Firefighters, doctors, engineers who aided Venezuela after quakes honored by LA County Board of Supervisors

For 11 days, they dug through rubble rescuing the trapped; evaluated standing buildings for safety and performed searches of the areas devastated by two powerful earthquakes, one magnitude 7.2 and the other magnitude 7.5, that hit Venezuela on June 24.

The 71 members of the USA-2 task force, made up of Los Angeles County firefighters, urban search and rescue team members as well as doctors and engineers from various county departments, kissed their family members goodbye and left for Venezuela to help those affected by the quakes.

The twin earthquakes killed more than 5,200 people and injured 16,000.

“The eyes of the world were upon them and they didn’t disappoint,” noted L.A. County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone, during a thank you presentation at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, July 21.

About 37 of the force gathered around the supervisors, some with their four-legged canine partners, to hear words of appreciation and receive proclamations marking their remarkable, life-saving service.

“True bravery is not the absence of fear but the resolve to move forward in spite of it,” said Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn said in Los Angeles County, residents know about the destructive power of earthquakes. “We all know too well the devastation earthquakes can cause. Yet, you dropped what you were doing, said goodbye to loved ones and answered the call to help human beings suffering thousands of miles away.

“There was a dramatic rescue in which you saved a man trapped for more than a week under a mountain of rubble,” Hahn recalled.

First District Supervisor Hilda Solis reminded the public that the Venezuelan community in the county and in the city of Los Angeles expressed their gratitude to her office for the efforts of the rescue team sent from L.A. County.

“Their mission is a reminder that compassion knows no borders,” Solis said. “Our hearts go out to the people of Venezuela.”