Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1


Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1 or VA-TF1 is a FEMA Urban [Search and Rescue Task Force] based in Fairfax County, Virginia. VA-TF1 is sponsored by the Fairfax County [Fire and Rescue Department].
Established in 1986 as a domestic and international disaster response resource, sponsored by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Virginia Task Force 1 is rostered by approximately 200 specially trained career and volunteer fire and rescue personnel, with expertise in the rescue of victims from collapsed structures, following natural disasters or terrorist attacks. In 2001, it was one of only two FEMA task forces trained for overseas deployments, the other being Urban Search and Rescue [Florida Task Force 1].
The team is composed of emergency managers and planners, physicians and paramedics, and specialists in the fields of structural engineering, heavy rigging, collapse rescue, logistics, hazardous materials, communications, canine and technical search.
Virginia Task Force 1 has partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency for domestic responses and the United States Agency for International Development's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance to provide international responses to natural and man-made disasters. As a part of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, the task force maintains constant operational readiness as a local resource for residents of Fairfax County and surrounding jurisdictions.

Deployments

As of September 2025, VA-TF1 has taken part in the following deployments:
DateDeploymentLocationScopeTeam
July 2025July 2025 Central [Texas floods]Kerr County, TexasDomestic OtherOther Domestic
April 2025Tornado outbreak and floods of April 2–7, 2025KentuckyDomestic Full TeamType III US&R
October 2024Hurricane HeleneFlorida & North CarolinaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
October 2024Hurricane HeleneWashington, D.C.Domestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2024Hurricane DebbyColumbia, South CarolinaDomestic Full TeamType III US&R
July 2024Hurricane BerylTexasDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2023Hurricane LeeNew HampshireDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2023Hurricane IdaliaFloridaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 20232023 [Hawaii wildfires]HawaiiDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
April 20232023 Peru floodsPeruInternational OtherUnited Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
February 20232023 Turkey–Syria earthquakeTürkiyeInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
February 20232023 Turkey–Syria earthquakeTürkiyeInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
October 2022Hurricane IanFloridaDomestic OtherOther Domestic
September 2022Hurricane IanFloridaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2022Hurricane IanFloridaDomestic Full TeamType III US&R
September 2022Hurricane FionaPuerto RicoDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
December 20212021 Western Kentucky tornadoKentuckyDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 20212021 [Haiti earthquake]HaitiInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
August 20212021 Haiti earthquakeHaitiInternational OtherOther International
August 20212021 Haiti earthquakeHaitiInternational OtherRMT
August 20212021 Haiti earthquakeHaitiInternational Full TeamMedium USAR
September 2021Hurricane IdaSomerset, New JerseyDomestic OtherMRP - Water Rescue
August 2021Hurricane IdaBaton Rouge, LouisianaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
June 2021Surfside condominium collapseSurfside, FloridaDomestic OtherMRP - Structures
June 2021Surfside condominium collapseSurfside, FloridaDomestic OtherOther Domestic
April 2021AST-UNEP/UNDAC SupportSaint Vincent and The GrenadinesInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
January 20212021 Presidential inaugurationWashington, D.C.Domestic Full TeamType I US&R
November 2020Hurricane EtaHondurasInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
October 2020Hurricane DeltaBaton Rouge, LouisianaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2020Tropical Storm BetaCollege Station, TexasDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2020Hurricane SallyLouisianaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 20202020 Oregon WildfiresSalem, OregonDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2020Hurricane LauraBaton Rouge, LouisianaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2020Hurricane LauraLouisianaDomestic Full TeamType III US&R
December 2019Engineering AssessmentTirana, AlbaniaInternational OtherOther International
November 2019Disaster Assessment Coordination Cell Tirana, AlbaniaInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
September 2019Hurricane DorianThe BahamasInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
September 2019Hurricane DorianThe BahamasInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
September 2019Hurricane DorianThe BahamasInternational Full TeamMedium USAR
August 2019Hurricane DorianSan Juan, Puerto RicoDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2019Hurricane DorianEast Coast, USADomestic Full TeamType I US&R
May 2019Tropical Cyclone KennethMaputo, MozambiqueInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
October 2018Hurricane MichaelFloridaDomestic OtherMRP - Water Rescue
October 2018Hurricane MichaelFloridaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2018Hurricane FlorenceNorth CarolinaDomestic OtherMRP - Water Rescue Alpha
September 2018Hurricane FlorenceNorth CarolinaDomestic OtherMRP - Water Rescue Bravo
September 2018Hurricane FlorenceNorth CarolinaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2018Hurricane OliviaHawaiiDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2018Hurricane LaneHonolulu, HawaiiDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
October 2017Tropical Storm NateAtlanta, GeorgiaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2017Hurricane MariaDominicaInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
September 2017Hurricane MariaPuerto Rico / US Virgin IslandsDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
September 2017Hurricane IrmaFlorida / Puerto Rico / US Virgin IslandsDomestic Full TeamType I US&R with Water Rescue
August 2017Hurricane HarveyTexasDomestic OtherMRP - Water Rescue
October 2016Hurricane MatthewPort-au-Prince, HaitiInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
October 2016Hurricane MatthewFloridaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
April 20162016 [Ecuador earthquake]EcuadorInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
October 2015Hurricane JoaquinSouth CarolinaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
April 2015April 2015 [Nepal earthquake|Gorkha earthquake]NepalInternational Full TeamMedium USAR
January 20152014 Liberia ebola outbreakLiberiaInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
