Captain Sherry Crush is the coordinator of the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department's Urban Search and Rescue Team.
The USAR Team, designated Alabama Task Force 1, is comprised of an elite group of firefighters who are highly trained in rope rescue and rappelling techniques. This team is equipped to handle a variety of industrial rescue incidents involving victim entrapment and extrication from areas like building collapse, ships and oilrigs in the port.
The USAR Team is also extensively trained in confined space, trench rescue and building collapse rescue techniques. This duty is not for the faint of heart or those even remotely claustrophobic. Entry into chemical piping/storage systems in industrial plants, the fuel tanks of ships in dry dock, or cave in incidents at construction sites are the type of rescue situations this team is prepared for.
Team members are assigned to Melton Fire Station (Engine 8/Truck 17/Jet Boat 8); Seelhorst Fire Station 7 (Engine 7/Rescue 7/Jet Boat 7); Freeman Fire Station 1 (Engine 1/Rescue 1). All three District 1 Chiefs located at Melton Station serve as shift supervisors for the team as well.