The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s (LACoFD) Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) team, known internationally as USA-2, returned home in the early morning hours of Tuesday, February 21, 2023, after a 14-day deployment to Turkey.
With family members and LACoFD personnel present, the heartwarming homecoming took place at the LACoFD facility in Pacoima.
After a brief welcome from Interim Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone, the Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California presented a plaque to the Department in appreciation, thanking members of USA-2 for their presence and assistance in Turkey.
On February 6, 2023, USA-2 joined its counterpart, USA-1, based out of Fairfax County, Virginia, as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), to assist in the humanitarian and response efforts, following a series of destructive earthquakes that impacted the countries of Turkey and its neighbor, Syria.
Comprised of more than 200 people, including disaster experts from the USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and 164 search and rescue members, along with 12 canines, DART led the effort to search for survivors in Adiyaman and surrounding areas by using sensitive cameras, listening devices, search-and-rescue canines, and other specialized equipment.
Members of DART conducted more than 6,000 building assessments to determine signs of life and assessed structural damage of homes, hospitals, and other essential buildings.
Even though search and rescue efforts have transitioned, USAID’s DART team will remain in Turkey to continue emergency relief efforts and humanitarian assistance to all those affected.
Thank you to members of USA-2 and USA-1 who ensure the protection and safety of those at home in the United States and abroad!
