The U.S. Border Patrol launched a specialized unit whose goal is to save the lives of agents, undocumented aliens, and the public. This unit was established in the mid-1980s. The Border Patrol's first rescue and response teams were developed during this time in the Yuma, Tucson, and El Paso Border Patrol Sectors. At that time, there was no formal academy for providing rescue training within the Border Patrol. Since then, the concept of the Border Patrol's rescue teams has been revised and expanded.