Kentucky creates new urban search and rescue team to respond to disasters

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky legislators and Gov. Andy Beshear have created a new team to respond to disasters across the commonwealth: the urban search and rescue team.

The 2021 tornados in western Kentucky and the recent eastern Kentucky flooding prompted Kentucky Rep. Mike Hart, a former firefighter, to sponsor House Bill 157, which creates the team. According to a report by LEX 18, that team will focus on areas not designated as wildlands. While it won't replace local agencies, it will create a whole new one with members across the state answering to the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management.

House Bill 157 passed both the House and Senate unanimously, and Gov. Beshear signed it into law on March 26. The bill directs the Division of Emergency Management to submit a report of the draft policies, procedures and regulations for the program before Dec. 1, 2023.

One of the proponents of the team is Captain Ryan Hogsten, who has been with the Lexington Fire Department since 1995. Hogsten also takes part in search and rescue operations with Ohio Task Force 1.

"Search and rescue is important to be because it's my calling," he said. "It's something my family has done for over 100 years and so it's been something that's in my blood."

During his career, he has responded to disasters here in Kentucky and across the country, including the recent condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida.

"In the flooding that happened this past summer, we had teams from all over the country -- from Tennessee, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana -- all come in to help us," Hart said. "It took anywhere from 12 to 24 hours for those types of teams to get here. If we have our own team here, we can get to those areas in less than six hours.

"These are the best-trained individuals that we'll have in the state of Kentucky. It allows us to get to our places faster by having us spread out throughout the state."