Case Study #1: Nepal’s Deadly 7.8 Earthquake: A View and Report from the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team (Virginia Task Force 1)
(Room 1A-B-C)
28 Feb 16
9:00 AM
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11:30 AM
Established in 1986 as a domestic and international disaster response resource, the Virginia Task Force 1 is staffed by approximately 200 specially trained career and volunteer fire and rescue personnel with expertise in rescuing victims from collapsed structures following natural or man-made catastrophic events. The team is comprised of emergency managers, planners, physicians, paramedics and includes specialists in the fields of structural engineering, heavy rigging, collapse rescue, logistics, hazardous materials, communications, canine and technical search. The task force maintains constant operational readiness as a local resource for residents of Fairfax County and surrounding jurisdictions. Task Force 1 deployed as part of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team in support of the rescue and humanitarian mission following the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. The Task Force was deployed for 21 days and assisted with two live rescues during the mission. This presentation will provide an overview of this catastrophic event and discuss the lessons learned that can be applied at the local and state level.