The specialized rescue team will assist communities impacted by the storm
Twenty-five Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) Tactical Search and Rescue (TSAR) team members deployed to the Florida Panhandle on Thursday, Oct. 8, as part of the Florida Urban Search and Rescue Task Force-3 (FL-TF-3). Comprised of fire and rescue members from Hillsborough County, City of Tampa, and St. Petersburg, the 75 highly trained emergency workers will assist communities that may be impacted by Hurricane Isaias.
FL-TF-3 specializes in complex rescue operations before, during, and after severe storms. Team members are trained and equipped to operate in difficult conditions, including flooded neighborhoods, waterways, and areas made inaccessible by fallen trees, power lines, and other storm debris.
Highly trained search and rescue dogs are a part of FL-TF-3 and help locate survivors following disasters. Known as "live-find" dogs, these canines use their powerful sense of smell to detect people trapped beneath rubble or inside collapsed structures. The K-9s are trained to alert rescue crews when they detect human scent, helping rescuers quickly locate survivors at a time when every second counts.
When disasters strike outside Hillsborough County, TSAR teams may be called upon to deploy as strike teams to assist other communities with emergency response and recovery operations.
HCFR has expanded its water rescue capabilities with four SHERP vehicles, which can navigate high water and difficult terrain and were used following flooding caused by Hurricane Milton in 2024.