Members of the VA-TF2’s Mission Ready Package—Water Rescue Team are Returning to Hampton Roads Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024

Members of Virginia Task Force Two’s Mission Ready Package—Water Rescue (MRP-WR) team that were assigned to Orlando, Florida, in support of Hurricane Milton, have been demobilized and are on their way back to Virginia Beach. 

The team left Florida earlier today and is expected to arrive at the FEMA Warehouse, 513 Viking Drive, Ste. 9, Virginia Beach, at 1400 hours (approx.).

The MRP-WR team deployed on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2024, to stage in preparation to respond to the landfall of Hurricane Milton. Over the past week, the team carried out multiple missions in Pasco County and assisted with water rescue operations. The team integrated with the local Pasco Fire Department, Sheriff’s Office, and other Florida State Resources on site.

VA-TF2 USAR is one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams positioned across the country. The Virginia Beach Fire Department is the sponsoring agency for VA-TF2 and is made up of first responders from the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and the counties of Henrico, James City, York, and Navy-Regional Fire & Rescue, and Emergency Physicians of Tidewater. VA-TF2 has conducted search and rescue operations in the aftermath of numerous disasters.