Special Operations & Hazardous Materials Section

​

Introduction​

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is responsible for the overall management and coordination of the state and federal US&R Response System, which includes eight multi-disciplinary Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces, twelve Regional Task Forces, eighteen Type II mobile rescue caches, and thirteen Swift Water/Flood Water Rescue Teams in California.

​Special Operations News / Updates

​Training

California Fire and Rescue Training Authority

Located in Sacramento, California, The California Fire and Rescue Training Authority is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) comprised of three member agencies: California Governor's Office of Emergency Services - Fire and Rescue Division, Sacramento Fire Department, and the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. The primary mission of the Training Authority is to provide excellence in training and education for the development of knowledge, skills and abilities that will meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, in an effective, efficient and innovative manner.

CAL FIRE - Office of the State Fire Marshal - State Fire Training

The Office of the State Fire Marshal (SFM) supports the mission of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) by focusing on fire prevention.

​Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Force

Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) involves the location, rescue (extrication), and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces. Structural collapse is most often the cause of victims being trapped, but victims may also be trapped in transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches. A FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force is teams of individuals comprised of firefighters, engineers, medical professionals, canine/handler teams and emergency managers with highly specialized training in urban search and rescue environments, and which serve as a resource for disaster response at local, state, federal, and international levels.

A listing of each of the eight FEMA US&R Task Forces, along with links to their respective website, can be found within this section.

​Type II Rescue Cache Trailer Program

The Type II rescue program was created to augment Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) capabilities statewide. The program assigns a 20-Type II Rescue Cache Trailer equipped with the Specialized Equipment utilized by a Medium Rescue Company with a local government organization who provides six (6) staff members to make up a Medium or Type II Rescue Company. When one of these rescue cache's is assigned with five Cal OES Type I engines, the result is a response equal to that of a US&R regional Task Force. This capability provides an enhanced response to collapses in wood frame and light masonry buildings and greatly enhances the State Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System.