http://www.vatf1.org/news.cfmNews & Info Sunday, June 10, 2007
Recent News
VIRGINIA TASK FORCE ONE OBTAINS UNITED NATIONS CLASSIFICATION
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department's urban search and rescue (US&R) team, Virginia Task Force One (VATF1) has recently earned United Nations (UN) International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) classification at the medium and heavy response levels.
This achievement makes the United States only the third nation worldwide to receive this designation and VATF1 as the only resource in the US.During the VATF1 Operational Readiness Exercise conducted on 19-21 September, the UN deployed a six member International Classification Evaluation team to Fairfax to conduct the evaluation. The team was comprised of experts in humanitarian response and relief and came from South Africa, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The Exercise was sanctioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and funded/accredited by the United States Agency for International Development/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/ OFDA), both VATF1 federal partners. Also participating were a group of US&R peers from Los Angeles, California and the United Kingdom. These professionals, teaming with members of VATF1, served as evaluators and facilitators, helping to ensure optimal educational and training benefit from the event.
Following established operational parameters and strict criteria established by INSARAG, the field exercise (FIELDEX) was designed to test the team's capabilities in planning, mobilizing and operational readiness. To do this, VATF1 rostered over 80 personnel who then performed 36-hours of continuous operations in and around Fairfax County. Using expertly designed scenarios in professionally constructed simulations, members performed search, rescue and recovery operations at the Training Academy and a site at the Former Lorton Youth Detention Center. Additionally, a fully operational Base of Operations (BoO) was set up and utilized by the team as its base camp.
The scenario format recreated the London terrorism bombings of 7 July 2005, making the exercise an international event. Beginning on Tuesday, September 19, the exercise took shape with the planning phase where command and general staff (C&GS) met to facilitate the alert and activation process. This involved simulated contact with the Fire and Rescue Department, the Office of Emergency Management, state of Virginia authorities and of course, FEMA and OFDA. As designated Task Force Leaders for the exercise, Assistant Chief Dave Rohr and Battalion Chief John Diamantes led the C&GS activities.
At 0630 hours on Wednesday, September 20, 80+ personnel began arriving at the Fire and Rescue Academy for mobilization and deployment to the "disaster". Exercise Control planners arranged with Captain II Mike Ciarrocchi (FS15-Chantilly), to establish a "border crossing" in their apparatus bay, complete with Customs, Immigration and related check points. This proved to be a challenge for 80 personnel and 6 canine teams, providing valuable lessons for future missions.
Throughout the ensuing time, personnel performed continuous operations using technical search, canine, breaching, breaking and shoring, as well as medical, hazardous materials and structural specialists to safely and efficiently locate, extricate and treat victims. To maintain as much "realism" as possible, the Family Support Services Team (FSST) was mobilized for the event, engaging many spouses and family members to be involved during both the early-morning mobilization process, as well as the scheduled evening teleconference with the Task Force Leader, family members and Fire Chief.
After several exhaustive, but very productive "operational periods", the FIELDEX successfully culminated on the afternoon of Thursday, September 21 at approximately 1600 hours.
The success of this "Field Exercise" was undoubtedly the result of many personnel. Beginning with the "rostered" participants, some that were just getting off their 24 hour shift, arrived fully prepared to "play". And play they did, sustained by their desire to train, along with a few MREs and relatively good weather. Also, support from Chief Neuhard and senior staff, as well as an impressive showing from both FEMA and OFDA personnel, lent to the significance and importance of the training opportunity. Additionally, a long list of task force and fire and rescue department personnel, to include the Training Academy staff, lent their talents to support the many logistical needs before, during and after the exercise. And finally, the members of Exercise Control, the group tasked with the overall planning and coordination of the exercise, which spent countless hours working with US&R Program Management and staff, international participants and federal partners to coordinate the event.
The benefits were numerous, to include; tenured members being able to enhance their skills; many personnel having the opportunity to train in new disciplines, allowing them to gain experience in new task force positions; and new members having the opportunity to work side-by-side with mentors in a "live" setting.
In addition to the many "internal" benefits, the opportunity to gain additional exposure, both domestic and internationally, serves to strengthen the bond that the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, and Virginia Task Force One have built with the search and rescue community over the past 20+ years.
VATF-1 Activated for Hurricane Ernesto
Virginia Task Force One has received an activation request from FEMA to deploy a thirty-four person Type III Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) to Jacksonville, Florida as a preparedness contingency for Hurricane Ernesto. The team will depart this evening (8/27) and travel by bus to a designated staging area. In addition, a three person Incident Support Team consisting of VATF1 members departed earlier today to prepare for the arrival of VATF1. A second IST will depart later this afternoon. Information will be updated as events unfold.
Team Members Assist USAID in Pakistan
Four members of VATF1 were deployed on October 11 to assist with the U.S. response to the devastating earthquake in South Asia. Joining other humanitarian response professionals, personnel are serving on a USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART. Currently based in Islamabad, the team will be coordinating disaster assessment efforts with United Nations representatives and the affected host country government. Additional information on U.S. humanitarian response efforts to this disaster can be found by clicking on the USAID logo.
