The Special Services Unit of the United States Search and Rescue Task Force handles general community relations and other areas of responsibility that do not fall within specific units and teams within the Task Force. There are six main areas of responsibility that fall within the Special Services Unit. They are:
A general description of each may be found below. Should you or your organization have an interest in any of the services, please contact the Task Force by e-mail at: ussartf@ussartf.org or by telephone at: (215) 922-7225.
Fingerprinting Children
This special service is often requested by the public and is provided upon request and at certain displays and demonstrations at various locations throughout the year. A child of any age may be either fingerprinted or palm printed and the recorded card is turned over to the parent for safe keeping.
Child Fingerprinting As A Public Safety Service
Click here for more information on fingerprints
Displays and Demonstrations
Throughout the year, the Task Force is requested to present displays or demonstrations as shown below in order to educate the public as to the services that are provided as well as providing the public with educational material and a display of equipment utilized, as one of the primary missions of the Task Force is education!
U.S. SAR Task Force Educational And Resource Display
Educational Training Programs
Education is one of the primary missions of the Task Force. Educating both the public and public safety agencies and personnel. Classes are offered in numerous topics. Some of those offered are:
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FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
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Child Survival – Lost in the Woods
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First Aid
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Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
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Search and Rescue Operations
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Bloodborne Pathogens
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First Aid for Animals
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Hazard Communications – Your Right to Know
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Emergency Response to Terrorism
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Crime Scene Search, Evidence Preservation and Court Testimony for Emergency Service Personnel
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OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) Pepper Spray / Foam For Public Safety Officers (Police, Fire, Rescue, EMS, etc.)
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Land Navigation – Utilizing Map and Compass
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Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
FEMA Community Emergency Response Team Training Program
Critical Incident Stress Management Training Program
Students Preparing for Line Search for Evidence During Crime Scene Search & Evidence Preservation Training Program
Search for Evidence Under Way
Criminal Tracking/Trailing
The U.S. SAR Task Force is proud to have a specially trained Strike Team comprised of Rangers, Specialists and Canines (air scent and bloodhound) that have been requested to assist Police and the Department of Corrections should they require this service at a moments notice. The Task Force serves as a mutual aid support system to assist in providing this special resource and expertise in locating a fleeing person for the benefit and safety of our community.
The Task Force Award Winning Web Site
It is with a sense of great pride and enthusiasm that we are pleased to present you with the United States Search and Rescue Task Force award winning web site. This web site which is maintained by the Task Force Special Services Unit is by no means a finished product, and will constantly be going through revisions, modifications and updates to keep our site relevant to the needs of the search and rescue and disaster response community, public safety agencies and, of course, the public that we work for!
In line with our mission statement, this site will provide extensive educational information on search and rescue and disaster related topics. You will find many, many topics including subjects such as Terrorism, Survival at Sea, Tornadoes, Lyme Disease, Flooding, Family Disaster Planning and Animal Tracking. In addition to our web site, we have hundreds of links to other related sites worldwide.
The Task Force Ranger's Award Program
The U.S. Search and Rescue Task Force has spent hundreds of hours designing and making the Task Force site a reality. This awards program was initiated in order to recognize and honor those web sites which represent the best on the internet. Departments and webmasters put countless hours into developing their sites and educating the public, and should be honored for their dedication. Those sites winning the awards will be able to display the award as well as being listed in the Task Force award winners section.
You may find the criteria for this program in the Ranger's Awards program section. If you feel your site meets the requirements please fill out and submit the required information. There, you will find out everything you will need to know in order to apply for the award. Good luck. We hope to see you listed in the Ranger's Award Recipient Section!
