Summary of position expectations
- Developing and implementing the medical component of the task force tactical action plan
- Supervising the medical specialists
- Assisting in the development of the safety plan in coordination with the task force Safety Officer and task force HazMat Specialist
- Coordinating, managing, and supervising all medical activities
- Determining the medical organizational and logistics needs
- Receiving briefings and situation reports and ensuring that all medical personnel are kept informed of status changes
- Providing medical situation reports and maintaining records and reports
- Preparing performance evaluations for assigned personnel
- Directing medical care delivery to task force personnel, search dogs, and victims
- Ensuring a continuum of medical care and coordinating interaction with all appropriate outside medical entities
- Ensuring accountability, maintenance, and minor repairs for all issued equipment
- Performing additional tasks or duties as assigned during a mission
Requirements
- Physical Training Walk: Members must be able to walk 2 miles within 40 minutes carrying a thirty-pound pack (tested annually)
- Medical Clearance: Members must be cleared by Medical Staff (renew every 3 years)
- Licensed Physician, who must be:
- Emergency medicine residency-trained and/or Board-certified in emergency medicine
- Actively practicing clinical emergency medicine
- Experienced with pre-hospital medical care
- OR currently certified in ACLS, ATLS and PALS, with medical activities including clinical medicine and/or pre-hospital care
- Medical license in different states if deploying there (to write prescriptions) for medical manager
Required General Training
Complete prior to application (no cost):
Complete once accepted to the team (cost covered by Task Force):
- Water Rescue Awareness
- FEMA National US&R Response System Orientation – Computer-Based Portion
- Blood-Borne Pathogen Training
- Critical Incident Stress Awareness
- CPR License (renew as needed)
- Confined Space Search and Rescue Awareness
- Structural Collapse Search and Rescue Awareness
Complete during New Member Orientation (cost covered by Task Force):
- FEMA National US&R Response System Orientation- instructor-Led
- First Responder Operations Level for Hazardous Materials (renew annually)
- Respiratory Protection Training and Fit Test (renew annually)
- FEMA US&R Enhanced Operations in the Contaminated Environment – Instructor-Led
Paperwork Requirements
After acceptance onto the Task Force, you will need to have the following documents on file:
- Memorandum of Understanding (renew every 3 years)
- Application for Federal Employment
- Immunization Record
- Signed Code of Conduct
- FEMA Transmittal
- FEMA Affidavit
- TEEX General Release
Required Position-Specific Training
- FEMA US&R Medical Team Specialist
Annual Training Requirements
- Either an Operational Readiness Exercise (3 days) or a Mobilization Exercise (2 days)
- 1 Regional Training (1 day)
- Skill Set (2 days)
- Optional Zoom meetings quarterly
Training Recommendations
- Swiftwater Rescue Levels I&II
- Wide Area Search
- Canine Emergency Medical Course
- General Requirements of NFPA 1670
- Rope Rescue Awareness per NFPA 1670
- Trench Rescue Awareness per NFPA 1670
- Duties of the Entrant
- MGT-314 (If pursuing a leadership role)
- ICS-300 and ICS-400 (If pursuing a leadership role)
Financial Requirement / Deployment Equipment List
Uniform items and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are provided by the Task Force, items not provided include:
- Belt
- US&R Boots
- Sleeping clothes, Undergarments, and socks
- Swimmer’s towel and small towel
- Hygiene kit/Toiletries
The following items are optional for personal protection or comfort:
- Personal choice of stethoscope
- Additional bedding options for comfort
- Wet wipes
- Personal Hand Tools
- Other items as desired