California Rescue Team Aids Victims of Venezuela Earthquakes

On a tense Sunday, the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s international urban search and rescue team arrived in Caraballeda, Venezuela. They were equipped with rescue dogs, advanced listening devices, and tools designed to cut through concrete. Their mission was clear: to rescue those trapped under a collapsed 10-story high-rise. This town had been severely affected by two consecutive earthquakes.

Assistant Fire Chief Trey Espy shared that residents believed eight individuals were buried under the debris. Rescue workers detected noises, suggesting a chance of survival beneath the rubble. Despite the urgency, prospects for finding survivors have waned since the earthquakes, which measured magnitudes of 7.5 and 7.2. These devastating events have resulted in nearly 1,500 fatalities and have left tens of thousands unaccounted for.

Espy painted a bleak picture of the area. High-rise buildings were either flattened or toppled. Structures shifted off foundations or collapsed into nearby buildings, reflecting the gravity of the destruction.

Efforts from Southern Californians were underway to provide essential supplies. In Pasadena, volunteers gathered at Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine, appealing for bandages, gauze, painkillers, and other medicines. Augusto Giancola was moved by the influx of contributors, witnessing trunks loaded with donations.

In downtown Los Angeles, volunteers at Full Arepas collected supplies, including toothbrushes, baby wipes, and instant soup. The donations were packed with care, featuring hearts drawn on the boxes. The restaurant’s owner, Kelly Montano, faced an emotional ordeal, with members of her own family missing. Montano recounted the difficulty of these times since moving to the U.S. in 2015.

Later in the day, the rescue team tackled a partially collapsed building. A security guard trapped beneath a parking garage presented a major challenge. Espy indicated rescue workers were about 30 feet from the man, estimating the effort to free him could span 12 hours or more.

The rescue contingent consists of firefighters, paramedics, doctors from the Department of Health Services, and structural engineers. Known as USA-2, they operate alongside USA-1, a Virginia-based team. Earlier successes included saving three people from the debris, among them a 9-month-old baby. The U.S. State Department commended the rescue efforts and the hope they signify.