A special search and rescue team in San Diego is on standby to respond to the aftermath of the earthquake in Turkey

“Usually the first 24-48 hours are the most important for us so that we can get down to business and achieve the best result,” said assistant Barbat.

He is the head of the San Diego Fire and Rescue Battalion and program manager for the FEMA’s local search and rescue team, called Task Force 8.

“We are a search and rescue team that can do everything from technical searches with K9, search cameras, listening devices. We also have chemical protection specialists, medical specialists, doctors, civil engineers,” said Barbat.

San Diego County Task Force 8 consists of 220 people, but 80 of them are ready to go to the disaster area. Barbat’s team has not been asked to help in Syria and Turkey, but they are on standby. “Not sure if we will be called there, there is always potential for everything,” Barbat said.

Barbat said the K9s would be critical to finding anyone under the rubble.

“So the K9s we use are critical. These dogs can clear a 10,000, 20,000 square foot pile in 8 to 10 minutes. Our goal is to get there as quickly as possible, put these dogs to work and get to people as quickly as possible. we can send our rescue teams to the place to get those people that these K9s find,” Barbat said.

Barbat said the first 24-48 hours are the most critical, but people could be found alive under the rubble for up to a week.

Task Force 8 and a team from Los Angeles and Virginia include not only firefighters, but also paramedics, rescuers, doctors and civil engineers.

The US is one of several countries that have said they will send rescue teams to the quake area, including the UK, India, Israel and several countries from the European Union.

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