L.A. fire rescue team poised to leave for Haiti to aid earthquake victims

An L.A. County Fire Department search-and-rescue team is packed and ready to go to Haiti following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Caribbean island nation, officials said this morning.

The 72-member heavy rescue task force received a request for help Tuesday from the U.S. Agency for International Development and is waiting at a staging area in Pacoima while authorities finalize the logistical details of the deployment, said county Fire Inspector Frederic Stowers.

“These things do take time,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with surveying the damage, making sure we can get them in safely.”

Relief officials said they were preparing for substantial damage and casualties after Haiti was rocked by the quake, the largest ever to strike the region. The county fire team includes paramedics, search dogs, communications specialists and rescuers who are trained in combing through collapsed structures to find victims.

The rescuers rely on sophisticated detection devices and equipment capable of shoring weakened structures and moving heavy chunks of rubble, officials said.

“They have three flat-bed semis loaded with over 48,000 pounds of supplies and tools and materials that they will need to be able to complete their mission,” Stowers said. “Their state of readiness is immediate.”

It has not yet been decided whether the team will be flying out of a military or commercial airport.

-- Alexandra Zavis

Photo: Equipment and supplies are being loaded on trucks at the Los Angeles County Fire Department urban search and rescue facility in Pacoima en route to Haiti in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Comments

[MdW]

Much praise the LA County Fire Search and Rescue Team for there willingness.

[Katie E]

I am gathering funds to help the LA County Fire Rescue Team. Can you please post any contact information so people, such as myself, could send the money correctly? Thank you.

[L]

Thank God for these willing angels. Go with God.

[Lesley McKinney]

Here is a link to information on how to securely donate what you can:

http://www.whatisleft.org/lookie_here/2010/01/six-ways-you-can-help-in-haiti.html

[trisha durham]

Im keeping everyone in haiti in my prayers! Please keep in mind pray for the orphans of the good samariton project!

[Daniel Strode]

I have participated in relief efforts directly following the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka and the 2008 Cyclone in Myanmar. I have extensive experience in disaster relief and want to help the efforts in Haiti. Can you provide me with any contact information for the LA county Fire and Rescue team so that I might find a way to contribute.

Thanks,

Dan Strode

[kb]

great! just don't forget about a security/protection force too!

[Dirk Colas]

I would like to help the LA fire and rescue team since I am Haitian american and I speak french and creole fluently . They will need the native of the land to help them and I have no way of going over there now.

Dirk