Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1

Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1 or VA-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Fairfax County, Virginia. VA-TF1 is sponsored by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.[1]

VA-TF1 members conduct a rescue operation after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
VA TF1 personnel on board a US Air Force C-17 transport en route to Nepal in 2015

Established in 1986 as a domestic and international disaster response resource, sponsored by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Virginia Task Force 1 is rostered by approximately 200 specially trained career and volunteer fire and rescue personnel, with expertise in the rescue of victims from collapsed structures, following natural disasters or terrorist attacks.[2]

The team is composed of emergency managers and planners, physicians and paramedics, and specialists in the fields of structural engineering, heavy rigging, collapse rescue, logistics, hazardous materials, communications, canine and technical search.

Virginia Task Force 1 has partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency for domestic responses and the United States Agency for International Development's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance to provide international responses to natural and man-made disasters.[1] As a part of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, the task force maintains constant operational readiness as a local resource for residents of Fairfax County and surrounding jurisdictions.

Deployments

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As of October 2024, VA-TF1 has taken part in the following deployments:[3]

Date Deployment Location Scope Team
October 2024 Hurricane Helene Florida & North Carolina Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
Washington, D.C. Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2024 Hurricane Debby Columbia, South Carolina Domestic Full Team Type III US&R
July 2024 Hurricane Beryl Texas Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2023 Hurricane Lee New Hampshire Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2023 Hurricane Idalia Florida Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
2023 Hawaii wildfires Hawaii Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
April 2023 2023 Peru floods Peru International Other United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC)
February 2023 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake Türkiye International Full Team Heavy USAR
International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
October 2022 Hurricane Ian Florida Domestic Other Other Domestic
September 2022 Incident Support Team (IST)
Domestic Full Team Type III US&R
September 2022 Hurricane Fiona Puerto Rico Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
December 2021 2021 Western Kentucky tornado Kentucky Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2021 2021 Haiti earthquake Haiti International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
Other International
RMT
International Full Team Medium USAR
September 2021 Hurricane Ida Somerset, New Jersey Domestic Other MRP - Water Rescue
August 2021 Baton Rouge, Louisiana Incident Support Team (IST)
June 2021 Surfside condominium collapse Surfside, Florida Domestic Other MRP - Structures
Other Domestic
April 2021 AST-UNEP/UNDAC Support Saint Vincent and The Grenadines International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
January 2021 2021 Presidential inauguration Washington, D.C. Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
November 2020 Hurricane Eta Honduras International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
October 2020 Hurricane Delta Baton Rouge, Louisiana Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2020 Tropical Storm Beta College Station, Texas Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2020 Hurricane Sally Louisiana Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2020 2020 Oregon Wildfires Salem, Oregon Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2020 Hurricane Laura Baton Rouge, Louisiana Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
Louisiana Domestic Full Team Type III US&R
December 2019 Engineering Assessment Tirana, Albania International Other Other International
November 2019 Disaster Assessment Coordination Cell (DACC) Americas Support Team (AST)
September 2019 Hurricane Dorian The Bahamas International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
International Full Team Medium USAR
August 2019 San Juan, Puerto Rico Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
East Coast, USA Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
May 2019 Tropical Cyclone Kenneth Maputo, Mozambique International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
October 2018 Hurricane Michael[4] Florida Domestic Other MRP - Water Rescue
Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2018 Hurricane Florence[5][6] North Carolina Domestic Other MRP - Water Rescue Alpha
MRP - Water Rescue Bravo
Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2018 Hurricane Olivia Hawaii Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2018 Hurricane Lane Honolulu, Hawaii Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
October 2017 Tropical Storm Nate Atlanta, Georgia Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2017 Hurricane Maria Dominica International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
Puerto Rico / US Virgin Islands Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
September 2017 Hurricane Irma Florida / Puerto Rico / US Virgin Islands Domestic Full Team Type I US&R with Water Rescue
August 2017 Hurricane Harvey Texas Domestic Other MRP - Water Rescue
October 2016 Hurricane Matthew Port-au-Prince, Haiti International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
Florida Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
April 2016 2016 Ecuador earthquake Ecuador International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
October 2015 Hurricane Joaquin South Carolina Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
April 2015 Gorkha earthquake[7] Nepal International Full Team Medium USAR
January 2015 2014 Liberia ebola outbreak Liberia International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
June 2014 2014 Paraguay floods Asunción, Paraguay International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
April 2014 2014 Arkansas Tornado Jacksonville, Arkansas Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
April 2014 2014 Oso mudslide Washington Domestic Other Other Domestic
November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan Philippines International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
May 2013 2013 Moore tornado Moore, Oklahoma Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
November 2012 2012 Guatemala earthquake Guatemala City, Guatemala International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
October 2012 Hurricane Sandy East Coast, USA Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
August 2012 Hurricane Isaac Alexandria, Louisiana Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2011 Hurricane Irene Virginia / New York Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
Outer Banks, North Carolina / New Jersey Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake[8] Japan International Full Team Heavy USAR
November 2010 2010s Haiti cholera outbreak Haiti International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
November 2010 Hurricane Tomas Haiti International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
September 2010 Hurricane Earl Boston, Massachusetts Domestic Full Team Incident Support Team (IST)
January 2010 2010 Haiti earthquake[9] Haiti International Full Team Medium USAR
Heavy USAR
March 2009 2009 North Dakota floods Fargo, North Dakota Domestic Full Team Incident Support Team (IST)
January 2009 2009 Presidential inauguration Washington, D.C. Domestic Full Team Incident Support Team (IST)
Type I US&R
November 2008 Pétion-Ville school collapse Pétion-Ville, Haiti International Full Team Medium USAR
November 2008 2008 Panama floods Panama International Other United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC)
October 2008 Hurricane Omar Miami, Florida Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2008 Hurricane Hanna Haiti International Other Americas Support Team (AST)
September 2008 Hurricane Ike Alexandria, Louisiana Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
Domestic Full Team Type III US&R
Jacksonville, Florida Type I US&R
August 2008 Hurricane Gustav Atlanta, Georgia Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
August 2008 2008 Republican National Convention Minneapolis, Minnesota Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
July 2008 Tropical Storm Dolly San Antonio, Texas Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
July 2008 2008 Midwest floods Midwest, USA Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
May 2008 Great Sichuan earthquake China International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
May 2008 Cyclone Nargis Myanmar International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
February 2008 2008 Bolivian floods Bolivia International Other United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC)
February 2008 USA-193 satellite reentry USA Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2007 Hurricane Felix Honduras International Other United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC)
August 2007 2007 Peru earthquake[10] Peru International Other United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC)
August 2007 Hurricane Dean Fort Worth, Texas Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
May 2007 2007 Greensburg Tornado Greensburg, Kansas Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2006 Hurricane Ernesto Florida Domestic Full Team Type III US&R
October 2005 Hurricane Wilma Orlando, Florida Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
October 2005 2005 Kashmir earthquake Pakistan International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
September 2005 Hurricane Rita Fort Worth, Texas Domestic Full Team Type III US&R
September 2005 Hurricane Ophelia Virginia Beach, Virginia Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
August 2005 Hurricane Katrina Biloxi, Mississippi / New Orleans, Louisiana Domestic Full Team Type III US&R
December 2004 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami Indonesia International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
August 2004 2004 Republican National Convention New York City, New York Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2004 Hurricane Charley Charlotte County, Florida Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
July 2004 2004 Democratic National Convention Boston, Massachusetts Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
June 2004 2004 G-8 summit Sea Island, Georgia Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
February 2004 2004 Al Hoceïma earthquake Al Hoceïma, Morocco International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
December 2003 2003 Bam earthquake Bam, Iran International Full Team Heavy USAR
September 2003 Hurricane Isabel Eastern Seaboard, USA Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
February 2003 SS Columbia Disaster Eastern Texas, USA Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 2002 Danube River floods Czech Republic International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
February 2002 2002 Winter Olympics Salt Lake City, Utah Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
September 2001 September 11 attacks[11] The Pentagon, Virginia Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
March 2000 2000 Mozambique flood Maputo, Mozambique International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
November 1999 1999 Düzce earthquake Ducze, Turkey International Full Team Heavy USAR
September 1999 Jiji earthquake Touliu, Taiwan International Full Team Heavy USAR
August 1999 Gölcük earthquake İzmit, Turkey International Full Team Heavy USAR
August 1998 1998 US embassy bombings Nairobi, Kenya International Full Team Heavy USAR
July 1998 Balkan food drop Pescara, Italy International Other Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART)
September 1996 Hurricane Fran Topsail, North Carolina Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
July 1996 1996 Summer Olympics Atlanta, Georgia Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
September 1995 Hurricane Marilyn St. Thomas, Virgin Islands Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
August 1995 Hurricane Luis San Juan, Puerto Rico Domestic Other Incident Support Team (IST)
April 1995 Oklahoma City bombing[11] Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
January 1994 1994 Northridge earthquake Northridge, California Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
August 1993 Hurricane Emily Tidewater, Virginia Domestic Full Team Type I US&R
July 1990 1990 Luzon earthquake Baguio, The Philippines International Full Team Heavy USAR
December 1988 Spitak earthquake Armenian SSR International Full Team Heavy USAR

