LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A bill years in the making, which would better prepare the state when the next natural disaster hits, has passed in the State House of Representatives.

What You Need To Know

  • HB 157 passed unanimously in the House Thursday

  • It would create a statwide Urban Search and Rescue Program

  • This would include first responders and other resources which would respond to natural disasters

  • A number of other states have similar programs

House Bill 157 would create a Kentucky Urban Search and Rescue Program.

“It is a way for us to sort of centralize and rapidly distribute both resources, manpower, and then tactical resources like apparatus,” Rep. Rachel Roberts (D-Newport) said.

Roberts is the Democratic Minority Whip in the House and is one of two Democrats to co-sponsor the bill.

Rep. Mark Hart (R-Falmouth), the bill’s primary sponsor, told Spectrum News 1 he is glad to see this legislation move forward.

“As a first responder, I know firsthand how critical it is to respond quickly when disaster strikes,” Hart said in a statement. “I appreciate my colleagues in the House for their support of HB 157. Ultimately, I think the real credit goes to the first responders that brought this issue to our attention.”

Roberts says one benefit of this program is getting resources to disaster areas faster.

“In the eastern Kentucky floods, it took up to twelve hours for first responders to be able to really get there and be helpful, and when this is in place in Kentucky our response time could be as little as an hour,” Roberts said.

Roberts added states surrounding Kentucky already have urban search and rescue teams. Some of which have helped the commonwealth in both the east and west. HB 157 would create one more resource that could save lives in the Commonwealth.

Kentucky Emergency Management would manage the program.

House Bill 157 passed unanimously in the House on Thursday. It must now be passed by the Senate in order to head to the Governor’s desk. 

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