IL Task Force 1—Urban Search & Rescue Team 2020 IL-TF1 is a state team formed for first responders and specialists from around the State of Illinois. The Orland Fire Protection District currently has 6 members on the team. The team has 200 plus members divided into three teams of up to 70 personnel. The team follows the organization guidelines and equipment requirements of a FEMA USAR team. Members of OFPD currently on the team are: Lieutenant John Purtill - Safety Officer, Battalion Chief Joe Moore - Planning Team Manager, Lieutenant Keith Fontana - Medical Specialist, Lieutenant Daniel Ritchie Structures Specialist, Lieutenant Chad Erickson and Firefighter Mark Hogan - Rescue Specialist. Each members attends drills during the year, in addition to department training for nearly 100 hours of training. 2020 Training was reduced due to COVID and included team training in the beginning and end of the year. In March, IL-TF1 was asked to represent MABAS at a Blackhawks game. From the months of March to November, IL-TF1 assisted MABAS, IEMA and hospitals with tent deployment at Chicago and downstate hospitals. The tents were deployed to help with surge capacity during the beginning of COVID. Additional taskings were done to retrieve, clean and inspect the tents. Team training with new procedures started back up in June for a deployment drill to Dwight and training at LACARTA. The team continues to adjust to COVID protocols for training and deployment.
From March November, 2020 IL-TF1 assisted MABAS, IEMA and hospitals with tent deployment to Chicago and downstate hospitals to help with surge capacity of COVID
In March, 2020 IL-TF1 was asked to represent MABAS at a Blackhawks game
Team training with new procedures started back up in June, 2020 for a deployment drill to Dwight and training at LACARTA
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