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Sacramento Fire’s 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.

Sacramento Fire’s 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.

THEIR JOB AHEAD. A TIRELESS SEARCH AWAITS AS PARTS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LIE DECIMATED. THE WORK OF FIGHTING THESE WILDFIRES STILL PROVED CHALLENGING. BUT IN THEIR WAKE, SPECIALTY TEAMS ARE NOW COMING TO THE CALL. SO THIS 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. I MET WITH SACRAMENTO FIRES JUSTIN SILVA LESS THAN A DAY SINCE HIS DEPARTMENT SENT AROUND 40 SPECIALTY SEARCH AND RESCUE MEMBERS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. NOW, THESE MEMBERS THAT ARE GOING DOWN THERE ARE THERE FOR SEARCHING FOR VICTIMS, WHETHER THAT BE DECEASED VICTIMS OR VICTIMS THAT ARE STILL VIABLE, ASSISTING AMONG THE RUBBLE AND NOW HOLLOW SHELLS WHERE BUILDINGS ONCE STOOD. THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH AND SEARCH METHODICALLY THROUGH ALL THE RUBBLE, THROUGH ALL THE ASH, THROUGH BUILDINGS THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH UNSAFE TO OCCUPY. AT THIS POINT, OUR MEMBERS ARE STILL GOING TO GO IN THERE AND CONDUCT A VERY, VERY THOROUGH SEARCH AND LOOK FOR ANY TYPE OF SIGNS OF HUMAN ACTIVITY. TRAINING TIRELESSLY. DEVASTATING MOMENTS LIKE THIS IS WHAT THIS TEAM IS MADE FOR. SEEN HERE. PACKING UP SUPPLIES. THEIR TEAM WILL BE WORKING IN PART WITH GPS LINING UP WHERE HOMES ONCE STOOD AND SYSTEMATICALLY TRACING THEIR WAY THROUGH EACH LOCATION. THEY’RE GOING TO BE USING DOGS. THEY’RE GOING TO BE USING SPECIALIZED SEARCH TOOLS, AND THEY’RE GOING TO GO AND THEY’RE GOING TO START CHECKING BOXES OF, OKAY, WE’VE SEARCHED THIS PLACE, WE’VE GOTTEN THE DELTA SIDE OF THE HOUSE, WE’VE GOTTEN THE CHARLIE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. THEY’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO THROUGH EVERY PIECE OF EVERY HOUSE THAT THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO AND JUST DO A VERY, VERY THOROUGH SEARCH. ERIN HEFT KCRA THREE NEWS. THE SACRAMENTO CITY FIRE US AND OUR TEAM WILL BE DOW
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Sacramento Fire’s 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.

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, Sacramento’s dedicated team joins the front lines in a tireless search for survivors amidst charred landscapes and collapsed structures.“This 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,” said Sacramento Fire's Justin Sylvia.| MORE | LA fire updates for Jan. 11 | Crews race to contain fires, death toll rises to 16Highlighting the team’s mission, Sylvia explained the team's objectives: to search for any victims—alive or deceased—amidst 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 burningHaving 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

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, Sacramento’s dedicated team joins the front lines in a tireless search for survivors amidst charred landscapes and collapsed structures.

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“This 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,” 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 team’s mission, Sylvia explained the team's objectives: to search for any victims—alive or deceased—amidst 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