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Responders Overview
The Responders were a volunteer-based disaster relief organization that operated in Appalachia. Formed shortly after the Great War by local first responder units, they were dedicated to helping local communities survive. They instituted a variety of programs that ranged from basic outdoor survival training to a specialized armed division called the Fire Breathers. Like the other regional factions, the Responders were wiped out by the Scorched Plague. The group was restarted in 2104 to assist needy Appalachians in surviving.
Background[edit]
Original Responders[edit]
In the aftermath of the Great War, first responders in Appalachia mobilized to help their fellow citizens. Eventually becoming a unified group known as the "Responders", they encompassed government and crisis relief duties in Appalachia,[2] providing automated survival training to those who needed it.[3] Their goals included helping people who made it through the nuclear holocaust or were born after the dust had settled, as surviving in the post-War world became paramount. They set up numerous locations across West Virginia in a bid to establish some semblance of law and order.[4]
The West Virginian capital of Charleston became the heart of Appalachian reconstruction with the Responders at the forefront, the city itself showing great promise of rebuilding in the aftermath of the Great War.[5] Among these refugees desperate for help were those from the Pleasant Valley Ski Resort, far away in the Savage Divide; left without help, they banded together under one David Thorpe. Thorpe rallied them into what would be the first of the region's raider warbands - and what would soon be a major threat to the Responders' mission.[6]
The Brotherhood of Steel tried to recruit skilled Responders away to join the fledgling Appalachian chapter, with Hank Madigan eventually deserting the chapter for the Responders himself. The organization did not have the equipment or expertise that came with being a former military unit like the Brotherhood, as much of their equipment came from their origins as civilian emergency services, meaning members of that caliber were both needed and in short supply. Like the Brotherhood, the Responders fought against the encroaching Scorched, and also researched a means to develop a vaccine against the Scorched Plague, but their efforts ultimately fell short and they were wiped out sometime before Vault 76 opened. There is evidence of a Responders Radio station that operated prior to the group's destruction.[7]
The Responders also collaborated to some extent with the Free States, such as through aiding the residents of Harpers Ferry before and after the Free States' arrival in the town.[8] After they rebuilt Harpers Ferry, they also created a trade route to Charleston in the hopes of furthering their relations with the Responders.[9]
The Christmas Flood[edit]
The Christmas Flood was a catastrophic event that destroyed most of Charleston. The city had previously grown successfully and proved to be a safe haven against raider attacks. A raiding party led by Rosalynn Jeffries, David Thorpe's lover, was captured along with other members of the raiding party. With a powerful bargaining chip, the Responders hoped that they could negotiate some sort of ceasefire in exchange for their prisoners. Thorpe, on the other hand, was convinced that Rosalynn was dead. In a sheer display of cruelty, on Christmas morning, the Summersville Dam was rigged with mini nukes on Thorpe's order. The subsequent destruction of the dam resulted in catastrophic flooding that killed countless Responders, refugees, and other innocents.[6] The survivors resettled at the Morgantown Airport.
Flatwoods[edit]
Morgantown proved to be a jackpot, as after containing the trouble with the local gangs, they had a centrally-located base, distance between them and the nearest raider clans in the mountains, and contact with the Free States and the Appalachian Brotherhood of Steel. They even expanded into Flatwoods[10] and began restarting some of the old infrastructures in the town to produce food and provide security.[11]
Their access to food, medicine, and other essential supplies was the foundation of their relationship with the Free States and the Brotherhood, with caravans crossing through the Savage Divide regularly. Four years after the flood, in January 2086, they reached the apex of their power and influence as they fought against the super mutants in Huntersville alongside power-armored troops of Paladin Taggerdy. The victory seemed to signal the beginning of a new era for Appalachia, as the Responders and Brotherhood forged an alliance and their patrols even managed to suppress the mountain raiders (those not already taken care of by the elusive Order of Mysteries).[7] Sanjay Kumar and Miguel Caldera were indispensable for maintaining the fleet and keeping it operational.[12]
The Enclave, hidden away from prying eyes, split apart in the civil war after President Thomas Eckhart decided to have his way and force the automated security systems to raise the DEFCON level by releasing Scorchbeasts on Appalachia, after subjecting it to Chinese drones, the Huntersville mutants, and other monstrosities. The civil war that destroyed the faction set the scorchbeasts loose, which rapidly infested the Cranberry Bog and started spreading out into the adjacent areas.
