Members of the National Urban Search and Rescue Task Force receive a briefing before flying from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. The Task Force includes state search and rescue task forces from Maryland, Virginia, and Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of the Georgia Army National Guard prepare their CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter for a flight from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., The aircraft was moving members of the National Search and Rescue Task Force to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force one fly aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of the Georgia Army National Guard prepare their CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter for a flight from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., The aircraft was moving members of the National Search and Rescue Task Force to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force one fly aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force one fly aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres Members of Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force one fly aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force one fly aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force one fly aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Dominic Dipietco, a specialist with the Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, pets search dog Jed aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard on a flight from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force one fly aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Members of Maryland Urban Search and Rescue Task Force step off of an U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter assigned to the Georgia Army National Guard after a flight from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012. Maryland Task Force one is part of the National Search and Rescue Task Force recovery effort in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) An aerial view of storm and fire damage along the coast of New York from a Georgia Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter during a flight from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Nov 3, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Rescue Task Force begins mission in New Jersey 11/4/2012 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. (AFNS) -- Members of the National Urban Search and Rescue Task Force traveled to Staten Island, N.Y., to conduct house-to-house searches, Nov 3, 2012.   The Task Force includes state search and rescue task forces from Maryland, Virginia, and Texas, who specialize in disaster recovery, and emergency triage and medicine. The team was flown to the area in a CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter to offer emergency assistance for remaining victims in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The Federal Emergency Management Agency created the task force concept to provide support for large scale disasters in the United States. FEMA provides financial, technical and training support for the task forces as well as creating and verifying the standards of task force personnel and equipment.