FEMA's future.
A policy instituted by Secretary Kristi Noem requiring personal approval for agency spending exceeding $100,000 has been cited as a factor in operational bottlenecks. Following July 4th floods in Texas, reports indicated a high volume of unanswered calls to the agency from flood survivors. DHS stated that emergency response is locally executed, state-managed, and federally supported, and that FEMA responded to requests for search and rescue teams from Texas authorities.
Ken Pagurek resigned from his position at FEMA, citing concerns that administration policies were affecting the agency's disaster response capabilities. FEMA has maintained that both funding and staffing for the search and rescue system have been sustained since President Trump took office.
US&R team members often apply their specialized training and experience to their local fire department roles, illustrating a dual benefit for both federal disaster response and local emergency services.