Charlotte's NCTF-3, a NC State Urban Search and Rescue response team, was organized and designed to provide a coordinated response to disasters in urban and rural environments, specifically in and around the State of North Carolina. The team specializes in rescue and incident stabilization for incidents involving collapsed structures, confined spaces, or trenches in largely populated areas, the task force is capable of responding to State and National disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes, and terrorist events involving weapons of mass distruction.
NCTF-3 is one of 11 State Task Force teams in North Carolina. NCTF-3 consists of about 180 personnel assigned to six thirty man teams. The Task Force is comprised of a Haz-Mat component, a Swift Water Rescue component, an Incident Support Team and the USAR component. Members are specialized in many disciplines which include Haz-Mat Technicians, Swift-Water Rescue Technicians, Specialized Dive Rescue Technicians, Collapse Rescue Technicians with specialties in various aspects of Collapse Rescue, Emergency Medical Services, Trench Rescue, and Confined Space Rescue, in addition to normal firefighting duties.
The team can be called upon by the State to respond to any emergency or disaster and is designed to be self-sufficent for the first 72 hours of operation.