June 20142014 Paraguay floodsAsunción, ParaguayInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
April 20142014 Arkansas TornadoJacksonville, ArkansasDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
April 20142014 Oso mudslideWashingtonDomestic OtherOther Domestic
November 2013Typhoon HaiyanPhilippinesInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
May 20132013 Moore tornadoMoore, OklahomaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
November 20122012 Guatemala earthquakeGuatemala City, GuatemalaInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
October 2012Hurricane SandyEast Coast of [the United States|East Coast, USA]Domestic OtherIncident Support Team
October 2012Hurricane SandyEast Coast, USADomestic Full TeamType I US&R
August 2012Hurricane IsaacAlexandria, LouisianaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2011Hurricane IreneVirginia / New YorkDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2011Hurricane IreneOuter Banks, North Carolina / New JerseyDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
March 2011Great East Japan EarthquakeJapanInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
November 20102010s Haiti cholera outbreakHaitiInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
November 2010Hurricane TomasHaitiInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
September 2010Hurricane EarlBoston, MassachusettsDomestic Full TeamIncident Support Team
January 20102010 Haiti earthquakeHaitiInternational Full TeamMedium USAR
January 20102010 Haiti earthquakeHaitiInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
March 20092009 North Dakota floodsFargo, North DakotaDomestic Full TeamIncident Support Team
January 20092009 Presidential inaugurationWashington, D.C.Domestic Full TeamIncident Support Team
January 20092009 Presidential inaugurationWashington, D.C.Domestic Full TeamType I US&R
November 2008Pétion-Ville school collapsePétion-Ville, HaitiInternational Full TeamMedium USAR
November 20082008 Panama floodsPanamaInternational OtherUnited Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
October 2008Hurricane OmarMiami, FloridaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2008Hurricane HannaHaitiInternational OtherAmericas Support Team
September 2008Hurricane IkeAlexandria, LouisianaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2008Hurricane IkeAlexandria, LouisianaDomestic Full TeamType III US&R
September 2008Hurricane IkeJacksonville, FloridaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
August 2008Hurricane GustavAtlanta, GeorgiaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
August 20082008 Republican National ConventionMinneapolis, MinnesotaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
July 2008Tropical Storm DollySan Antonio, TexasDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
July 20082008 Midwest floodsMidwest, USADomestic OtherIncident Support Team
May 2008Great Sichuan earthquakeChinaInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
May 2008Cyclone NargisMyanmarInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
February 20082008 Bolivian floodsBoliviaInternational OtherUnited Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
February 2008USA-193 satellite reentryUSADomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2007Hurricane FelixHondurasInternational OtherUnited Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
August 20072007 Peru earthquakePeruInternational OtherUnited Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC)
August 2007Hurricane DeanFort Worth, TexasDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
May 20072007 Greensburg TornadoGreensburg, KansasDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2006Hurricane ErnestoFloridaDomestic Full TeamType III US&R
October 2005Hurricane WilmaOrlando, FloridaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
October 20052005 Kashmir earthquakePakistanInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
September 2005Hurricane RitaFort Worth, TexasDomestic Full TeamType III US&R
September 2005Hurricane OpheliaVirginia Beach, VirginiaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
August 2005Hurricane KatrinaBiloxi, Mississippi / New Orleans, LouisianaDomestic Full TeamType III US&R
December 20042004 [Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami]IndonesiaInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
August 20042004 Republican National ConventionNew York City, New YorkDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2004Hurricane CharleyCharlotte County, FloridaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
July 20042004 Democratic National ConventionBoston, MassachusettsDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
June 20042004 G-8 summitSea Island, GeorgiaDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
February 20042004 [Al Hoceima earthquake|2004 Al Hoceïma earthquake]Al Hoceïma, MoroccoInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
December 20032003 Bam earthquakeBam, IranInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
September 2003Hurricane IsabelEastern Seaboard, USADomestic OtherIncident Support Team
February 2003SS Columbia DisasterEastern Texas, USADomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 2002Danube River floodsCzech RepublicInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
February 20022002 Winter OlympicsSalt Lake City, UtahDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
September 2001September 11 attacksThe Pentagon, VirginiaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
March 20002000 Mozambique floodMaputo, MozambiqueInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
November 19991999 Düzce earthquakeDucze, TurkeyInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
September 1999Jiji earthquakeTouliu, TaiwanInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
August 1999Gölcük earthquakeİzmit, TurkeyInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
August 19981998 [United States embassy bombings|1998 US embassy bombings]Nairobi, KenyaInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
July 1998Balkan food dropPescara, ItalyInternational OtherDisaster Assistance Response Team
September 1996Hurricane FranTopsail, North CarolinaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
July 19961996 Summer OlympicsAtlanta, GeorgiaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
September 1995Hurricane MarilynSt. Thomas, Virgin IslandsDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
August 1995Hurricane LuisSan Juan, Puerto RicoDomestic OtherIncident Support Team
April 1995Oklahoma City bombingOklahoma City, OklahomaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
January 19941994 Northridge earthquakeNorthridge, CaliforniaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
August 1993Hurricane EmilyTidewater, VirginiaDomestic Full TeamType I US&R
July 19901990 Luzon earthquakeBaguio, The PhilippinesInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR
December 1988Spitak earthquakeArmenian SSRInternational Full TeamHeavy USAR