Virginia Task Force 1 Rescues Now Total 15

Virginia Task Force 1 (VATF-1), deploying both a heavy and medium team, has rescued 15 individuals from the rubble in Haiti since their arrival last week in Port-au-Prince.

The last rescue came late Sunday night, January 17, 2010, where a 21 year-old female was trapped in a multi-story building. She was pulled from the rubble and transported to a nearby Israeli Hospital. The team was assisted by the Martinique Search and Rescue Team.

Team members have completed work at the Hotel Montana and are now working in newly assigned areas in Port-au-Prince. Members continue to work hard, are motivated, and have high morale.

Shortly upon arrival, both teams were merged into one large team, and operate out of a Base of Operations on the grounds of the American Embassy.

VATF-1 is self sufficient, and can be deployed for up to 14 days.

VATF-1, activated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), deployed to Haiti last week, Wednesday, January 13, 2010. It is the first time VATF-1 has deployed a heavy and a medium team on an international disaster mission simultaneously.

Note: USAID pays for all costs and expenses incurred by VATF-1 when team members are activated or participate in training. All training, training equipment, supplies, and personnel costs of VATF-1 are paid for by the federal government on a regular basis. Additionally, when firefighters and members are deployed, there is no loss in emergency response or service to Fairfax County residents, as minimum staffing for all apparatus in continuous for all front-line apparatus in all fire and rescue stations.

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Posted by admin on Jan 20 2010. Filed under Fairfax County. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.