Grant to Prepare Nevada Rescuers for Big Disasters

September 26, 2013

Southern Nevada is getting nearly $1.3 million in federal money for rescuers focused on pulling people out of collapsed buildings.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced the grant from FEMA on Wednesday. The money will go to urban search and rescue teams that can help find victims, extract them and treat them in a major emergency.

Reid says he hopes the teams never have to be called into action, but says it’s important that communities are ready for any kind of disaster.

Urban search and rescue teams are trained to respond to emergencies including earthquakes, storms, terrorist attacks and dam failures.