|
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
4100 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Phone: 703-246-3801, TTY: 711 and Fax:703-385-1687
Duty PIO (Weekends/After-hours): 703-280-0694
Media Information Line: 703-324-3000
Email: fire-rescue.PIO-LSE@fairfaxcounty.gov
Website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fire
04/10/2007
Who: |
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
Virginia Task Force One (VATF-1) -Urban Search and Rescue (US&R)
|
What: |
Field Training Exercise Simulating an International Deployment to an Earthquake
|
When: |
Tuesday, April 17, 2007, 7 a.m. through Wednesday, April 18, 2 p.m. (Continuous Operations)
|
| Where: |
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy and various locations in the Fairfax County
|
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s international urban search and rescue resource, Virginia Task Force One (VATF-1), will conduct an Operational Readiness Exercise, evaluating its disaster response capacity and capability.
The exercise will be conducted in “real-time,” complete with a team mobilization and deployment to an “affected country.” While on site, the Task Force will face differing situations requiring problem-solving, and will perform continuous operations at numerous locations. The scenarios used will simulate the results of casualties and major structural damage normally seen after an earthquake. The team will perform around-the-clock operations, including reconnaissance, victim rescue, concrete breaching, patient medical care, K-9 search, and hazardous materials detection.
A diverse group of search and rescue response professionals will be used as exercise evaluators and role players, including members of California Task Force 2, Los Angeles County; providing the Task Force with an assessment of its overall performance.
The Operational Readiness Exercise jointly involves the Department and its federal partners; the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Media is encouraged to attend.
For more information, call Daniel L. Schmidt or Lieutenant Raúl G. Castillo, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, 703-246-3801 and TTY 711. Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request.
|
