Florida

Task Force – 3

Tampa Bay Regional Urban Search and Rescue Team

August 2004 – Hurricane Charley – Punta Gorda, FL

Hurricane Charley, Punta Gorda, FL August 2004

FL TF 3 departed the Tampa Bay area on Friday August 13, 2004 at 2200 hours and arrived in Punta Gorda at 0030 hours with 42 personnel and equipment. FL TF 3 began searching the most damaged areas and structures by 0230 hours. By the end of the weekend, and with help from FL TF 1 Dade County, FL TF 2 City of Miami which arrived at 0800 hours on Saturday and TN TF 1 Memphis, TN which arrived at 0800 hours on Sunday, every structure was searched, marked, and cleared. On Monday August 16, 2004, all task forces went home with the exception of FL TF 3. A second group rotated into the task force to relieve the tired and wary first group and continued to set up a base camp and operate as Charlotte County’s USAR Team. On Friday August 20, 2004, a third group rotated into the task force and stayed until Monday August 23, 2004 when the base camp was packed up and all personnel and equipment were brought back. In all the activation lasted 10 days and involved 21 units and 108 individuals from 4 fire departments.

Members of FL TF 3 were placed on 12 hour shifts to provide coverage and stand ready for immediate responses and call for help in the event of a structural collapse or other special rescue need. The first group of FL TF 3 had to endure very uncomfortable conditions by eating heater-meals and sleeping under a nearby bridge overpass. The first group though, with help from FL TF1 and 2 as well as TN TF1, was able to search and clear every structure in Charlotte County by the end of the second day.

FL TF 3 members used the standard FEMA USAR marking system to indicate which building had been searched. When the buildings were damaged to the point of having no walls the marks were made on the drive ways of the homes and even in the entrances of the mobile home parks. The marking system indicated that the structure had been searched and cleared of any victims.

In the Base of Operations, above, which came to be known as the (B.O.O.), all the necessary comforts were met for the task force members even if in the most primitive form; however, all that was needed was provided for. The BOO was a project that was constantly in need of attention. It was rearranged several times throughout the call out in order to provide the maximum comfort for task force members. Equipment and supplies were constantly being shipped and received in an effort to accomplish this task.

FL TF 3 members entered structures to search for trapped occupants.

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