Iowa Task Force One is valuable

Nobody wants a tragic situation that requires the use of an urban search and rescue team. But we value the expertise, training and skills possessed by Iowa Task Force One.

Iowa Task Force One is an urban search and rescue team based at the Sioux City Fire Department and the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. The team once again drew difficult duty in the aftermath of an apartment building collapse in Davenport that claimed three lives and forced one resident to undergo the amputation of her left leg to free her from the rubble.

The team was mobilized on Sunday, the day of the collapse, and Monday. Later in the week, the task force assisted in recovery operations.

On Task Force One’s Facebook page, the response was called “a challenging situation.”

“Work continues in Davenport. Crews are working 12-hour shifts and keeping up an amazing pace. The collapsed sections of building are being sorted by hand before being carted off by motorized equipment. Temps are certainly taking a toll on the team but a brief rainstorm is helping with dust control,” according to a Facebook post on June 2.

It’s been nearly 20 years since the Cedar Rapids and Sioux City departments were selected to sponsor Iowa’s state urban search and rescue team. Team members are trained in skills including confined space, high angle, and swift water rescues. They’re trained to use dogs to assist search and rescue, in addition to training in engineering, emergency medical services, communications and logistics.

Most members of the task force work for the two departments, although some members are from other locations across the state.

Over the years, the task force has been deployed in response to tornadoes in Parkersburg and the Little Sioux Boy Scout Ranch, the floods of 2008, a Maquoketa Caves rescue, fires in Oelwein and at a former Younkers store in downtown Des Moines as well as multiple missing persons cases. The Davenport collapse can now be added to the list.

We hope the Davenport tragedy isn’t repeated. In a state with cities and towns that are home to many aging buildings, it should be a wake-up call for local leaders. But we take some comfort knowing Iowa Task Force One is ready to respond.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com