Fairfax County Disaster Team Headed to Nepal

A team from Fairfax County Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1) Search-and-Rescue team is expected to land in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday to aid in the recovery efforts following Saturday’s earthquake.

More than 3,000 people have been killed and many more injured or missing after the 7.9-magnitude quake struck the area.

VA-TF1 is a team of more than 200 specially trained personnel and dogs capable in disaster response. The team specializes in rescues from collapsed buildings.

When activated, the Task Force is comprised of 70 persons that consists of firefighters and paramedics from the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department (both career and volunteer) and highly trained civilians,  including physicians, canine handlers, structural engineers, communications experts and heavy rigging specialists.

Six dogs will be making the trip to Nepal, Fairfax County officials said.

VA-TF1 partners with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and US Agency for International Development (USAID). When activated by either federal partner, all related expenses are fully reimbursed by either, resulting in no cost to the citizens of Fairfax County.

VA-TF1 has helped with such disasters as Hurricane Sandy, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and Hurricane Katrina.

VA-TF1 Dog and Supplies/Credit: Fairfax County Fire Rescue