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California Task Force Three (CA-TF3) California Swift Water / Flood Water Search Rescue Three (CA-SFS&R3) MPFPD Heavy Rescue Program MPFPD Wildland Program MPFPD Water Rescue Program Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) Program Joint Honor Guard
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California Task Force Three (CA-TF3)

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California Task Force Three (CA-TF3)

The Menlo Park Fire Protection District proudly sponsors California Task Force 3 (CA-TF3) Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Team.  CA-TF3 is a local team that responds regionally, statewide and nationally as part of the National Response System.  CA-TF3 operates under guidelines established with a Cooperative Agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

As the sponsoring agency, the Fire District has the responsibility of managing the team and ensuring it is able to respond to any incident it is requested to do so. CA-TF3 is a specially trained and equipped US&R Task Force consisting of 16 participating agencies and approximately 40 civilians. There are a total of 210+ members who are available to respond to emergencies. These members include Firefighters from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District and our Participating Agencies listed below, as well as local Civilian Members:  


●    Central County Fire●    San Jose Fire
●    Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County●    San Mateo Consolidated Fire
●    Genentech●    Santa Clara City Fire
●    Milpitas Fire●    Santa Clara County Fire
●    Mountain View Fire●    South San Francisco Fire
●    Palo Alto Fire●    SRI International
●    Redwood City Fire●    Sunnyvale Public Safety
●    San Francisco Fire●    Woodside Fire Protection District


CA-TF3 has 210+ Members who are specially trained as:  

●    (TLF) Task Force Leaders●    (MS) Medical Specialists
●    (SO) Safety Officers●    (LTM) Logistic Team Managers
●    (STM) Search Team Managers●    (LS) Logistic Specialists
●    (TSS) Technical Search Specialists●    (CS) Communications Specialists
●    (CSS) Canine Search Specialists●    (PTM) Plans Team Managers
●    (RTM) Rescue Team Managers●    (StS) Structural Specialists (Engineers)
●    (RSO) Rescue Squad Officers●    (TIS) Technical Information Specialists
●    (RS) Rescue Specialists●    (ESS) Emergency Support Specialist
●    (HERS) Heavy Equipment Rescue Specialists●    (TFSP) Task Force Security and Protection
●    (HTM) HazMat Team Managers●    (WRS) Water Rescue Specialists
●    (HS) HazMat Specialists●    (UBO) US&R Boat Operators
●    (MTM) Medical Team Managers (Emergency Room Physicians)●    (IST) Incident Support Team Members


This unique technical rescue team responds with 70,000 pounds of prepackaged search and rescue tools and medical equipment to conduct around the clock search and rescue operations at domestic and international disasters, both natural and man-made.   Since its inception CA-TF3 has deployed across the Nation:


1.    1991 Hurricane Iniki, Type 1, Cal OES Mutual Aid
2.    1993 Acceptance as a FEMA US&R Task Force
3.    1993 Northridge Earthquake, Type 1
4.    1995 Oklahoma City bombing, Type 1
5.    1996 Napa, Rancho Murieta and Yuba County Floods, CalOES Type 1 Water Rescue Team
6.    1998 Hurricane Georges, IST
7.    2001 Pentagon, IST Support
8.    2001 World Trade Center, Type 1, IST
9.    2002 Winter Olympics, IST support
10.    2003 Hurricane Isabel, IST support
11.    2003 Space Shuttle Columbia, CalOES Canine HRD Teams, IST
12.    2004 G-8 Summit, IST
13.    2004 Republican National Convention, IST
14.    2004 Democratic National Convention, IST
15.    2004 Hurricane Charley, IST
16.    2004 Hurricane Frances, IST
17.    2004 Hurricane Ivan, IST
18.    2005 Hurricane Dennis, IST
19.    2005 Hurricane Katrina, Type 1, CalOES Type 1 Water Rescue Team, IST
20.    2005 Hurricane Rita, IST
21.    2005 Hurricane Wilma, IST
22.    2006 Hurricane Ernesto, Type 3, IST
23.    2007 Kansas Tornadoes, IST
24.    2008 Hurricane Gustav, Type 3, IST
25.    2008 Hurricane Ike, Type 3, IST
26.    2008 Hurricane Edouard, IST
27.    2008 Republican National Convention, IST 
28.    2010 Beech Street Aircraft Crash (EPA), Equipment Support
29.    2010 San Bruno Gas Line Explosion, Canine HRD Teams, IST   		30.    2010 Hurricane Earl, IST
31.    2014 National Exercise Program Capstone Exercise/Alaska Shield
32.    2014 Washington Mudslide, IST
33.    2016 Hurricane Matthew, IST
34.    2017 Hurricane Harvey, Mission Ready Package Water (MRPW)
35.    2017 Hurricane Harvey, IST
36.    2017 Hurricane Irma, IST
37.    2017 Hurricane Irma, Type I
38.    2017 Hurricane Isabel (Puerto Rico) - IST
39.    2017 Hurricane Maria, IST
40.    2018 CSS HRD, Resource Sharing w/ CA-TF7, Santa Barbara Mudslide
41.    2018 Hurricane Lane, Type III
42.    2018 Hurricane Olivia, Type III
43.    2018 Hurricane Florence, IST
44.    2018 Hurricane Michael, IST
45.    2018 Cal OES Camp Fire, Type III
46.    2018 Cal OES Sentinel Response Exercise, Type I
47.    2019 Hurricane Barry, IST
48.    2019 Hurricane Dorian, IST, Type III
49.    2020 Tropical Cyclone Laura, IST
50.    2020 Cal OES North Complex, Canine HRD Support
51.    2020 Cal OES North Complex, Type I, Mutual Aid
52.    2021 Tropical Cyclone Ida, IST
53.    2022 Hurricane Ian, IST
54.    2023 Tropical Cyclone Idalia, IST
55.    2023 Tropical Cyclone Lee, IST
56.    2024 Hurricane Helene, Canine HRD Support, IST
57.    2024  Hurricane Milton, Type 1, IST
58.    2025  Cal OES Palisades Fire, Type 1, Mutual Aid