Virginia Beach firefighters do respond to calls out of state and, when called into action with VA-TF2, out of the country. Last August, four Virginia Beach firefighters did just that when a call for help came from the "Big Island" out of Hawaii when Kilauea, an active volcano, erupted. The members who went out to help were part of the Fire Department's HAZMAT team and were sent to to an area outside of Hila, Hawaii to assist with response to the the eruption.
The Virginia Beach firefighters as well as some members from the Chesapeake Fire Department helped by monitoring the toxic gases being emitted into the air from the volcano.
The emergency responders returned home on September 9. The firefighters were sent in accordance with the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, an all hazards - all disciplines mutual aid compact that serves as the cornerstone of the nation's mutual aid system.