Fire Breathers[edit]
The appearance of the Scorched was a shock to all survivors who came into contact with them, as was the plague they spread. The Responders decided to fight back, organizing a special fighting force called the Fire Breathers using the experience of Melody Larkin and Hank Madigan, a Brotherhood deserter, to train and organize the elite fighters. Before the Great War many members had served West Virginia as firefighters and emergency services, mostly operating in Charleston, West Virginia.[13][14]
The Fire Breathers were initially founded by the Responders as an elite, high-risk fire fighting team to reach out to towns trapped beyond the toxic Ash Heap: Bramwell, Beckley, Welch, and others. Although Larkin wasn't thrilled by the idea, she warmed up to it quickly and helped establish a completely new division, capable of fighting through the hostile environment and surviving there for days on end. The name was her idea, meant to imbue the division with a prestige similar to other elite units.[13][15]
Scorched[edit]
Maria Chavez, their de facto leader, did not believe the threat was as severe as the Brotherhood made it out to be and disliked their militarism and repeated demands for supplies. What just a few years earlier promised to be a long-lasting alliance was unraveling fast, culminating on March 12, 2095, when the Brotherhood demanded information about Amy Kerry's project. At gunpoint. Although Chavez relented, the relations were soured permanently.[16] The fall of the Brotherhood in August 2095 left the Responders alone on the board and it was a matter of time until the scorchbeasts finally took them out. The raiders, desperately fleeing the Savage Divide, swept through the Forest, taking out many of the Responder outposts, including Flatwoods.
The research project into a Scorched vaccine at AVR Medical Center was launched too late to provide a cure in time to protect the Fire Breathers. By September 2096, all of the pieces were in place to create it, but communications breakdowns due to constant Scorched attacks prevented Dr. Hudson from completing it and the Fire Breathers were forced to launch their operation to seal the Big Bend Tunnel and buy time for Appalachia without it. The operation took place in late October and failed. So did Hank Madigan on his attempt to establish the Scorched Detection System developed in conjunction with the Free States, captured and killed by the raiders. Finally, Morgantown Airport fell after a desperate defense against hordes of Scorchbeasts and their minions on November 7, 2096. The Responders were wiped out.[17]
Rebuilt Responders[edit]
Heather Ellis began learning about the original group, moving to Flatwoods to study their efforts.[18] Tiffany Brantley meanwhile is studying to become a Fire Breather with Vendor Bot Mack and the firefighter Protectrons at the Charleston Fire Department.[19] The largest contingent of Responders engaging in the rebuilding effort is centralized at the Whitespring Resort, which they use as their headquarters, now known as the Whitespring Refuge.
The new Responders were founded by Rucker in 2104, and were allowed by Orlando to establish a base within the Whitesprings Resort, then known as the Whitespring Refuge.[20][21] The Responders use the Refuge as a free clinic, refugee camp, and soup kitchen.[22] The group has recently gained a Vertibird, which they intend to use to expand their operations. The Responders have recently begun caring for a number of refugees fleeing from The Pitt.[23]
Organization[edit]
Original[edit]
The Responders had a decentralized, horizontal structure designed to address the needs of people under their care and aid them in need. Regular supply trains were established between the nearby farms and the Responder headquarters, with full members assigned to their protection, such as Jerry Abernathy. For rapid response in emergencies, the Responders also established an emergency response team, trained by Felix O'Dell and consisting of Derek Castle (guard and escort), Veronica Chang and Kevin Trayjor (field medics).[24]
In the early years, Responders largely operated under their pre-existing chains of command (police, paramedics, firefighters, etc.), ignoring attempts by the Charleston Emergency Government to assert their leadership over them. However, this early structure was far from unified and required a good deal of tact and diplomacy to keep them from falling apart. This problem was exposed less than a year after the war, when the responders grappled with the problem of Chief Mayfield's heavy-handed rule of Morgantown. After he ordered his police officers to open fire on the rebellious VTU students and imposed a mandatory curfew, Melody Larkin realized that moving on him would risk splitting law enforcement Responders from the organization.[25]
After relocating operations to Morgantown Airport, the faction was effectively guided by five senior members: Maria Chavez (senior Responder and de facto leader), Claire Hudson (chief medical officer), Sanjay Kumar (chief engineer), Melody Larkin (combat trainer), and Jeff Nakamura (quartermaster). However, the division of labor was handled on a merit basis, with the senior Responders working together with junior members. The Fire Breathers combat unit was a notable exception, operating with a strict chain of command under Melody, as a matter of necessity.
