ABOUT ITI DISASTER RESCUE AND RESPONSE
WHEN AN AGENCY CALLS.
ITI Disaster Rescue and Response is an all-volunteer Maryland 501(c)(3) search and rescue team. We field ground and air-scent canine search, emergency communications, and incident support for the agencies that request us — at no cost, on their incident, under their command.
OUR MISSION
To provide volunteer search and rescue, search and recovery, emergency communications, and disaster-relief support to public safety agencies and the community across multiple disciplines, at no cost to the requesting party; and to research, develop, and enhance first responder safety on and off duty.
How we deploy
Everything below follows from one rule: we go when we are asked, and we work for the agency that asked. ITI deploys only on the request of an authority having jurisdiction and operates under that agency’s incident command system. We do not self-dispatch.
- We perform no law-enforcement functions and exercise no independent jurisdiction.
- We do not transport patients. Members render basic first aid until EMS arrives; ITI is not an EMS provider and carries and administers no medications.
- Only the President, or a designee named in writing, may commit the organization to a deployment.
- The requesting agency receives a written after-action report within seven days.
What we field
ACTIVE
Ground Search
Searchers qualified to the NASAR SARTECH standard — SARTECH III for local deployment, with SARTECH II on the team-leader track. Wilderness, rural and urban terrain.
ACTIVE
Canine Search (Air-Scent)
Handler and canine teams on NASAR, IPWDA and NSDA certification pathways, training sixteen hours per month per discipline under written canine welfare standards.
ACTIVE
Emergency Communications
VHF, UHF and 700/800 MHz, with cross-band patching from the command vehicle and field-deployable repeaters — interoperability when the incident spans agencies or the infrastructure is down.
ACTIVE
Incident Support & Logistics
Mobile command post, field power, planning support and equipment transport, operating under the requesting agency.
DEVELOPING
Unmanned Aircraft
FAA Part 107 operations with visual and 640×512 thermal payloads, day and night. Capability is in development — ask the duty officer what is available on the day.
DEVELOPING
Swiftwater & Flood
Conforming to NFPA 2500/1006; only technician-certified members enter the water. Vessel support is available now.
MEDICAL POSTURE — SUPPORT ONLY
ITI is not an EMS operational program. We hold no MIEMSS affiliation or licensure and have no physician medical director. Trained members render basic first aid until EMS arrives. We carry and administer no medications and we do not transport patients. Any agency planning around us should staff patient care accordingly.
Training and standards
Members train at least four times per month. Qualification is to national and Maryland standards, not to need:
- NASAR SARTECH — field search personnel.
- FEMA ICS-100 / 200 / 700 / 800 and the IS series — all members.
- AUXCOMM / ARES — communications personnel.
Activation
A duty officer rotation covers the call-out line with a ten-minute answer standard. Every request is verified by callback to a published agency number before anyone moves. Agencies with a Mutual Aid Agreement in place receive priority; availability is otherwise first-come, first-served.
Answered 24/7 by the duty officer. For a formal request, use the call-out form.
Governance and status
ITI Disaster Rescue and Response Inc. is a Maryland nonstock corporation and a federally recognized 501(c)(3) public charity under IRC §509(a)(2). Every member is a volunteer; the organization has no paid staff. Members donate their time, their training and their equipment availability, and we never invoice agencies, citizens or event organizers for deployment time.
- EIN 42-3108929 · Maryland SDAT D27322122
- Coverage held: general liability, professional liability, medical malpractice, and volunteer accident.
- Funded in part by Ironclad Thor Industries and by community sponsorship.
A separate organization
ITI Disaster Rescue and Response is an independent Maryland 501(c)(3) nonprofit — separate and distinct from Ironclad Thor Industries LLC. The Emergency Response Team is our volunteer response arm. Donations to ITI Disaster Rescue and Response are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Board of Directors
ITI Disaster Rescue and Response is governed by a volunteer board. Every member below serves without pay.
Walker Borgmann
Director
Walker Borgmann is the Director of ITI Disaster Rescue and Response, the Maryland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit behind the ITI Emergency Response Team, providing disaster support — logistics, communications, incident management, and medical response to the agencies and communities it serves. He leads the organization’s mission, partnerships, and operational readiness, building a volunteer team that deploys only when called by authorized agencies. Under his direction, ITI ERT focuses on disciplined coordination, continuing professional development, increasing capabilities, and dependable support that strengthen the region’s emergency response capacity.
Alexandra (Alex) Beer
Board Member
Alexandra “Alex” Beer serves on the Board of ITI Disaster Rescue and Response (ITI Emergency Response Team), helping advance the organization’s mission of dependable, request-based support for public-safety agencies and the communities they serve. With a background spanning healthcare, customer service, and public event support, she brings strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills, along with a steady presence in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. Alex is dedicated to teamwork, community service, and supporting the responders and residents who rely on a well-coordinated emergency response, and she is committed to helping ITI ERT build capability and serve its communities when called.
Ava Rhinehart
Head of Medical Response
Ava Rhinehart serves as Head of Medical Response for ITI Disaster Rescue and Response (ITI Emergency Response Team), overseeing medical readiness and supporting the organization’s mission of dependable, request-based assistance for public-safety agencies and the communities they serve. A certified EMT with a background in healthcare and experience as a supervisor for their college’s EMS program, they bring strong patient care skills, quick thinking, and expertise in medical logistics, along with a calm and capable presence in high-pressure situations. Ava is dedicated to community service and to supporting the responders and residents who depend on a well-coordinated emergency response, and they are committed to helping ITI ERT strengthen its medical capabilities and serve its communities when called.
Lexi Jung
Treasurer & Head of Communications
Lexi Jung serves as the Head of Communications and Treasurer for ITI Disaster Rescue and Response, overseeing the organization’s communications strategy, public outreach, brand development, and financial coordination. With a background in advertising, public relations, marketing communications, and creative strategy, she works to strengthen ITI’s public presence, build relationships with community and emergency-response partners, and ensure consistent communication of the organization’s mission and capabilities. In her finance role, Lexi supports budgeting, financial tracking, resource planning, and financial organization to help ITI make informed decisions and effectively allocate resources as the organization continues to grow. She is committed to building a strong, recognizable organization that supports its volunteers, develops meaningful partnerships, and remains prepared to serve agencies and communities when called.
General enquiries, mutual aid and sponsorship — contact@itiemergencyresponse.org
ITI Disaster Rescue and Response · PO Box 307, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090