Sacramento Fireâs elite search & rescue team deploys to find LA wildfire victims
Over the next two weeks, they will push the limits, in their pursuit to provide assistance and hope to the communities of Southern California.
Over the next two weeks, they will push the limits, in their pursuit to provide assistance and hope to the communities of Southern California.
Over the next two weeks, they will push the limits, in their pursuit to provide assistance and hope to the communities of Southern California.
As wildfires demolish parts of Southern California, a specialized search and rescue unit from Sacramento has deployed playing a critical role as an elite team in this time of crisis.
Within the last 24 hours, approximately 40 members of the Sacramento Fire Department's Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) unit have embarked on a mission to aid communities ravaged in Los Angeles area. With only 28 federally recognized US&R teams in the United States, Sacramentoâs dedicated team joins the front lines in a tireless search for survivors amidst charred landscapes and collapsed structures.
âThis is a very specialized unit. there's only 28 urban search and rescue teams federally in the United States, we happen to have one of them, and the Sacramento Fire department is the lead agency on this team,â said Sacramento Fire's Justin Sylvia.
| MORE | LA fire updates for Jan. 11 | Crews race to contain fires, death toll rises to 16
Highlighting the teamâs mission, Sylvia explained the team's objectives: to search for any victimsâalive or deceasedâamidst the destruction.
This mission calls for methodical and thorough operations, as members brave hazardous conditions to comb through debris, ash and unsafe buildings. This delicate task necessitates the utilization of specialized tools and trained search dogs to track down traces of human activity.
Prepared for the challenges they face, this deployment marks not only a physical but an emotional journey for the team.
| MORE | California wildfire map: Here's where the LA County wildfires are burning
Having trained tirelessly for such moments, the Sacramento US&R team is equipped with GPS technology to meticulously map and navigate locations where homes once stood.
Over the next two weeks, they will push the limits, in their pursuit to provide assistance and hope to the communities of Southern California.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Subscribe to our morning newsletter