PA Task Force One

as we undertake our remaining challenge, thank you to VA-TF1/USA-1 for allowing us to participate in the 2024 FSE.



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Never a typical day in US&R. Today’s inject involved concerned citizen protesters attempting to impact our operations and ways to respectfully address these issues.

Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Fire Department
PA Emergency Management Agency
National US&R Response System

PA-TF1 is participating in a Full Scale Exercise this week. Members attended a pre-exercise briefing this morning with our USAID - US Agency for International Development and domestic Search & Rescue partners/participants.

Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Fire Department
PA Emergency Management Agency
National US&R Response System
Virginia Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue
Maryland Task Force 1

Congratulations and happy retirement to long time PA-TF1 member, Chop Humphrey.

Chop was primarily rostered as a Heavy Equipment & Rigging Specialist, for nearly 30 years. His core duties in this position include interfacing with heavy machinery operators, assessing disaster sites related to heavy equipment, and preparing sites for heavy equipment to work with US&R. In this position, Chop also had to maintain all General Requirements such as HazMat Operations, Respiratory Protection, etc.

Chop deployed to numerous incidents, such as Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Florence and many more.

Congratulations to Craig Murphy on this recent announcement!

Craig has been a member of PA-TF1 for many years, is a Task Force Leader, and deployed to the World Trade Center.

FEMA US&R has activated one of PA-TF1's K9 handlers and her K9 VeerRa, and one Med Team Manager; they will be deployed to assist in Hawaii this morning. Philly Fire Dept PA Emergency Management Agency Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania Let's Roll...

Thanks to Ohio Task Force One for hosting the Heavy Equipment & Rigging Specialist (HERS) Course, and US&R members from across the nation - including Pennsylvania!

HERS are responsible for performing various assessments & construction related liaison for the Task Force during incident operations. The typical background of a HERS includes experience in heavy construction such as heavy equipment operator, crane operator, iron worker, rigger, or similar. When deployed, the HERS reports directly to the Rescue Team Manager.

PATF1 is moving forward to the state of Florida to support the ongoing response to Hurricane Ian.

Depicted here is the PATF1 vehicle convoy driving on an interstate in overcast weather.

Our deployed team arrived at their first staging location yesterday (Sept. 29) as part of the FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency response to .

The team will secure the equipment cache, get some rest, and conduct the planning process for any potential response activities.

Here the team is training with personnel from the South Carolina Fire Academy

PA-TF1 is deployed as a Type 3 US&R Task Force to support the Hurricane Ian response.

In these shared photos and links, meet some of our members, and take a quick peek into the preparation required to deploy a resource like PA-TF1.

Philadelphia Fire Department
PA Emergency Management Agency

Graduation Photo: FEMA/MATF1 K9 Search Specialist course. Congratulations to MA-TF1, VT-TF1 and PA-TF1 K9 Search Specialists and their K9s.

On the behalf of our Riders, Donors, and Volunteers, and with a heavy heart, the Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation Board Members delivered an Immediacy Grant in the amount of $5,000 to the Philadelphia Fire Department for the family of our fallen hero Lieutenant Sean Williamson. The Immediacy Grant was given to assist Lt. Williamson’s family in covering the many unanticipated expenses associated with the sudden death of a loved one.

It is only through your hard work, boundless generosity, and unwavering commitment to our charity that we can do this important work.

We at the Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation want the brave men and women of the Philadelphia Fire Department, and all of our courageous first responders throughout the Delaware Valley and South Jersey, to know that when tragedy strikes, we will be there for them and their loved ones, because this is truly why we ride.

Thank You,
Joe Sullivan,
President, Families Behind the Badge Children's Foundation

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If you would like to consider riding in this year's The Ben to The Shore Bike Tour or donating to the Philly Fire Bike Team, please visit this link:
https://www.fbbcf.org/team/phillyfire

Photo Credit: Philadelphia 2nd Alarmers Association

ADVISORY: Logistics for Funeral of Fire Lt. Sean Williamson | Philadelphia Fire Department The PFD has released additional information on the funeral arrangements for Lt. Sean Williamson, who died in the line of duty on June 18.

ADVISORY: Funeral for Fire Lt. Sean Williamson | Philadelphia Fire Department The PFD has announced that funeral services for Lt. Sean Williamson, who died in the line of duty, will be held June 26-27.