Tennessee Task Force 2 Achieves Historic Credentialing

The Tennessee Task Force 2 (TN TF2) has officially become the first state credentialed Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team in Tennessee.

A USAR team specializes in urban search and rescue, disaster recovery, and emergency triage and medicine. The team is an all-hazard team capable of responding to any hazard during all-hazards response model. The teams are deployed to emergency and disaster sites within six hours of notification.

A credentialed USAR team within the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is a specialized unit-typically made up of local firefighters and technical rescue experts-who TEMA officially evaluated and recognized to meet strict, state-mandated standards for equipment, training, and operational readiness.

TEMA presented the credentialing to task force members Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Nashville Fire Department (NFD) Headquarters.

This milestone follows four years of extensive work by TN TF2 members, who dedicated themselves to meeting the rigorous requirements necessary to earn this accreditation. The process included acquiring specialized equipment and completing advanced training to ensure personnel are prepared for the most complex search and rescue operations.

The achievement reflects a strong collaborative effort among the agencies that make up TN TF2. The task force includes members from:

• Nashville Fire Department Special Operations
• Nashville Department of Transportation
• Nashville Office of Emergency Management
• Franklin Fire Department
• Williamson County Emergency Management Agency
• Goodlettsville Fire Department
• Wilson County Emergency Management Agency
• Murfreesboro Fire Department
• Hendersonville Fire Department

TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan emphasized the importance of having highly skilled USAR personnel available within Tennessee, noting their critical role not only during in state emergencies but also when assisting other states during large scale disasters.

Members of TN-TF2 have deployed to various states to aid in missions following natural disasters and work alongside other state teams throughout the year to train.

"I am proud of the dedicated hard work of our NFD Special Operations division and leaders who provide elite training, critical leadership and operational support throughout the credentialing process," Director Chief William Swann said.

Urban Search and Rescue consist of more than 100 specialists from several Metro Nashville departments who respond to structural collapse incidents using high-tech fiber optic cameras, listening devices and trained search dogs to locate trapped victims. Team engineers devise plans to access trapped victims while other specialists use concrete cutting tools, heavy equipment and rigging equipment to stabilize the structure and remove rubble, so personnel can perform rescue operations. The team is an all-hazard team capable of responding to any hazard during all-hazards response model.