Special Operations

The Wilmington Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team responds to unique rescue emergencies including confined space, trench collapse, building collapse, high-angle, and swift water rescues. The team consists of approximately 30 members that are trained and qualified North Carolina Technical Rescue, Trench Rescue, Structural Collapse, and Confined Space Rescue Technicians. Additionally, many members attend and obtain extra state and national certifications including Swiftwater, Machinery and Agricultural, and Wilderness Rescue.

The Technical Rescue Team is housed at Station 2 and is comprised of members of Engine 2 and Rescue 2, with additional team members assigned to other companies throughout the department. In addition to Engine 2 and Rescue 2, Station 2 houses Technical Rescue 1, a 2,000 HT-Hackney Light Rescue apparatus, and 20-foot cargo trailer. These apparatuses contain state-of-the-art Technical Rescue response equipment, including pneumatic structural and trench collapse struts, high and low-pressure air lifting rescue bags, vehicle and machinery hydraulic extrication tools, and rope and high angle rescue equipment.

In addition to handling all local technical rescue incidents, the Wilmington Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team is part of the North Carolina Emergency Management’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 11 (NCUSAR – TF-11). Task Force 11 is a regional technical rescue team comprised of members of the Wilmington Fire Department and New Hanover Fire Rescue. The NCUSAR program is comprised of seven regional Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces strategically located throughout the state. Each Task Force provides Technical Rescue Response to local jurisdictions who experience a rescue incident that exceeds their local capabilities through technical advice, incident response, and specialized equipment and resources.

Task Force 11 (TF 11) is also a part of the North Carolina Swiftwater Search and Rescue program. This program is comprised of 30 teams strategically located throughout the state that provide specialized Swiftwater rescues in fast moving water and flooding incidents. Since our area includes the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear Rivers and their numerous tributaries, the Intracoastal Waterway, the Atlantic Ocean, and an area subject to hurricanes and severe storms, Task Force 11 provides valuable Swiftwater Rescue capabilities and resources including specialized training and fast-deployable motorized inflatable rescue boats.

TF 11’s response territory includes New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Duplin, Columbus, Onslow, and Carteret Counties. More information on the NCUSAR Task Force program can be found here. More information on the Swiftwater Search and Rescue program can be found here.

The Wilmington Fire Department’s Marine/Dive Rescue Team responds to surface and subsurface water emergencies including marine firefighting, search/recue/recovery operations, submerged vehicles, distressed boaters, evidence recovery, and many other specialized water emergencies. As a coastal community with a rich maritime history, historic river district, the North Carolina State Port at Wilmington, 250 acre inland Greenfield Lake, and an active and vibrant water recreation destination; the Marine/Dive Rescue Team provides invaluable water rescue and emergency response to the area’s residents and visitors.

The Marine/Dive Rescue Team is housed at Headquarters and is comprised of members from Engine 1, Engine 4, and Truck 1, with additional Marine/Dive Rescue Team members assigned to other companies throughout the department. The department’s vessels include Marine 1, Marine 2, and Marine 9.

The Marine/Dive Rescue Team is comprised of U.S. Coast Guard certified Captains and crewmembers, and Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI) certified divers and dive instructors. Member’s dive certifications include Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver, Dive Master, Equipment Specialist, Night Operations, and Contaminated Water Operations.

The Wilmington Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Response Team responds to any hazardous materials release, which includes chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials, in order to identify, contain, rescue, recover, and mitigate the hazard. The team consists of approximately 35 members that are trained and certified at the North Carolina Hazardous Materials Level II (Technician) Level. Additionally, many HazMat Team Members also have their Hazardous Materials Specialist Certification in disciplines including Railroad Tank Car Specialist, Highway Cargo Tank Specialist, Intermodal Container Specialist, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Specialist, and Radiological Specialist.

The HazMat Team is housed at Station 5 and is comprised of members of Engine 5 and Truck 5, with additional HazMat Team members assigned to other companies throughout the department. In addition to Engine 5 and Truck 5, Station 5 houses HazMat 1, HazMat Support 1, and HazMat Support 2. HazMat 2 is housed at Station 15. These apparatuses contain state of the art hazardous materials response equipment including remote area air-monitoring units, fully encapsulating chemical response suits, highway and railcar leak containment kits, real-time sampling and material identification equipment, an on-site weather station, and a HazMat Tactical Response Robot.   

In addition to handling all local hazardous materials incidents, the HazMat Team is contracted through the State of North Carolina as North Carolina Regional Response Team 2 (NC RRT-2).  The NC-RRT program is comprised of seven Regional Response Teams strategically located throughout the State.  Each RRT provides Hazardous Materials Technician Response to local jurisdictions who experience a hazardous materials incident that exceeds their local capabilities through technical advice, incident response, and specialized equipment and resources. RRT-2’s response territory includes New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Duplin, Columbus, Onslow, and Carteret Counties.  More information on the NC-RRT program can be found on the NC Department of Public Safety website.