Miami Fire Rescue team members help rescue Venezuela earthquake victim trapped under rubble for 8 days
An urban search and rescue team from South Florida assisted with the miraculous rescue of a man who had been trapped for eight days under the rubble of a collapsed building after catastrophic and deadly earthquakes in Venezuela.
The USAR Florida Task Force 2 (FL-TF2) team, which is comprised of fire departments from South Florida and is led by the City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue, was able to collaborate with international teams to help rescue Hernán Alberto Flores Gil more than a week after he became trapped, according to information provided by the City of Miami.
"Today, all of Miami has a reason to be proud," Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins said in a news release on Thursday.
According to officials, the FL-TF2 team worked around the clock for 53 hours, standing shoulder to shoulder with international crews, and utilized their extensive knowledge and high-tech equipment to free Flores Gil from beneath the rubble.
"On behalf of the City of Miami, I want to thank every member of Miami Fire Rescue and the entire South Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team for representing our city and our country," Higgins continued. "You have shown the world what Miami stands for – courage in the face of adversity, service above self, and an unwavering commitment to saving lives wherever help is needed."
Miami officials said FL-TF2 deployed 80 highly trined personnel comprised of municipalities across South Florida, and they united for one mission – to provide hope and to help those affected by the disaster.
"I am also deeply grateful to every rescue team that stood shoulder to shoulder in this extraordinary effort," Higgins said. "This rescue is a testament to what humanity can accomplish when we work together."
Higgins went on to say that her thoughts remained with Hernán Alberto Flores Gil as he begins his road to recovery, and with the thousands of people who have been impacted by the back-to-back earthquakes at the end of June.