Responders from L.A. County’s Search and Rescue team returned home after a grueling two weeks in Turkey. Firefighters and canines were flown out to help sift through the rubble following the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake last week. Here’s Anthony Slade with the story.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team made their return to California last night after a two-week deployment to Turkey. The team was sent in response to the earthquake that ravaged the country and neighboring Syria earlier this month.
Chris Allender, the battalion chief of the department, says that they received a warm welcome upon arriving to the site of the quake.
ALLENDER: But it became very apparent on on our first first day out there that everybody was happy to see us. And they were they knew we were there to help. And they treated us with open arms.
The 7.8 magnitude quake, which devastated the region on February 6, has killed more than 48,000 across the two affected countries. This toll is only expected to rise as more bodies are uncovered by search and rescue teams.
Firefighter John Paul Hilsabeck says the department assisted in these efforts alongside his canine companion, who you may hear chewing a squeaky toy.
HILSABECK: We were able to run the dogs and then kind of, you know, for their hopes, everything for their family members is to be able to search the piles and say that, hey, there’s just people that have passed away or there’s people they’re still alive.
Since their return, another earthquake has struck the region. Just last night, a 6.4 magnitude quake killed at least six additional people, with hundreds of others injured. Although less deadly, this quake has intensified the structural devastation caused by the previous disaster.
Russell Pettit, one of the deployed firefighters, speaks on the danger of sifting through the wreckage of an evolving scene.
PETTIT: You’re a little bit worried about the structures that you’re in yourself and it’s just kind of a chaotic scene. But you’ve got to be able to, you know, push some of that stuff out and focus on the mission.
Interim L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone and L.A. County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella greeted the firefighters as they returned.
William Gamble, one of the returning responders, was proud to extend a helping hand to the impacted region. When asked how he felt upon his arrival, he said this.
GAMBLE: Pretty tired, to be honest, but very proud of our team and the way they perform and the way we were able to bridge some of the gaps and knock down some of the political walls and improve the sentiment towards America.
Despite the return of L.A. County’s response team, Turkey and Syria will continue search and rescue efforts as the death toll nears 50,000.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Anthony Slade.