The United States is sending two of its premier urban search and rescue teams to Venezuela to aid in the recovery efforts following a series of deadly earthquakes. The Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue team (USA-01) from Virginia and a team from Los Angeles (USA-02) were activated within hours of the disaster.
These specialized units, primarily composed of firefighters but also including medics, engineers, and dog handlers, are equipped to locate and rescue survivors trapped in collapsed structures. USA-01 is preparing to deploy 79 team members, approximately 70,000 pounds of equipment, and six sniffer dogs. Public information officer John Morrison stated that the State Department is working to expedite their deployment, emphasizing their readiness. "This kind of situation is exactly what we train for," Morrison said, referencing a recent large-scale earthquake exercise conducted in Virginia with the Los Angeles team.
The teams possess expertise in accessing victims entombed deep within reinforced concrete buildings, a capability that is crucial in the aftermath of significant structural collapses. Both USA-01 and USA-02 have prior experience in major disaster response, including missions following the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2011 Japanese tsunami.
The deployment of these elite teams comes as the U.S. military's Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) also announced it is mobilizing resources to support earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela. The earthquakes have resulted in a significant loss of life, with at least 188 fatalities reported, and have caused widespread destruction of infrastructure.