THE ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION OF VA-TF1
VA-TF1 was established in 1986 after the devastating 1985 Mexico City earthquake that caused widespread destruction and loss of life.
Teams like VA-TF1 are known as Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams, and they are skilled to locate and save victims trapped beneath the rubble.
Over the years, VA-TF1 has played a pioneering role in the development and evolution of urban search and rescue capabilities, both domestically and internationally.
"We have become exceptionally good at dealing with earthquakes. We have a very highly skilled collection of men and women that go out and do amazing things when they are deployed on an earthquake," Lewis added.
THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF USAR TEAM
The need for urban search and rescue teams is driven by urbanization and the increase of high-rise buildings in areas at risk for earthquakes.
"When you have very vertical populations in reinforced concrete buildings over or adjacent to significant fault lines, eventually something is going to shake and something is going to fall down."
USAR teams like VA-TF1 are critical, as they possess the specialized skills and equipment to rescue trapped victims quickly before it's too late.
"Time is very much not in our favor, especially internationally. It's going to take us a day to get there and there there's a clock that's ticking for the people that are the people that are trapped," Lewis stated.
GLOBAL REACH...BUT LOCAL SUPPORT WILL BE FIRST
VA-TF1 deploys domestically under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and is one of only two urban search and rescue teams in the country able to deploy internationally though the U.S. Agency for International Development (both federal government agencies cover all costs associated with deployments and there's sufficient staffing back home to cover for personnel deployed). In an international capacity, the team is known as USA-1 and has responded to major disasters worldwide.
While VA-TF1 and other USAR teams are trained to respond to disasters, Lewis stressed the importance of individual and community preparedness.
"If there is a catastrophe level event that occurs, even in Fairfax County, the first people that will help are going to be your neighbors. They are truly going to be the first, first responders," he said.
Lewis encouraged residents to have emergency plans, supplies and basic training through programs like Community Emergency Response Teams. Developing an emergency plan in advance makes the first responders’ job easier, Lewis said.
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