Shortly after last week’s back-to-back earthquakes, the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) deployed members of its Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and Hazardous Materials (HazMat) teams to assist with recovery efforts in Kern County.
On the Fourth of July, the USAR and HazMat teams were initially deployed to assist the Kern County Fire Department after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck seven miles southwest of Searles Valley. Not long after being sent back home, team members were deployed again the next day when a stronger 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Ridgecrest.
To remind residents about the importance of emergency preparedness, local officials gathered for a news conference on Sunday, July 7, 2019 at the Hall of Administration. Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn invited LACoFD Chief Daryl Osby and Dr. Lucy Jones from Caltech to discuss the impact a major earthquake or incident would have on communities and emergency response.
“On behalf of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, our thoughts and prayers are with the citizens that were impacted by the recent earthquakes,” said Chief Osby. “These earthquakes are a reminder that all of us need to prepare in advance for emergencies. Our Department provides community emergency response training (CERT), so our citizens can learn from first responders about how to ensure their own safety as well as those around them during an emergency. Together, we can all be ready for earthquakes and any other incident.”
