The U.S. Department of State Quick Reaction Force: Providing Rapid Response to CWD Emergencies

The Quick Reaction Force (QRF) is a team of civilian EOD technical experts that serve as PM/WRA’s first responders to unexpected CWD-related emergencies across the globe, including munitions depot explosions, ammunition depots at risk of imminent explosion, and ERW that pose significant threats to civilians. These situations require immediate action to secure or dispose of poorlysecured or unstable munitions, prevent loss of life, protect critical infrastructure, and conduct needs assessments for further CWD activities. The QRF can begin to respond to these threats worldwide in as few as 48 hours.

“Some contents of these foreign depots are akin to time bombs,” observes Stanley L. Brown, Director of PM/WRA. “We can’t ignore the terrible threat posed by decrepit ammunition whose stability is compromised by age, heat, rough handling, and overall poor storage. When we get a call for help after a depot accident or when a foreign government needs an urgent depot assessment, we must respond immediately. In these cases, time is not our friend.”

The Golden West, implementing partner for the QRF, is a U.S. NGO specializing in demining, BAC, and PSSM. http://www.state.gov/t/pm/wra

Since 2001, the QRF and its precursor, the Quick Reaction Demining Force, have deployed to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Federated States of Micronesia, Guatemala, Iraq, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Liberia, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Philippines, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Vietnam.

QRF works with Sierra Leonean armed forces to safely dispose of unstable munitions. Photo courtesy of Golden West.