911th Engineer Company

The 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company, formerly the MDW (Military District of Washington) Engineer Company, is a unit of the United States Army that specialises in technical rescue, particularly urban search and rescue (US&R). It is one of the only technical rescue companies in the United States Department of Defense.[1][2] The 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company is stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

911th Engineer Company
Distinctive Unit Insignia of the 911th Engineering Company
Active
  • unknown-2006 (MDW Engineer Company)
  • 2006-present (911th Engineer Company)
Country United States
Branch United States Army
TypeUrban search and rescue
RoleSupport
SizeCompany
HeadquartersFort Belvoir, Virginia
Insignia
Military District of Washington Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Map symbol
(MIL-STD-2525D)

The 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company is assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion, Army Air Operations Group, Military District of Washington.[3] The company is modeled after a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue Heavy Task Force.[4] The company is certified in mine rescue and technical rescue, and specializes in trench, structural collapse, ropes, and confined space disciplines. It regularly trains with local, state, and federal first responders.[5]

In 2001, the company responded immediately to the September 11 attacks on the Pentagon. The first sergeant and company commander moved the company to the disaster site without waiting for orders and spent 10 days engaged in search and rescue operations.[6] The unit was re-designated as the 911th United States Army Technical Rescue Engineer Company on 11 September 2006, in memory of its historic role in the subsequent recovery effort.[7]

A soldier of the 911th conducting confined space search and rescue operations with a Drager rebreather.

The company was on standby during the first inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009, and since then has been prepared for numerous other events within the National Capital Region.[2] In 2012 the company was equipped with heavy transport and dump trucks.[8]

References
  1. Lopez, C. Todd. "Military plays security support role for inauguration". U.S. Army. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  2. Lopez, C. Todd. "US Army Prepped for Inaugural Contingencies" (Blog). The Tension. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  3. "Military District of Washington Organizational Structure". United States Army. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  4. "New commander at 911th takes charge". United States Army. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  5. "'Capital Shield' tests Army's first responders in nation's capital". United States Army. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  6. "Battalion History". Archived from the original on 13 February 2013.
  7. Mani, Tom (5 October 2006). "MDW engineer company redesignated as 911th". Pentagram. Archived from the original on 14 January 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  8. Creech, Justin. "New equipment modernizes 911th Engineer Company". Belvoir Eagle. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
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