The L.A. County team has extensive experience in finding survivors and helping with recovery efforts, both in the U.S. and abroad.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — After a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed more than 3,400 people in Turkey and Syria, the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue team is preparing to make their way over to the region to help those in need.
On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden called Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to express condolences.
The White House in statement said that Biden underscored “the readiness of the United States to provide any and all needed assistance” to its NATO ally Turkey.
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the Biden administration was sending two, 79-person urban search and rescue teams to support Turkey’s efforts.
“The president authorized an immediate U.S. response in addition to the U.S. personnel currently on the ground,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “We are in the process of deploying additional teams to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and address the needs of those injured and displaced by the earthquakes.”
There are two search and rescue teams in the country that are qualified to be sent out of the country: Fairfax, Virginia and L.A. County.
The L.A. County team has extensive experience in finding survivors and helping with recovery efforts, both in the U.S. and abroad.
In 2017, the team was sent to Mexico City to help with its earthquake rescue efforts.
The team will be working for the United States Agency for International Development, also known as USAID.
The group deploys the only two search and rescue teams in the U.S.
L.A. County Fire will be a part of the Disaster Assistance Response Team or DART. Once they are there, they’ll be working with Turkish government authorities to assess the damage and see what needs to be done.
The 78-member rescue team consists of rescue specialists, firefighters, paramedics, doctors, search dogs and structural engineers. The six search dogs are trained to find live people under rubble – they can spot the difference between a deceased person and those who are alive.
They have supplies to last two weeks, but if they need more resources, the American embassy will supply them with what they need.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared seven days of national mourning following the deadly quakes that hit the country Monday. Turkish flags will fly at half-staff across the nation and at its diplomatic missions overseas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Highly-skilled LA County rescue team heading to Turkey to help with recovery efforts
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