The Palatine Fire Department Technical Rescue (also known as the Urban Search and Rescue) Team’s mission is to provide for rescue or recovery of humans from situations requiring specially-trained personnel with appropriate equipment and special tactics and techniques. Some situations that may require a Technical Rescue response can include confined space incidents, trench or excavation collapses, high- or low-angle rope rescues, structural collapses, or transportation or industrial accidents involving heavy vehicles or equipment beyond the scope of a typical fire company’s capabilities. In addition, the Technical Rescue team can also assist other teams, such as the Dive Rescue team at a swiftwater incident. Our team functions as a combined team with the Palatine Rural Fire District and the Rolling Meadows Fire Department, and as such responds to all appropriate incidents in those jurisdictions.
