LA County Fire continues search and rescue efforts in Venezuela

Nearly a week after two large earthquakes collapsed buildings across Venezuela, the Los Angeles County Fire Department's search and rescue team is still hopeful they can rescue people trapped in the rubble. 

"If someone is not gravely injured, and they were just trapped, absolutely it's possible to find them," LA County Fire Capt. Aaron Katon said. "We're going to be there working until we clear every building that needs to be cleared."

The LA County Fire Department sent 71 personnel, six canine teams and 84,000 pounds of specialized rescue equipment in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes. As of Wednesday, more than 1,400 people have died, and tens of thousands are still missing. 

As first reported by the New York Times, the team helped save three children, one as young as 9 years old, from a collapsed building. 

Katon said that while the team hopes to save as many people as they can, the reality of the horrific disaster is inescapable. 

"Undoubtedly, you go through these buildings, it's really unfortunate, and one of the hardest tolls taken on our people is that they go through and it ends up being a body recovery," Katon said. "You find these void spaces, and they see things that no one would ever want to see, and you see them in large quantity. But it's part of what we do."

The relief effort is also happening in Southern California, with Olarte Transportation in downtown LA loading up trucks full of donations for victims. They asked for unexpired baby products to support the charity Helping Children in Venezuela.

"The invitation is to keep donating in any way that you can," said Juan Esteban Triana Arboleda, a spokesperson for the charity. "It doesn't have to be money. It could be food, time, energy, to think of those who are affected."

Helping Children in Venezuela hopes the first wave of donations arrives in the country by Friday.