Early on Monday morning, February 6, a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Türkiye, Syria, and the surrounding region, destroying buildings and leaving a swath of devastation stretching hundreds of miles. One of the strongest quakes ever to hit the region, it produced aftershocks nearly as strong as the initial earthquake itself, with tremors felt as far away as Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt.
With the death toll continuing to rise exponentially in Türkiye and Syria, several thousand others are injured and an unknown number buried beneath the rubble. As rescuers race to find survivors, the United States authorized immediate assistance, including two urban search and rescue teams to support efforts in the region. The American teams join two- and four-legged rescuers from all over the world to assist in rescue efforts.
The American teams arrived in the early hours of Wednesday morning, February 8, and immediately joined rescuers from around the globe in the search for survivors. We know that their countless hours of training prepared USA-1 and USA-2, and all the rescuers, for this mission and they were able to work hard, as a team, to help rescue those buried in the rubble.
As part of this effort, seven SDF-trained teams responded from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department, USA-1 and USA-2, respectively, when deploying outside the United States:
USA-1 (based in Virginia)
USA-2 (based in California)
Fourteen days after the initial earthquake, SDF’s seven deployed search teams returned safely to US soil with their task force teammates and were welcomed home by family, friends, and colleagues.
Also on hand to greet the returning teams was Sinam Kuzum, Turkish Consulate General, who relayed a message of gratitude on behalf of the Turkish people, and Wilma Melville, founder of SDF. Poignantly, Turkish members of the Los Angeles community were there too, who despite the late hour, wanted to personally thank the teams for traveling thousands of miles to help their loved ones back home.
Watch video of our teams returning home here:
We are grateful that our teams returned safely and are proud of their extraordinary service. At the same time, our thoughts remain with those affected by this tragedy because we know its effects will echo for years to come.
With these cataclysmic events in mind, we resolve to stay ready for the inevitable next one. For as we just saw, even while dealing with one disaster, another can spring up in its midst.
We carry on preparing canines and handlers to respond whenever and wherever they’re needed to make a lifesaving difference.
Thank you for your enduring support of our search teams. The hours of training that have gone into preparing these teams for the critical work they do both at home and abroad would not be possible without people like you who believe in the power of rescue to help save lives—both human and canine.
PAWS ON THE GROUND IN TÜRKIYE:
