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LA County Fire Deploying Task Force to Chile
In response to this weekend's massive 8.8 quake off the coast of Chile, " Los Angeles County Fire’s world-class Heavy Rescue Task Force, has been mobilized for deployment to Chile to help rescue and recover earthquake victims in Latin America," notes a press release. The 74-member team was issued the request by the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID-OFDA) and are prepping for the mission from a staging area in Pacoima.
The team has "two additional rescue team managers, three physicians, three structural specialists, and six rescue canines. In addition, eight USAID members will accompany the team to Chile." These highly-trained Task Force members will bring with them not only their specialized skills but also "55,000 pounds of prepackaged search and rescue tools and medical equipment to conduct around-the-clock search and rescue operations."
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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