Calif. Rescue Crews Help Hurricane Maria Victims in Puerto Rico

Sept. 24 — Fifty-four rescuers—27 each from Riverside County and Los Angeles County teams—took off from March Air Reserve Base near Riverside on Saturday for Puerto Rico, where Hurricane Maria has killed at least 10 people, including two police officers who drowned in floodwaters.

The plane lifted off at 9:03 p.m., fire officials tweeted.

"Everyone going is doing so because they want to help," said Scott Richmond, medical director for the Riverside-based team, California Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 6.

The most recent danger in Puerto Rico has been mudslides, said Robert Harris, special operations chief for the Los Angeles County Fire Department and head of the Los Angeles County group headed to Puerto Rico.

The smaller teams headed to Puerto Rico on Saturday's flight are able to rapidly respond to those and other challenges, Harris said.

He said larger teams with heavier equipment were deployed earlier.

L.A. County firefighters had also previously been sent to Mexico to help victims of that country's earthquake.

Saturday's flight was also the second team sent by Riverside County rescuers; previously, a seven-person, four-dog K-9 task force was sent to Puerto Rico in anticipation of destruction from Hurricane Irma—but then remained in the U.S. territory to help when Hurricane Maria hit.

It wasn't clear Saturday whether both Riverside County teams would meet up, Richmond said.

In preparation for the trip, both the Riverside County and the Los Angeles County teams—each comprising 27 people—have taken military classes on packing. Each team was bringing four boats with them: two inflatable and two aluminum.

Heat and dehydration will be the main health concerns for team members, said Dr. Deepak Chandwani, an emergency room doctor at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. Also on the list of worries: Zika virus, Dengue fever and rodent-carried diseases.

Among the passengers on Saturday's flight was Cane, a Belgian malinois who is trained to search for living persons, said Peter Sellus, his trainer and a Riverside city firefighter.

"Cane was rescued from a pound in Los Angeles and now he's rescuing people," Sellus said.

As of Saturday afternoon, Maria had become a Category 3 storm and is expected to stay off the East Coast of the United States.

The death toll from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was at least 10, but was expected to climb as officials from remote towns continue to check in with officials in San Juan.