Charlotte Fire, SC Task Force Prepare for Major Disaster Response
Published on March 13, 2026
Charlotte Fire and South Carolina Task Force One members confer during Operation Carolina Resilience at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy, where multi-state urban search and rescue teams are working together to prepare for large-scale disaster response and structural collapse operations.
By Kevin Campbell, Charlotte Fire
A major urban search and rescue training exercise this week is bringing together responders from North and South Carolina at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy, where teams are preparing for the kinds of disasters that require specialized skills, coordination and trust across state lines.
Members of Charlotte Fire, North Carolina Task Force 3 and South Carolina Task Force One gather at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy during Operation Carolina Resilience, a multi-state urban search and rescue mobilization exercise.
Charlotte Fire is partnering with South Carolina Task Force One for Operation Carolina Resilience, a weeklong urban search and rescue training exercise designed to strengthen regional coordination during large-scale disasters. Approximately 70 members of the South Carolina task force traveled to Charlotte to train alongside North Carolina Task Force 3, which is staffed by Charlotte Fire.
Charlotte Fire Battalion Chief Josh Johnson said the training gives both teams an opportunity to refine critical skills while strengthening the relationships that are essential during large-scale emergency responses.
Charlotte Fire urban search and rescue specialists breach reinforced concrete during a structural collapse scenario at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy during Operation Carolina Resilience.
“South Carolina Task Force One contacted us about doing a mobilization exercise at our training facility,” Johnson said. “They’re here for the week refining their skills in the urban search and rescue program and going through the motions of what they would do during a real deployment. North Carolina Task Force 3, which is staffed by Charlotte Fire, is training alongside them so we can build that partnership.”
Urban search and rescue teams are specialized units trained to respond to disasters involving structural collapse, natural disasters and complex rescue environments. These teams rely on highly technical skills and specialized equipment to locate, stabilize and rescue trapped victims.
South Carolina Task Force One operates under South Carolina State Fire and serves as one of the state’s specialized urban search and rescue resources. Operation Carolina Resilience is designed as a mobilization exercise that evaluates how the task force activates, deploys personnel and equipment, establishes a Base of Operations and integrates into a local incident command during a large-scale structural collapse scenario.
A member of South Carolina Task Force One prepares rescue equipment during Operation Carolina Resilience, a multi-state urban search and rescue mobilization exercise hosted by Charlotte Fire.
The Charlotte Fire Training Academy provides an ideal setting for this type of training. Its large training grounds and specialized rescue props allow teams to simulate collapsed structures and complex rescue environments while operating under realistic conditions.
Throughout the week, crews are practicing critical urban search and rescue techniques that are essential during disasters. Among the primary focus areas are shoring operations and breaching and breaking, two core components of structural collapse rescue.
Shoring involves stabilizing damaged or unstable structures using heavy timber supports so rescue crews can safely enter and search for victims.
“One of the scenarios we’re working on involves shoring an unstable structure,” Johnson said. “Members are building heavy timber shores to secure a building before crews make entry. That stabilization is critical because we can’t send rescuers into an unsafe environment.”
Charlotte Fire Capt. Bart Bell and Capt. Jerry Rodgers coordinate operations during Operation Carolina Resilience at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy as multi-state urban search and rescue teams train together.
The second major training component involves breaching and breaking operations. These techniques allow rescuers to cut through debris and structural materials that block access to trapped victims.
“We’re cutting through metal, concrete, rebar, whatever might be in our way,” Johnson said. “It’s the process of moving through a collapsed structure and making sure we can reach victims safely.”
While the technical skills are essential, Johnson said the deeper value of the training lies in the relationships being built between responders.
Members of Charlotte Fire and South Carolina Task Force One coordinate tactics during a simulated collapse scenario at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy during Operation Carolina Resilience.
South Carolina Task Force One is made up of members sponsored by many emergency services organizations across South Carolina. The task force has roughly 170 members in total, with about 70 participating in the Charlotte training exercise.
Many of those members may only interact during major disasters or multi-state deployments. Operation Carolina Resilience provides an opportunity for them to train together before those high-pressure situations occur.
South Carolina State Fire coordinated the mobilization exercise as part of its effort to ensure the task force remains ready to deploy anywhere in the region when disasters occur. By bringing the team to Charlotte to train alongside Charlotte Fire and North Carolina Task Force 3, the exercise allows responders to practice the full process of mobilizing resources, establishing operations and working alongside partner agencies during a complex emergency.
Charlotte Fire Battalion Chief Josh Johnson observes training operations during Operation Carolina Resilience at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy
“The biggest benefit of this training is putting faces with the names,” Johnson said. “We’ve talked to them on the phone before. We’ve crossed paths on deployments or seen each other during operations, but actually working together helps us understand each other’s capabilities and limitations.”
That understanding is critical when teams must quickly integrate during an emergency response.
“It comes back to crew resource management,” Johnson said. “Understanding how each organization operates and how we support each other. If they need something we’re going to provide it, and we know they’re going to do the same for us.”
For urban search and rescue teams, coordination and communication can make a significant difference during large-scale disasters.
Heavy equipment assists Charlotte Fire and South Carolina Task Force One members as crews construct structural supports during a shoring operation at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy
When buildings collapse following earthquakes, hurricanes, explosions or other catastrophic events, responders often work in dangerous and unstable environments where time is critical.
Establishing trust and familiarity between agencies allows rescue operations to begin immediately when teams arrive on scene.
“Our hope is that when this training is over we’ve strengthened that relationship between North Carolina and South Carolina,” Johnson said. “If we end up responding to the same disaster, the operation is seamless. We already know each other and we’re ready to go to work.”
Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson said exercises like Operation Carolina Resilience play an important role in ensuring communities are protected when disasters occur.
Charlotte Fire Capt. Omar Kasso reviews operational details during Operation Carolina Resilience, a multi-state urban search and rescue mobilization exercise hosted at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy.
“Training like this strengthens the partnerships that allow responders to operate together during the most difficult situations,” Johnson said. “When disasters happen they rarely stay within city or state lines. Exercises like Operation Carolina Resilience help ensure that when help is needed, teams from across our region can respond quickly, work together effectively and deliver the highest level of service to the communities we serve.”
The exercise also reflects Charlotte Fire’s broader commitment to maintaining an all-hazards response capability.
While firefighters are widely recognized for responding to fires, departments like Charlotte Fire are increasingly called upon to manage a wide range of emergencies including technical rescues, hazardous materials incidents and natural disasters.
Urban search and rescue teams represent one of the most specialized components of that response.
A South Carolina Task Force One member assesses conditions during structural collapse rescue training at Operation Carolina Resilience in Charlotte.
The work is physically demanding and technically complex. Crews must master advanced skills in structural engineering, heavy rigging, confined space rescue and specialized cutting equipment while operating in unpredictable environments.
Operation Carolina Resilience allows those skills to be practiced in realistic scenarios while reinforcing coordination between agencies that may one day respond together during real disasters.
Throughout the week, teams are rotating through multiple training evolutions designed to challenge both their technical abilities and their ability to operate within a unified command structure.
Urban search and rescue teams gather as crews complete a heavy timber shoring operation during Operation Carolina Resilience at the Charlotte Fire Training Academy.
As saws roar and rescue teams move methodically through simulated collapse environments, the training reflects a shared commitment between agencies across state lines.
Johnson said that spirit of cooperation ultimately serves one purpose.
“When we show up at a disaster, whether it’s natural or man-made, we want the operation to start immediately,” he said. “The citizens we serve deserve the best response we can provide, and training together like this helps ensure that’s exactly what they get.”