MIAMI-DADE (CBS4) - Called to some of the most demanding situations you can imagine around the globe, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Urban Search and Rescue Team has been conducting a three-day annual exercise to evaluate their readiness.

These are skills they may be called on to use in the following days after violent storms moved through the southeast leaving a path of destruction.

"We have to be cognizant of changing conditions because we may actually need to pack stuff up and actually move for real," said Battalion Chief Jose Herrera.

The team, known as FL-TF1, is composed of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel and other outside specialists, as needed. Team members are divided into areas of specialization including a command group, a rescue group, a search group, a medical group and a planning group. There are also nine FEMA certified canine teams. When the team is notified, they have a six hour window to mobilize.

In addition to performing search and rescue operations in damaged or collapsed structures, team members also provide emergency medical services for victims of the disaster. They can also help by providing disaster communications support using state-of-the-art satellite systems.

The FL-TF1 USAR team has responded to earthquakes in Haiti, Taiwan, Turkey, Colombia, Venezuela, Philippines, Armenia, El Salvador and Mexico City. The team has also responded to other disasters around the world such as hurricanes, flooding, building explosions, and airplane crashes; missions Herrera said they've taken to heart.

"Given that they're all trained and experienced firefighters and they've done this sort of work before," said Herrera, "When you escalate the scale of the devastation that they're experiencing, it takes a toll."