Group of LA first responders join search efforts in Thailand after 7.7 earthquake

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A group of trained first responders made their way from Los Angeles to Thailand to lend their expertise following a massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake.

Everyone from the group are current or former members of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, but they went as private citizens under the banner of a nonprofit.

Eyewitness News spoke with Mike Leum, who organized the trip. He recently formed a nonprofit with reality star Jack Osbourne called "6:8" to offer help during international disasters. The team will be embedded with the Royal Thai Police Force in Bangkok to offer search and rescue assistance.

And the team already comes with a wealth of experience. Most of them also responded to a devastating earthquake that struck Turkey in 2023.

"Similar to Turkey, it's devastating for anybody involved - whether you're a family member or a rescue worker," he said. "We just want to reunite people with their family members, whatever that looks like."

Right after they landed, the group headed to the site of a Bangkok high-rise building under construction that collapsed during last week's earthquake.

"There are still 72 people underneath the rubble, unaccounted for. Right now, they're using heavy equipment to remove layers, and then using ground search and rescue people like us to go in and check and evaluate."

Devastated family members have been waiting and watching as rescuers sift through the debris, searching for any signs of life. It's a scene repeated across the area due to the number of buildings that crumbled.

The first 72 hours of the earthquake, known as the "golden window," is crucial to finding victims alive under the debris. After that, the chances of survival without water quickly diminish.

But the 6:8 team has seen miracles before.

"When we were in Turkey, we rescued someone after ten days," Leum said. "So, it's entirely possible that there are people alive underneath that rubble."

They expect to be there for at least a week, possibly longer if needed.

A GoFundMe page has been established for the group.