Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Team Returns After Helping Rescue Earthquake Survivors in Venezuela

JUPITER, Fla. — Members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue are back home after spending eight days in Venezuela helping search for survivors following two powerful earthquakes that devastated parts of the country.

The deployment included five members of Florida Task Force 2 and their highly trained search-and-rescue dog, Piper, who worked alongside emergency teams from around the world in La Guaira.

One of the mission's most remarkable rescues involved a security guard trapped beneath an estimated 160 tons of collapsed concrete. Rescue crews worked continuously for 58 hours, rotating through 12-hour shifts while carefully digging by hand through the rubble.

According to Rescue Squad Officer Sam Adler, the final effort to reach the survivor took approximately nine hours after crews tunneled nearly 25 feet through the debris. In some places, the rescue tunnel measured just 36 inches wide.

"It's something I've never seen before and probably never will again," Adler said while reflecting on the mission.

The team's K-9 partner, Piper, also played a critical role during search operations.

"Piper is a live-find dog," said K-9 search specialist Alex Parada. "The dogs are lighter and more agile, allowing them to move across unstable debris and use their noses to locate potential survivors."

After returning home, the firefighters said one of the lasting memories wasn't just the challenging rescue—it was the gratitude shown by the Venezuelan people.

"They were so happy to see rescuers from all over the world come in to assist," Adler said.

Florida Task Force 2 is one of the nation's elite urban search and rescue teams, deploying both across the United States and internationally following major disasters.

Their efforts in Venezuela serve as another reminder of the dedication and expertise of Palm Beach County's first responders, who stand ready to help wherever they're needed.