| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2001 |
| Preceding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Toronto |
| Headquarters | Toronto |
| Employees | 130 |
| Annual budget | CAD $500,000 (2018) |
| Agency executive |
|
| Child agency |
|
| Website | HUSAR |
HUSAR is the Toronto Heavy Urban Search and Rescue unit CAN-TF3 - an urban search and rescue unit able to respond to disaster situations at a city, provincial and national level, as well as offer international assistance.
CAN-TF3 is operated by Toronto Fire Services, in collaboration with Toronto Police Service and Toronto EMS created to deal with search and rescue operations in the City of Toronto. [1] This specialized unit was created following the September 11 attacks in New York City, United States and allows the city to deal with large-scale disasters. The unit can respond to situations outside of the city, and offer provincial, national, as well as international assistance.
The cities of Vancouver, [2] Calgary, [3] and the province of Manitoba, also currently have, or are developing, similar interoperable Heavy USAR capacity. [4]
Roles and responsibilities
- Search and Rescue
- Emergency Medical Services
- Planning & Technical Information
- Logistics
- Command
Equipment
| Make/Model | Type | Purpose | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F250 | van | OSU-1 Search & Communications | ex- Toronto Paramedic Services 927 Type 2 ambulance |
| Ford F600/Dependable Emergency Equipment | truck | OSU-2 Incident Support Unit | ex-East York Fire Department Rescue # 2 |
| Ford Louisville 9000 | tractor and trailer | OSU-3 Base of Operations | ex-commercial trailer |
| 1990s Volvo VHD | roll on-off truck | OSU-4 (Shoring Unit) | ex-City of Toronto Works Department truck |
| Ford 3500 series | bus | OSU-5 Search Dog Unit | ex-school bus |
| Western Star CNV | tractor and trailer | OSU-6 Rescue Unit | ex-pop deliver truck |
| Princeton Piggyback/BIC Hydraulics | All Terrain Forklift | Support Units | |
| Argo Response | ATV | all terrain transport | |
| John Deere Gator TH 6X4 | ATV | field transport | |
| MCI 102 Highway Coach | bus | personnel transport | ex-GO Transit bus |
Deployments
A list of major deployments of CAN-TF3:
- December 2020 - London, Ontario building collapse
- June 2016 - Mississauga natural gas explosion
- June 2012 - Collapse of the Algo Centre Mall roof/parking structure in Elliot Lake, Ontario
- August 2011 - Goderich Tornado
- April 2003 - Bloor Street West natural gas explosion in Toronto [5]
See also
- Toronto Fire Services
- Toronto EMS
- Toronto Police Service
- Toronto Office of Emergency Management
- Disaster Assistance Response Team and Canadian Forces Search and Rescue
- Urban Search and Rescue New York Task Force 1
Other similar units
- Vancouver (CAN-TF1) Heavy Urban Search and Rescue [1]
- Calgary (CAN-TF2) Heavy Urban Search and Rescue [2]
- Manitoba (CAN-TF4) Heavy Urban Search and Rescue [3]
- Halifax (CAN-TF5) Heavy Urban Search and Rescue
References
- ^ "HUSAR". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
- ^ Harrington, Jeff (2015-05-02). "Vancouver's Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team disappointed it's not in Nepal". CBC News.
- ^ "Canada Task Force 2".
- ^ "Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR)", Public Safety Canada
- ^ "Enbridge fined in fatal 2003 explosion | CityNews". www.citytv.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2022.