SP firefighters end mission in Venezuela and return to Brazil today
The Brazilian BRA-10 team concluded this Thursday (9) the operational activities of the humanitarian mission carried out in Venezuela following the earthquakes that hit the country at the end of June. With the end of field work, the members began the demobilization process and will return to Brazil this Friday (10), according to the São Paulo Fire Department.
The task force was mobilized after the earthquakes that devastated regions near Caracas and caused thousands of deaths and injuries. In the most recent update, Venezuelan authorities reported 3,889 deaths and 16,740 injuries.
The mission brought together experts in search, rescue and disaster response from the Fire Departments of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Paraná, who worked together with Venezuelan authorities and international teams.
During the operation, firefighters from the Fire Department of the Military Police of the State of São Paulo participated uninterruptedly in search and rescue actions in collapsed structures.
In total, 90 operational interventions were carried out, which resulted in the location and removal of 23 deceased victims from the rubble - 11 men, nine women and three other people whose sex could not be identified. The teams employed international disaster response protocols, using specialized equipment, technology and sniffer dogs.
Participation from São Paulo
Participation from São Paulo was divided into two stages.
The first group embarked for Venezuela on June 26 with 11 military firefighters, two doctors, a Civil Defense representative, search dogs Malina and Kiara and around five tons of specialized equipment.
Two days later, a second team reinforced the mission, made up of 16 military firefighters, a Civil Defense representative and approximately four tons of equipment.
The first Brazilian teams were sent shortly after the earthquakes recorded on June 24, when the federal government organized a humanitarian mission to assist in search and rescue operations. São Paulo was part of the task force from the first days of the response to the disaster, initially with firefighters, military doctors and Civil Defense agents, later expanding the number of personnel and resources sent to the country.
Return to Brazil
The team's return is scheduled for this Friday (10). According to the Fire Department, a KC-30 aircraft from the Brazilian Air Force arrived in Caracas in the morning to load the equipment used during the mission.
After a stopover in Brasília, the members from São Paulo and Paraná will head to the São Paulo Air Base, in Guarulhos, with an estimated arrival time of 10pm. The team from Minas Gerais will return on their own aircraft.
In a statement, the São Paulo Fire Department stated that the corporation remains committed to international humanitarian cooperation, making its technical experience and operational capacity available in disaster situations when requested.
Source: CNN