WAMU 88.5 : News

Fairfax Rescue Crew In Japan Monitors Radiation Levels

Play associated audio
Virginia Task Force 1 brought 75 tons of rescue equipment and six dogs to help look for survivors in Japan.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairfaxcounty/5517851883
Virginia Task Force 1 brought 75 tons of rescue equipment and six dogs to help look for survivors in Japan.

Seventy-four volunteer firefighters, structural engineers and paramedics make up the Virginia Task Force 1. It's a team deployed to Japan by the office of U.S. foreign disaster assistance.

"Where they're located right now is a seaport town. It's about 125 square miles in size and on the north end of where the tsunami hit, so they need a lot of help there in that town," says Captain Willie Bailey, with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.

Task Force hazmat specialists are also monitoring the effects of the latest explosion in a nuclear plant in Fukushima. Crews have reported no rise in radiation levels but say they will continue to monitor the situation in the small town and in nearby cities.

**NBC4 video of the Fairfax team in Japan:**

View more videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com.

NPR

Brooks: 'I'm An EGOT; I Don't Need Any More'

The screenwriter, producer, director and actor, whose name has become synonymous with American comedy, talks about his penchant for spoofs and his decades-long friendship with Carl Reiner. Brooks is the subject of a new American Masters documentary on PBS.
NPR

Washington State Butcher Spikes Pig Feed With Weed

Despite its name, the "pot pig" experiment isn't an attempt to develop a new meaty treat for stoners. Instead, a Seattle butcher is feeding marijuana seeds, stems and root bulbs to swine as a cheeky money-saving measure.
NPR

Texas Medicaid Debate Complicated By Politics And Poverty

In Texas, it may be politically unwise to cross the governor, but some politicians and advocates in the poor Rio Grande Valley are starting to speak out in support of expanding Medicaid. Governor Perry opposes all parts of Obamacare.
NPR

Tweets Capture 'Shock And Awe' At Tornado's Deadly Power

Twitter captures firsthand accounts and reaction from the massive tornado that swept through central Oklahoma.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.