The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) conducted search and rescue training in Shelby County from Fridy last week until today, focusing on improving emergency response capabilities among local and regional agencies. The training took place at the Shelby County Emergency Management Homeland Security headquarters and included both classroom instruction and practical exercises.
As per the Shelby County Sheriff's Office's Facebook post, participants included 15 members from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team, along with personnel from the Memphis Fire Department and Lafayette County Emergency. The training aimed to enhance preparedness for large-scale search and rescue operations, including missing persons cases and disaster response.
The sessions were led by instructors Barry Larsen, Glenn Palmer, and Phillip Bannister, who have experience in FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue System and local volunteer teams. The training featured real-world scenarios to help participants better understand and manage complex incidents.
The program concluded with practical drills where participants responded to a simulated incident from start to finish within a single operational period. This final exercise was designed to apply the skills learned throughout the training.