References

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  1. ^ a b "US&R Task Force Locations". FEMA. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  2. ^ "Virginia Task Force 1". Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  3. ^ "Past Missions". Virginia Task Force 1. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  4. ^ "Fairfax Fire/Rescue @ffxfirerescue". Twitter. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. October 9, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018. VA-TF1 has been activated by @fema as a 16-person water rescue team in response to #HurricaneMichael. Expected departure this morning. @ffxfirerescue
  5. ^ "Fairfax Fire/Rescue @ffxfirerescue". Twitter. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018. @VATF1 has been activated. Two water rescue teams will be departing to assist with rescue efforts related to #HurricaneFlorence. #news #fcfrd
  6. ^ "Fairfax Fire/Rescue @ffxfirerescue". Twitter. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018. Captain Tracey Reed, member of @VATF1 provides an update. One team departing shortly. #fcfrd #HurricaneFlorence #florence
  7. ^ "Fairfax Fire/Rescue on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  8. ^ "Tsunami Update 4: Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) deploying to Japan". FEMA Blog. FEMA. March 11, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  9. ^ http://www.usaid.gov/press/releases/2010/pr100112.html Archived October 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine USAID Responds Immediately to Haiti Earthquake PRESS RELEASE January 12, 2010
  10. ^ "Virginia Task Force 1 News & Info". Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Fairfax County Government. March 11, 2012. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012.
  11. ^ a b "Virginia Task Force 1". Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Fairfax County Government. November 6, 2009. Archived from the original on August 24, 2016.
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