MCFRS News Release

Media and VIP Opportunity

Maryland Task Force 1 to Conduct Major Mobilization Exercise

Montgomery County, MD - - Montgomery County Fire and Rescue’s elite Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) team, MD-TF1, will conduct a mobilization exercise from October 6 through October 9, 2013 at the former site of Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control Warehouse. The drill is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for each of the 28 US&R task forces in the National Response System. The site, which has been collapsed, will be used to simulate a large scale disaster site as a result of an earthquake or a man made disaster. Mannequins have been placed throughout the collapsed structure to simulate live victims. This will allow the team to utilize specialized technology and K-9s, to locate the victims. Once located, the rescue personnel will dig through the rubble and remove the victims as they would in a real situation. Personnel will work 12 hour shifts until the exercise objectives have been successfully met.

On site evaluators will then critic the exercise and provide a roadmap for training and policy for future missions.

The media and elected personnel are invited to “embed” with the task force on Monday October 7, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This allows an opportunity to experience first hand the actions rescuers take during major disasters. Filming will be allowed and is encouraged. Members of the elected community are able to embed or just tour the exercise.

In order to facilitate each persons needs, please respond by e-mail to [email protected] no later than Sunday October 6, 2013. A staging are will be set up on site at 16670 Crabbs Branch Way in Gaithersburg, Md. Participants are required to wear clothing and footwear compatible with a construction site. Head protection is required and will be available on site.

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