Massachusetts Task Force 1

Vigilant Guard - Mobilization Exercise 2009

MA-TF 1 had the opportunity to participate in the Vigilant Guard exercise that took place the week of November 1, 2009 in Tonawanda, New York. A full complement of 80 MA-TF 1 team members responded to the mock 5.9 Earthquake incident as part of the Massachusetts Joint Task Force, which included the Mass. National Guard CERF-P and CST.

The training provided three rubble piles, including a simulated fully collapsed hospital with attached parking garage. Photos and a short video showing some highlights are below.

Pallet Building

In September, MA-TF 1 conducted it’s annual Pallet Building exercise in cooperation with the New Hampshire Air National Guard. The training focuses on packaging equipment and securing it to pallets for transport by military aircraft. Over 70 members of the US&R Task Force traveled by convoy to Pease AFB.

Click on the slide show below to view the full album of photos, or click here:

Water Operations

MA-TF 1 conducted a 2 day water operations course in August of 2009. Below are some photos and video of the training.

Rope Rescue Technician - Angled High Line

MA-TF 1 conducted a rope rescue technician course in July of 2009. Below are some photos.

Rope Rescue With Canine Search

The MA-TF 1 Rescue Squads spent a training day working with the Canine Search element.  They were pracitcing their skills with rope descent and ascent for both the Canine Handler and the Canine.

MA-TF 1 Accepting Applications

Massachusetts Task Force 1 is now accepting membership applications through September 1, 2009.

All application materials must be completed in full and must be postmarked by September 1, 2009 in order to be considered.

Details on membership,  training requirements, and all required application forms can be found in the Membership section of the MA-TF 1 website.

Fargo, North Dakota IST Support

The last week of March and first week of April, 2009, MA-TF 1 deployed 4 members to Fargo, ND as part of the US&R Incident Support Team responding to the flooding of the Red River.

Rope Rescue Operations

MA-TF 1 conducted a 16 hour Rope Rescue Operations course using a three story parking garage at the Cummings Center in Beverly, MA.  The training included anchoring systems, rapelling, locking off while on rappell, self rescue, ascending, victim pick-off, patient packaging and raising in a stokes basket.

More videos from the training can be found on the MA-TF 1 Youtube Channel and Photos can be viewed on the MA-TF 1 Picasa site.

Mobilization Exercise 2008: North Truro, MA

In November of 2008, MA-TF 1 conducted a 3 day Mobilization Exercise at the North Truro Air Force station in North Truro, MA.    The exercise included a full scale deployment of a Type I Task Force conducting 24 hour operations for the duration of the drill.  

The site was flexible enough to provide two very different training scenarios.  One site prop was a large concrete structure where confined space and rope rescue operations could be combined to provide medical suport for Crush Syndrome patients in a HazMat environment. The other scenario was a residential area of single story dwellings where a wide area search could be conducted - as if responding to a Hurricane event.

From MOBEX08

MA-TF 1 was fortunate to have the cooperation from several agencies to coduct a realisitc multi-agency training.  These inclded the US Army Civil Suport Team,  the National Park Service, the Barnstable County IMT, local fire and police resources.  

MA-TF 1 would also like to thank members of Virginia Task Force 2 who helped facilitate the training.