Legislation creating Ky. search and rescue program signed

Program is known as Urban Search and Rescue, members will serve rural areas as well.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Gov. Andy Beshear ceremonially signed legislation that creates the Kentucky Urban Search and Rescue Program under the Division of Emergency Management during an event in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday.

According to the language of House Bill 157, “The Kentucky Urban Search and Rescue Program shall develop, coordinate, respond to, and maintain the commonwealth's efforts toward providing resources to locate and extricate victims entrapped by man-made or natural disasters as well as conducting other operations within the boundaries of the commonwealth or in coordinated response with other states or the federal government.  This program shall function in addition to and shall not supplant other disaster and emergency response efforts.”

While saying he was proud of the response by emergency management officials and first responders during tornadoes, floods and other natural disasters, Gov. Beshear said this bill can help it improve.

“What’s special to me about this piece of legislation, is the very heroes that are already responding say we can take that response to another level.  With this organization, with the type of cooperation between different groups across Kentucky, we can be there for one another.  At our deepest, darkest most difficult moments, Kentuckians come together.  We want to help each other, we want to be as effective as we can at saving the greatest number of lives.”

Captain Ryan Hogsten of the Lexington Fire Department, who worked on getting the bill approved, said the real impetus began to formalize a program following the 2012 tornado outbreak in West Liberty and the surrounding area, which resulted in two deaths in Menifee County and six more in Morgan County, and culminated in HB 157.

“I’m proud to say, this bill went through both the House and Senate with zero ‘nay’ votes,” Hogsten stated.  “Through this bipartisan work, Kentuckians will get highly trained rescues with top of the line equipment.”

Kentucky Emergency Management Director Jeremy Slinker, who will oversee the program, noted, “We have already started.  We’ve had coordination meetings.  The Adjutant General [of the Kentucky National Guard] has sent down some of his top leadership to take the next steps forward and give us some words on how to get going.”

Slinker also noted, the position of Search and Rescue Coordinator has already been posted under the Department of Military Affairs.   

Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, the sponsor of HB 157, told the crowd, “Of course, the work is far from done, and the next steps are to implement the program.”

Although the program is known as Urban Search and Rescue, members will serve rural areas as well.