CRASAR is unique in that it is a geographically-distributed response team, fire rescue task force trainers, and a research laboratory. Despite the clear successes at the WTC, CRASAR has received no additional funding in the aftermath of 9/11. Indeed, over $20,000 was spent by CRASAR founder John Blitch for non-reimburseable costs in responding to the WTC. You can help with your donations, either for general operations or for research. You can help for general operations by giving through the USF Foundation or you can help for research by giving through the USF Research Foundation. USF will ensure that your donation is properly accounted for and used appropriately.

Giving through USF Foundation

Please go to the USF Foundation page for CRASAR and follow the directions there.

A donation to the USF Foundation for CRASAR will go to cover three types of expenses not typically found in university setting:

• We need equipment, ranging from more robots, trucks, trailers, operations gear (such as ropes and gear bags), gas for our response vehicles, and personal protection equipment in order to respond. We actually have less robots available now for a rescue than on 9/11, in part because of many of the robots were military prototypes that have since been broken beyond repair or given to the military. NFPA approved safety gear is pretty expensive (for good reason). Just the safety boots alone can run a responder $200, which is a lot to expect a graduate student to have to pay out of his/her own pocket.
  
• We need to help out fire rescue teams. Fire rescue teams need to be trained on robots, but don't have the money to even cover our travel costs to their site (averages $7,800). Likewise, we have sent out over 100 CDs and sets of video tapes of the WTC response at no charge to fire rescue departments. This footage is extremely valuable for training- they aren't many videos of what it is like 60 feet under a collapsed building. Through a donation by SAIC, we've been able to avoid charging fire rescue departments, but the money is dwindling.
  
• We need more training ourselves. While CRASAR members have amassed hundreds of hours of training to date and average 200 additional hours of field work with robots each year, certification as a technical search specialist is an ongoing process. We have to take 40 hours courses and then refresher courses yearly. Sometimes we can attend courses for free if there is space, but some courses will have to be paid for or we will have to travel to attend the course.

Giving through USF Research Foundation

Payment through the USF Research Foundation can be made solely by check. Please make a check to USF Research Foundation, designated for CRASAR and send to Dr. Robin Murphy, Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave ENB342, Tampa, FL 33620-5399.

Funding for the research component of our mission comes from a variety of sources. The bulk of the support is for basic research (10 years before it makes it to the field) from sponsors such as the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. Money for applied research (2-5 years before it makes it to the field) is much harder to come by, especially since FEMA does not fund research.

You may wish to give to CRASAR to help support a graduate student (1 school year is $15,000) or undergraduate student ($4,800 for summer).