Rebuilt[edit]
After their return, the Responders are a loosely organized group with no official hierarchy. Rucker serves as the de-facto leader, as she was the main driving force behind the rebuilding of the group, and is the first to delegate and take charge in situations.[26][27] She also ensures that the different departments of the Responders stay productive.[28]
Members of the responders do what they can to help, making use of their specific skills where possible. Chef Esme Rousseau works in the kitchen, using her cooking ability to ensure that there is enough food for everyone.[29] Sophie Wagoner meanwhile is in charge of asking for and receiving donations, as well as organizing game nights to keep morale up. Other members of the responders help her sort and catalog donated items.[30]
Items[edit]
| Image | Name | Acquired |
|---|---|---|
|
Responders Pump Action Shotgun | 500 
|
| Image | Name | Acquired |
|---|---|---|
|
Klaxon Wall Light | 250
|
|
Order of the Crossed Axes Decoration | 250
|
|
Responder Manual | World Object |
|
Responders Armor Workbench | 700
|
|
Responders Medical Tent |   February 2020 |
|
Responders Power Armor Station |
|
|
Responders Stash Box | 500
|
|
Responders Weapons Workbench |
|
|
Responders Workbench Set | 560
|
|
Vertibird | World Object |
| Image | Name | Acquired |
|---|---|---|
|
Responders Check In Here Sign | World Object |
|
Responders Map | World Object |
|
Responders Medical Sign |
|
|
Responders Plywood Signs | 250
|
|
Responders Poster | World Object |
|
Responders Sign |
|
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Responders Trading Post Sign |
|
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Responders Volunteers Needed Sign | World Object |
| Image | Name | Acquired |
|---|---|---|
|
Blue Responders Flag | 250 Responders Flag Set |
|
Responders Fire Breathers Flag | 250 Responders Flag Set |
|
Responders Flag Set |
|
|
White Responders Flag | 250 Responders Flag Set |
| Image | Name | Editor ID | Form ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fire Breather's prayer | POI275_Prayer | 003C946E | |
|
Fire Breathers Final Exam Briefing | MTR06_ExaminationBriefing | 003B7621 | |
|
Memo: Responders | RSVP00_Book_LORE_Database_Intro | 001A1CD0 | |
|
|
Responders Recruitment Holotape | Responder_ProtectronHolotape | 003C6836 |
Locations[edit]
Original[edit]
Rebuilt[edit]
Members[edit]
Divisions[edit]
Fire Breathers[edit]
- Fire Breather: Led by Melody Larkin, the Fire Breather division was assembled with the goal of exploring the Ash Heap sometime after the Responders had been formed.[31] They were based in the former Charleston Fire Department and made up of a mix of pre-War Charleston F.D. and post-War volunteers. Player characters can become Fire Breathers by undertaking the requisite exams during the quest Into the Fire.
Scorchslayers[edit]
- Scorchslayers: The squad entered Belching Betty together to complete their final exam by reaching the end of the mine to trigger an alarm then return, clearing out any Scorched along the way. Their squad leader, Maxine Ballard, created a series of holotapes recording their mission.
Paramedics[edit]
- Responders Paramedics: Along with the primary Responder forces in Flatwoods, the Responders Paramedics provided medical services and helped in recruiting efforts before the Scorched overran Morgantown Airport. Their cosmetic uniform is rewarded upon the completion of the main quest line in Flatwoods.
Police Force[edit]
- Responders Police: Along with the primary Responders forces in Flatwoods, the police helped in recruiting efforts before the Scorched overran Morgantown Airport. Their Responder Police Uniform is rewarded upon the completion of the main quest line in Flatwoods.
Forest Watch[edit]
- Forest Watch: The Forest Watch was an automated network of robots established to monitor The Forest region, where the Responders operated. Primarily an early warning system, it was established to compensate for the Responders' attrition rate due to the pressure from the raiders, Scorched and other problems. Robots were easier to replace, and maintain, and allowed monitoring around the clock. Sanjay Kumar and Chelsea McKee were responsible for establishing and maintaining the network.
