City of Alexandria to Host Fire Department Training Scenario at Woodrow Wilson Bridge, May 6-9

Page updated on May 1, 2024 at 4:30 PM
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Fire Department Training in Progress Sign

City of Alexandria to Host Fire Department Training Scenarios at Woodrow Wilson Bridge, May 6-9 

The Alexandria Fire Department will be participating in the 28th annual Rescue Challenge from May 6-9. This will include live rescue training scenarios on the underside of Woodrow Wilson Bridge.  

Twelve teams from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and the U.S. Army will be in Northern Virginia for a four-day scenario-based challenge event taking place at locations across the region from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.  

Community members should be aware of these teams’ presence during the Rescue Challenge and their participation in scenarios that may resemble emergencies, including at Woodrow Wilson Bridge, visible from Jones Point Park. Twice each day during the Challenge, a dummy will be suspended from the bridge for teams to practice rescuing. This will not impact the flow of traffic.  

Scenarios have been designed to challenge participants’ technical expertise and teamwork and expand their skills in hazardous environments. To accomplish this, rescue scenarios will be set in a wide variety of environments, including Woodrow Wilson Bridge. The Alexandria Fire Department is committed to preparing as well as possible to keep the community safe. 

A Fairfax Rescue Team member participates in the 2023 Rescue Challenge.
The Fairfaix County Rescue Team participates in the 2023 Rescue Challenge.

Technical rescue professionals from the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and the US Army 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company have partnered with local public and private entities to develop intense scenarios in the following times and locations across the regions: 

Alexandria 

  • Woodrow Wilson Bridge 

  • DCFD Training Academy 

Arlington 

  • Arlington County Fire Department Training Academy 

Fairfax  

  • Lorton Training Site 

Fort Belvoir 

  • Army Museum 

Loudoun 

  • Loudon County Fire and Rescue Training Academy 

  • Luck Stone 

Prince William 

  • Prince William County Public Safety Training Academy 
  • Gainesville 
  • Prince William County Fire and Rescue Training Academy 

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Erin.Mustian@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.5186, Virginia Relay 711.  

If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available to you. Please email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3960.