Description
Palm Beach County is seeking proposals from qualified engineering firms to provide urban search and rescue deployment services to Palm Beach County’s Fire Rescue on a task assignment basis. The selected firm will provide a Structures Specialist to support Fire Rescue urban search and rescue deployments. The scope of work may include responding to incidents that involve structural integrity, performing structural components and building integrity size-up, assisting with structural triage for rescue purposes, and determining the needs for shoring and securing buildings or structures. The contract will be for a three-year term with two optional renewals of one year each.
• The consultant will provide engineering services to support Fire Rescue urban search and rescue deployments.
• The consultant will be a Structures Specialist, that in the event of a man-made or natural disaster, would deploy as part of the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue (PBCFR) Task Force to the affected area to provide expertise and supervision of evaluating damaged structures.
• The Structures Specialist is listed in guidelines as set by the State of Florida Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) System as a critical role to enable the PBCFR Task Force to deploy as a Type III USAR Team.
• One Structures Specialist is necessary to fulfill the roster obligation for deployment of a Type III USAR Team.
• This position reports to the PBCFR Task Force leader.
• The anticipated work may include, but is not limited to:
• Structures Stabilization - The consultant will provide oversight on the stabilization of structures during the rescue process.
• Rescue Plans – The consultant will provide expertise for determining rescue plans in coordination with the PBCFR Task Force leader and rescue manager.
• Structural Analysis – The consultant will perform structural component and building integrity size-up; assist with structural triage for rescue purposes; determine needs for shoring and securing buildings or structures if compromise to integrity exists; supervise/consult emergency shoring operations performed by fire department and/or urban search and rescue personnel as necessary to ensure proper and appropriate shoring methods and procedures are performed; coordinate and communicate structural related hazard mitigation; and provides direction to responding emergency personnel with regard to rigging and/or removal of structural building components.
• Other related duties as assigned related to structural engineering.
• Must be available within 4 hours at 405 Pike Rd (PBCFR HQ). Deployments are typically no-notice events, except for hurricanes, and may last up to two weeks. Shelter and food will be provided by the team’s logistical support.
• Required equipment includes: range finder, crack gauge, geologist hammer, handheld metal detector, forester-type clinometer (100’), pocket penetrometer, and laser pointer with tripod and total station Nivo 5M. Discussion may be had on whether these items will be supplied by the engineer or procured through PBCFR.