- Their work proved to be particularly resilient, as the Watch remained active as late as 2102, broadcasting automated alerts about rogue robots, massing mutated wolf packs, and other warnings.[32][33][34]
Related Quests[edit]
| Original | Rebuilt |
|---|---|
Notes[edit]
- The Responders can be discovered immediately after leaving Vault 76, with the mummified body of a volunteer in a Red Rocket jumpsuit found leaning against a lamp on the terrace outside.
- Registering as a Responder Volunteer is an indirect part of the First Contact quest, where the player characters are told to find the Overseer in Flatwoods. They can use the still-active self-register kiosks to start their registration as a certified Responder, starting Thirst Things First.
- The main quest then leads one to join the Fire Breathers, an elite unit of the Responders, before setting them loose on Appalachia.
- Vendor Bot Responders are located primarily at train stations and their strongholds.
- Train stations with Responder vendors: Grafton Station, Morgantown Station, Charleston Station, Welch Station, and Lewisburg Station.
- Other vendor bots are found at the Flatwoods Church, Morgantown Airport Terminal, Camden Park and Charleston Fire Department.
- The generic Police Uniform counts for purposes of the "Level up while wearing" challenge requiring a Responders uniform.
Appearances[edit]
The Responders appear in Fallout 76.
Behind the Scenes[edit]
- The Responders were first revealed on the official Fallout Twitter page before the release of the game.[Dev 1]
- The Responders have a segment in the Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide faction profiles section.[Pub 1]
Gallery[edit]
Charleston on I-59
Responder police officer's corpse
Alternate photomode emblem
Fire Breathers
Alternate firefighter emblem used
Alternate emblem without white outlines
Black emblem variant
Responders firefighter emblem
Golden firefighter emblem
Punched firefighter emblem
Texture
Texture
Texture
Texture
Texture file
Texture file
Keycard
Responders territory during Scorched Plague
Official @Fallout Twitter image
References[edit]
- ↑ Responders Poster
- ↑ Fallout 76 loading screens: "After the Great War, Appalachia's emergency personnel mobilized to help their fellow citizens. These Responders became part government, part crisis relief."
- ↑ Fallout 76 loading screens: "The Responders provided automated survival training to anyone in need. And it was needed quite a bit."
- ↑ Fallout 76 loading screens: "Survival and security became paramount after the devastation of the Great War, and the Responders desperately tried to help as many of their neighbors as they could."
- ↑ Sharon's angry letter
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Christmas Flood
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Riverside Manor terminal entries
- ↑ Lydia's journal page 20
- ↑ Harpers Ferry Armory terminal entries; Raleigh's terminal, Trade Routes
- ↑ Flatwoods terminal entries; Delbert's Terminal
- ↑ Event: Feed the People
- ↑ Responder Protectron config tape
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 The Fire Breathers
- ↑ Charleston Fire Department Terminal Entries; Fire Breathers training system, Knowledge Exam
- ↑ Lt. Thomas' Action Report
- ↑ Tygart Water Treatment terminal entries; Amy Kerry's terminal
- ↑ AVR Medical Center Terminal Entries; AVR Medical laboratory terminal, Project Journal
- ↑ Vault Dweller: "Tell me about yourself."
Heather Ellis: "Me? There's not that much to tell, really. I came in with Paige and the rest, and stayed up at Foundation for awhile. It was nice. But eventually I wanted to go my own way, you know? Get out and see some places I've never seen, figure out who I am. When I heard the message on the radio about Flatwoods, I was curious to meet the Responders, so I made my way here. Of course, they were long gone by then, but I was interested in the work they'd been doing. The more I learned about them, the more I admired them. I decided to stay here and see what else I could learn. That's pretty much my story."
(Heather Ellis' dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "Who are you?"
Tiffany Brantley: " Wow, you want to get to know me? My name is Tiffany and I'm trying to become the greatest Fire Breather that Appalachia has ever seen! It is my sworn duty in life to try and stop the Scorched invasion from taking over the WORLD!"
(Tiffany Brantley' dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "You brought the responders back yourself?"
