The Washington State Urban Search and Rescue Task Force has been activated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in anticipation of Hurricane Ernesto's landfall. Most of the 35-member team will depart from Sea-Tac Airport Tuesday morning for Atlanta, and a smaller crew is transporting equipment by truck.

'We are sending a small, agile team similar to the one that went to Mississippi last year,' said WATF1 Program Manager Tom Miner. 'The team will assist with search and rescue, recovery, communications, and establishment of essential services as necessary.' Sgt. Cyndie Fajardo of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department will be the task force leader.

WATF1 is one of a dozen teams to be activated for Ernesto. 'The goal is to be proactive,' said Pierce County Emergency Management Director Steve Bailey, who is sponsoring chief of WATF1. 'FEMA and the local task forces have been working very hard to make sure people and resources are in place before the storm hits. We are proud to be part of that effort.'

Sponsored by Pierce County Emergency Management, WATF1 was established in 1991, has 210 members and is one of FEMA's 28 national teams. The task force is made up of members from 38 jurisdictions including Pierce and King Counties and the City of Seattle and is prepared to respond to any federally declared disaster. The team was mobilized for last year's Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; Shuttle Columbia recovery, 2003; Pentagon and World Trade Center attacks, 2001; Olympics in Atlanta, 1996; federal courthouse bombing in Oklahoma City, 1995; the Northridge, CA earthquake, 1994; and Typhoon Bryan in Guam, 1992.