(a) Establishment of task forces.--The agency shall establish urban search and rescue task forces. The task forces shall also provide professional, logistical, material and other forms of support to regional counterterrorism task forces and specialized regional counterterrorism response teams.

(b) Organization.--An urban search and rescue task force shall be organized in accordance with guidelines developed by the agency in coordination with FEMA and members of the task force.

(c) Responsibilities.--An urban search and rescue task force shall respond to actual or potential natural or manmade disasters in this Commonwealth and shall also perform search and rescue functions as delineated in The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 93-288, 42 U.S.C. § 5121 et seq.), the Federal Response Plan or its successor and the counterterrorism preparedness and response plans created in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(d) Activation and deployment.--An urban search and rescue task force or any of its components, subgroups or regional elements may only be activated and deployed to the scene of a disaster by either the Governor or his designee, the President of the United States or a FEMA-designated official. During an activation and deployment by the Governor, the administrative and operational costs of the task force, its individual members and their employers, State agencies and other parties shall be paid under the provisions of the Governor's declaration of disaster emergency, including paying or reimbursing any parties for workers' compensation and death benefits in the event of injury or death of a task force member.

(e) Workers' compensation and death benefits.--A member of an urban search and rescue task force shall be eligible to receive workers' compensation and death benefits in the event of injury or death that occurs during the period of activation or deployment.

(f) Funding, grants and donations.--In addition to any funds that are provided to a task force under section 206¹ or the authority of 35 Pa.C.S. § 7307 (relating to use and appropriation of unused Commonwealth funds), the urban search and rescue task force may be eligible to receive grants, donations of equipment and supplies and other funds from any source. As an agent of the Commonwealth, a task force is entitled to tax-exempt status from the Federal Government.