Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 2

Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 2 (VA-TF2) is one of the 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces. Based in Virginia Beach, VA-TF2 is sponsored by the Virginia Beach Fire Department.^[1]

The department has two heavy rescue apparatus fitted with specialized equipment designed for technical rescue incidents.^[2] The primary technical rescue squad, Fire Rescue 2, has additional equipment including high angle rope rescue equipment, extrication tools, concrete and wood cutting tools, torches and other cutting implements, retrieval systems and confined space equipment.^[2] The VBFD Technical Rescue Team is trained to meet NFPA 1670 Technician Level standards.^[2]

Deployments

As of April 2015 VA-TF2 has taken part in the following deployments:^[3]

• Tornado outbreak - Petersburg, Virginia (August 1993)
• Oklahoma City bombing - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (April 1995)
• Summer Olympics - Atlanta, Georgia (July 1996)
• Hurricane Fran - Carolina Coast, South Carolina (September 1996)
• Hurricane Georges - Gulf of Mexico (September 1998)
• Pentagon Attack - Arlington, Virginia (September 2001)
• Winter Olympics - Salt Lake City, Utah (February 2002)
• Hurricane Ivan - Orange Beach, Florida (September 2004)
• Hurricane Frances - Jacksonville, Florida (September 2004)
• Hurricane Katrina I - Waveland, Mississippi (August 2005)
• Hurricane Katrina II - New Orleans, Louisiana (September 2005)
• Hurricane Opal - Fort Walton Beach, Florida (October 2005)
• Hurricane Ernesto - Jacksonville, Florida (August 2006)
• Hurricane Gustav - Houston, Texas (August 2008)
• Hurricane Ike - Houston, Texas (August/September 2008)
• Haiti earthquake - Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (January 2010)
• Hurricane Sandy - New York City, New York (October 2012)

References