Two members of Virginia Task Force 1 (VATF-1) deployed Thursday, November 4, 2010, by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to Port-au-Prince, Haiti as part of a United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team in response to Hurricane Tomas.

The two-person contingent will join a group of international humanitarian personnel from Latin America and Europe to provide assistance to the people of Haiti. Team members will be deployed from 14 to 21 days.

VATF-1, as part of USAID and the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency, has been deployed worldwide to natural and man-made disasters. Deployments include:  earthquakes in Iran, Pakistan, Taiwan, Turkey, and earlier this year in Haiti. Additionally, members responded to the U.S. Embassy bombing in Kenya, and numerous hurricanes throughout the U.S., including Katrina.

VATF-1 is comprised of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel specializing in technical and canine search, collapse rescue, heavy rigging, structural engineering, hazardous materials, communications, planning, and logistics. Additionally, physicians and paramedics provide medical support.

All costs for VATF-1 are funded by the federal government, including training, deployment, and readiness exercises.