Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about NY-TF1.
Who is eligible to join NY-TF1?
Members of NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit (ESU), FDNY’s Special Operations Command (SOC), and FDNY EMS’s HazTac Battalion are specially selected to join NY-TF1.
What kinds of disasters does NY-TF1 respond to?
The task forces are fully trained and equipped to respond to natural, technological, and human-caused disasters.
Their capabilities include physical and technical search & rescue operations in damaged/collapsed structures; technical and water rescue; wide area search; emergency medical care; and hazmat mitigation.
Over the lifetime of the System, task forces have deployed to building collapses, domestic terrorist incidents, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, wildfires, and mudslides.
What are the different disciplines on NY-TF1?
Members specialize in search, rescue, medical, water rescue, hazardous materials, logistics, and planning, including technical specialists such as physicians, structural engineers, and canine search teams.