LA Firefighters Taken Off Alert To Assist In Aftermath Of Ecuador Earthquake
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles County firefighters were taken off alert Monday to go to Ecuador in the aftermath of the earthquake that killed at least 238 people.
The 7.8-magnitude temblor hit the central Ecuador coast Saturday, leveling buildings and breaking up roadways.
A national state of emergency was declared Sunday.
Los Angeles firefighters were placed on standby to assist with rescue efforts.
According to Dispatch Supervisor Miguel Ornelas, the call to get to an airport did not arrive and firefighters were ordered to stand down.
Search dogs, their handlers and other specialized crews from Los Angeles and Fairfax County, Virginia, are often sent by the U.S. Government to the sites of overseas quakes.
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