Even before weather reports start rolling in, U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security communicators prepare for the search, rescue and recovery missions they will face when a hurricane hits. But the winds of this hurricane season blew some nasty currents their way. Harvey, Irma and Maria not only were record-breaking hurricanes but also left little time for recuperation from one event to the next.
search and rescue
May 7, 2015
The Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response (FINDER) device lived up to its name in Nepal, detecting signs of life that led to the rescue of four men trapped under as much as 10 feet of bricks, mud and other debris following the devastating April 25 earthquake in the area.
FINDER, developed by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), uses microwave-radar technology to detect heartbeats of victims trapped in wreckage. Jim Lux, JPL’s FINDER task manager, credits luck, but it took quick thinking and rapid coordination to ensure FINDER was in the right place at the right time to be helpful.
November 6, 2014
I know what you’re thinking—cockroach karaoke! But that’s just not right.
North Carolina State University researchers have developed technology that allows cyborg cockroaches, or biobots, to pick up sounds with small microphones and seek out the source of the sound. The technology is designed to help emergency personnel find and rescue survivors in the aftermath of a disaster.
July 2, 2012
The General Services Administration (GSA) has named Team Veteran Corps, O'Fallon, Illinois, as its selection to provide Mobile Emergency Operations Center (MEOC) Search and Rescue equipment to the United States Air National Guard Readiness Center (ANGRC)/Civil Engineering Division. The ANGRC/Civil Engineering Division is responsible for all facets of equipment acquisition and maintenance in support of key Air National Guard (ANG) missions such as fire and emergency services and explosive and chemical detection and mitigation. The MEOC is a towable unit and is designed to be fully functioning and capable in different operational environments.
October 5, 2011
General Dynamics C4 Systems has received a $12.7 million contract from the Australian Defence Force to provide AN/PRC-112G Global Positioning System-enabled search and rescue radios and accessories. Part of the HOOK2 System, the AN/PRC-112G radio sends encrypted global positioning information, user identification, situation reports and other critical information to combat search and rescue aircraft in short bursts to reduce the risk of detection and interception. Twenty-eight countries are now using HOOK2 radios for their combat search and rescue operations.