Rucker:"Well, it took a minute--and a miracle--but yeah. When I first got back to Appalachia the Responders were all but wiped out. Couple of folks wandering around wearing the uniform, but not a one doing any organizing or, hell, making any real work out of it. I started reading everything I could find and listening to anything anyone could tell me about the group before they all passed. I realized that while the Responders themselves didn't make it, the idea could be brought back--and this time, for good."
(Rucker/Dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "Tell me about the Refuge."
Rucker: "Nice enough place. Heard it used to be some kind of fancy trading post before the war. Can't say I'm overly fond of this "management" that Orlando's wrapped up in, but I've got work needs doing, and I'm not one to turn down a safe place to do it in. I'm also not in love with all the hammering and drilling they got going on--but I'm not complaining. Well, starting now I'm not."
(Rucker' dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "What's your part in all this?"
Sophie Wagoner: "Well, right now it's getting this place organized so we can start taking in donations from folks like you. You can't run a refugee camp, free clinic, and soup kitchen on good intentions, and every little bit is gonna help. I'll be set up soon. You check in with me later, if you're up for contributing!"
(Sophie Wagoner' dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "What do you think of Skippy?"
Esme Rousseau: "I've never met anyone quite like him. So very interesting, no? I'm so glad that he helped lead all these people away from the Pitt. It sounds like such a terrible place to live. I hope that they can find some respite here at the Refuge."
(Esme Rousseau's dialogue) - ↑ Morgantown Airport Terminal Entries
- ↑ Charleston Capitol Building Terminal Entries; Poole's terminal, Morgantown
- ↑ Vault Dweller: "You brought the responders back yourself?"
Rucker:"Well, it took a minute--and a miracle--but yeah. When I first got back to Appalachia the Responders were all but wiped out. Couple of folks wandering around wearing the uniform, but not a one doing any organizing or, hell, making any real work out of it. I started reading everything I could find and listening to anything anyone could tell me about the group before they all passed. I realized that while the Responders themselves didn't make it, the idea could be brought back--and this time, for good."
(Rucker/Dialogue) - ↑ Orlando:"Our lovely Ms. Rucker is the closest thing to a leader the Refuge has, though I believe she's less than comfortable with the title. You can find her in their headquarters, beyond the dining area. The darling chef, Ms. Rousseau, needs some assistance in the kitchen, I hear. And Ms. Wagoner, over in the common area, is looking for donations. I'm sure your generosity will be well rewarded."
(Orlando (Fallout 76)/Dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "What do you do, here?"
Rucker:"I keep the Responders, well, responding. We've grown enough now that most of the different departments organize themselves fairly well. But everyone needs a fire lit under 'em from time to time, and these days that's where most of my hours go. That, and keeping Orlando from sniffing around."
(Rucker/Dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "How did you join the Refuge?"
Esme Rousseau: "I spent so long just trying to survive all by myself, and then I heard about the Whitespring opening its doors to refugees. I knew the Responders here would have many mouths to feed, and I had missed cooking for other people oh so much. I figured it would be as good of a way as any to spend my time! Besides, it's such a lovely place, is it not? So luxurious! Life feels truly worth living again now that I have a home and people to cook for."
(Esme Rousseau's dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "So, what's your role within the Responders?"
Sophie: "Donations! Asking for them, taking them in, sorting them. Well, okay, that's a bit of a lie, I've got some other guys that do that part. Last time I did the sorting, I got a ten-minute lecture from Rucker about, quote, "a sorting system incomprehensible to God or man". Oh, and game nights! Gotta keep the spirits up. I'm also trying to get a band together, but we're missing a French Horn player."
(Sophie Wagoner's dialogue) - ↑ The Fire Breathers
- ↑ Morgantown Airport Terminal Entries; Responders HQ terminal, Other Members
- ↑ Fertile Soil message: "Automated message. The Forest Watch detects all Supervisors down. Good job. Responder team proceed to the Ag Center and get to the Mainframe. You need to reset the Farmhand targeting parameters. That should keep our people safe in the area. Be careful."
- ↑ Morgantown terminal entries; Responders HQ terminal, Day 24
- ↑ Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p.5: "THE RESPONDERS
After the Great War, Appalachia's emergency personnel mobilized to help their fellow citizens. These Responders became part government, part crisis relief. The Responders provided automated survival training to anyone in need. And it was needed quite a bit. Survival and security became paramount after the devastation of the Great War, and the Responders desperately tried to help as many of their neighbors as they could."
(Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide/Faction profiles)
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