Two Woodinville Firefighters Deployed to Help in Sandy Aftermath

An Urban Search and Rescue Task Force from Puget Sound, including two firefighters from Woodinville, has been deployed to the East Coast to help in superstorm Sandy's aftermath, Woodinville Fire Department officials said Wednesday.

Woodinville firefighter Ian D'Ambrosia and Lt. Kerry Langan are among those going to help meet the needs of those involved in the storm, Woodinville Fire Department spokesman David Weed said. 

According to government documents, Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) task forces have been designated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide specialized assistance after buildings or other structures collapse.

The task forces work to stabilize damaged structures, locate and extricate victims, identify risks of additional collapses, and meet other needs at disaster sites. Each task force is comprised of at least 70 persons whose skills as unit members include engineering, emergency medicine, canine handling, firefighting, hazardous material handling, communications, logistics, and other areas, documents said.  

According to a post on the American Red Cross King and Kitsap counties Facebook page, as of Thursday, 28 local volunteers from that chapter have deployed to help with Sandy relief efforts.

They will be assisting in many areas including mental health, shelter operations, mass feeding and staffing.