Home Police/Fire/Military Bill would create top-tier urban search and rescue team in western Pennsylvania

Bill would create top-tier urban search and rescue team in western Pennsylvania

VIDEO: Two lawmakers are saying the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in Frick Park in January reaffirmed why western Pennsylvania needs a top-tier urban search and rescue team. Thursday, they introduced legislation with the goal of making that happen.

Pittsburgh's assistant fire chief says they called in the state's only urban search and rescue team to help with search efforts when the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in Frick Park in January. However, since it's based in Philadelphia, he says his team had to wait hours for them to get there. That's why he says passing this legislation is so important in case a disaster happens again.

It's hard to forget the images of the bridge collapse: a Port Authority bus dangling over the edge with passengers on board and vehicles in the ravine below. No one died, but 10 people were hurt.

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