24/7 Emergency Service
Special Operations Fire Teams in Panama City, FL
7/23/2021 (Permalink)
The Panama City Fire Department employs a variety of Special Response Teams to help support our community.
Firefighting at its core is the process of rescuing individuals affected by emergency, limiting the amount of property damages sustained from a fire, and being of service in multiple capacities to the communities in which a team serves. Firefighters in the Panama City area often serve as first responders to non-fire emergencies, such as hurricane damages or vehicular accidents, and to provide the highest possible level of service, employ multiple Special Operations Team in our area.
The City of Panama City Government describes three Special Operations Teams within the local fire department that operate within our community, aiding with BOTH fire related and non-fire emergencies:
Joint Agency In-Water Strike Team (JAWS)
This operations team focuses primarily on training and preparedness for water-related incident response, including water rescue, dive rescue, and water survival. The JAWS team practices strategies keep both themselves, and community members, safe during water-related rescue situations.
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)
The Panama City Fire Operations USAR team specializes in responding to a variety of urban-related rescue events, including confined space rescue, structural collapse rescue, and vehicle or machinery entrapment rescue. These types of responses often utilized highly specialized equipment, requiring a high level of training and experience. This team has also previously participated in statewide hurricane response efforts, assisting other communities in need.
Fire Boat Operations
The Panama City Fire Department’s Pacifica Fire Boat has a 500 gallon per minute pump for firefighting operations on the water. This vessel can conduct emergency operations in less than two feet of water, making it a critical piece of firefighting equipment along the coast. With multiple properties built directly along the shoreline in our community, having the equipment and training to respond to shoreline fires is paramount.
The amazing work done day-in and day-out by our local first responders, from volunteer firefighters to special operations team members, is courageous, inspiring, and instrumental in our community. SERVPRO of Bay County is proud to be a supporter of these brave men and women, and the technological strides that they make to keep our community safe during disaster.