Texas ESF-9 Bastrop Fire Complex Search Response

September 7, 2011 to September 12, 2011

Chuck JonesTask Force Leader, TX-TF1

Susann BrownSearch Team Manager, TX-TF1

Mission OverviewTo assist the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Department, and Emergency Manager in the search for possible missing persons and property damage assessment, by conducting a wide area search through the affected area(s).

The fire, which began on September 4, 2011 would consume more than 34,000 acres, destroy more than 2500 structures and claim two lives.

Unique DeploymentTraditional Mission• Post incident response • Urban areas• Search to rescue• Collapse structures

Bastrop Fire Complex• Fire still ongoing• Forested rural area• Search for HR• Damage assessment• Locate missing pets/ injured

animals• Report active burning

Timeline09/06/11- SOC request for TX-TF1 to send representatives to Bastrop EOC for planning meeting with Bastrop S.O. and EM.

09/07/11- TX-TF1 deployed to Bastrop to assist SO with HR search. Base of Operations setup at Camp Swift by 1230 hours. Forward command post established at Hwy 71 and FM 1441. Search grids assigned and search begun in Wagon Wheel addition at 1330.

09/08/11- Search grids assigned or continued

09/09/11- Search grids assigned and final search completed in Wagon Wheel area.

09/10/11- Search moved to Tahitian Village area, forward command moved to Hwy 95 and Ponderosa Rd.

09/11/11- Search continued

09/12/11- Search completed at 1330

Conditions

Operations• Wide Area Search strategy• Co-located with response partners• On-site support of canine teams

Search area divided into segments

Squads and searched assigned segments. Documentation is critical.

Outcome• 16,000 acres searched• 24.4 square miles• 1934 structures searched

Response PartnersBastrop County Sheriff’s Office National Forestry Service

Response PartnersAnimal Rescue Veterinary Emergency Team

Community Support Groups

Specialty Canines• Trained to locate human remains• Able to work in unnatural environment of

disaster• Tested to certification standards

Canine Search Operations• 6 HR canines• 12 hour shifts• Covered 16,000 acres of

area• Each canine team

searched more than 300 structures

• Medical support critical for completion of mission

Veterinary Support

Lessons Learned• Evacuation List• Unified Operations• Need for Local Area Knowledge• Medical Support for Canine Operations

Questions?