The Unified Fire Authority is hiring lateral firefighter paramedics to support its Urban Search and Rescue operations. The division includes Utah Task Force 1, which is one of 28 Type I Federal Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces in the United States.
A FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force serves as a resource for disaster response at local, state, federal, and international levels. These teams are comprised mainly of firefighters and include medical professionals, structural engineers, emergency managers, and canine/handler teams with specialized training.
Utah Task Force 1 (UT-TF1) is a multi-hazard team designed to respond to various emergencies and disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, terrorist acts, and hazardous material releases. Personnel within the task force receive specialized training that benefits the Unified Fire Authority. This includes structural collapse technician training required for the department's heavy rescue specialists to be considered Heavy Rescue Technicians.
In 2022, the task force completed 9,668 hours of training. During that year, 127 members attended FEMA US&R discipline-specific training, and 76 members completed 413 hours of water rescue and boat training. The task force also conducted two mock deployments of Mission Ready Package – Water to American Falls and Moab.
The task force maintains partnerships with various agencies, including the Utah National Guard, the Utah Transit Authority, and the State of Utah. The program continues to work with the Unified Fire Authority on Special Operations program development and technical expertise enhancement.
