04/08/2026
In late May, first responders from the Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, California, fire and rescue departments met for a grueling, 96-hour exercise, simulating a 7.9 magnitude earthquake.
Little did the teams know during that May exercise how pertinent it would be. Barely a month later, they got the call from the State Department. Two earthquakes โ a 7.2 magnitude quake near the town of Yumare, Venezuela, and another, 7.5 magnitude, seconds later โ hit on June 24 and left thousands dead or trapped under collapsed buildings.
Speed is essential for the first responders to a disaster. These elite search-and-rescue teams train carefully so they can react quickly.