USAR Task Force 1 & 2 Heading to Japan

United States Urban Search and Rescue teams, Virginia Task Force 1 ("VA-TF1") and California Task Force 2 ("CA-TF2") were activated on Friday by USAID.

The teams are mobilizing for deployment to Japan on behalf of the United States in the aftermath of the massive magnitude-8.9 earthquake and tsunami that has devastated Northern Japan.

Ready for Disaster!

Both VA-TF1 and CA-TF2 are specially-trained and equipped 72-person Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces consisting of Los Angeles County (CA) and Fairfax County (VA) Fire Department firefighters, paramedics, rescue specialists, emergency room physicians, structural engineers, heavy equipment specialists, canine search dogs and handlers, hazardous materials technicians, communications specialists, and logistics specialists.

Each unique technical rescue team responds with 55,000 pounds of prepackaged search and rescue tools and medical equipment to conduct around-the-clock search and rescue operations at domestic and international disasters, both natural and man-made.

A Witness to Deployment

Last year, both Task Force Teams were depoyed to Haiti after Haiti's deadly earthquake. California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2) deployed from March Air Base in Riverside County on their 8-hour flight. March Air Base is 14 miles north of Canyon Lake, CA where I live. I was able to watch the take-off live on our local news and went outside to witness the massive Military C-17 carrying the CA-TF1 crew fly low right over of my home accending on it's journey to devastation.

I have personally seen the LA County Fire USAR team in action after the magnitude-6.7 Northridge earthquake in 1994 (Jan. 17) while I was a photographer for LA County Fire and all I can say is these guys are "fearless badasses", the best of the best heading into the worst of the worst!

* Photos above are provided courtesy of the L.A. County Fire Dept. 

USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance

VA-TF1 and CA-TF2 are partnered in providing the U.S. Agency for International Development’s ("USAID") Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance with humanitarian assistance in the form of collapsed structure search and rescue, in response to natural and man-made disasters, throughout the world.

Both task forces have also deployed nationally to the Oklahoma City Bombing, The Pentagon, Hurricanes Katrina and Isabel as well as international deplyments to the bombing in Kenya, earthquakes in Turkey, Taiwan, Iran, and Haiti.

Help Needed! How You Can Help

If you wish to help, you can donate to the American Red Cross for Japan in the following ways:

1. Make an unrestricted donation to the International Response Fund at www.redcross.org by clicking on the Donate Now button.

2. Call in a donation to the Red Cross at 1-800-REDCROSS or for Spanish call 1-800-257-7575.

3. By texting "REDCROSS" to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the Red Cross, through an effort backed by the U.S. State Department (http://www.state.gov/). Your donation will be automatically billed to your cell phone.

Or, visit the site below to learn more about ongoing disaster relief in Japan:

+ InterAction - List of Agencies Accepting Donations

And Finally...

Family members trying to locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Japan should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or (202) 647-5225.

Related Links of Interest 
 
+ California Task Force 2 International Urban Search & Rescue

+ Virgina Task Force 1 International Urban Search & Rescue

+ CNN News Coverage

+ Preparing for a Major Earthquake or Disaster

+ Police Scanners & Emergency Preparedness

That all for now, let's hope for the best for Japan's survivors...

-RF