Los Angeles, United States - October 30, 2025 10/30/2025 03:35 pm GMT-0700 PACOIMA, LOS ANGELES, Calif. The U.S. Department of State has activated the Los Angeles County Fire Department's elite Urban Search and Rescue Team, USA-2, to deploy to Jamaica following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. The 34-member team joined by four search dogs and 42,000 pounds of specialized equipment departs Los Angeles International Airport at 10 p.m. Thursday. Hurricane Melissa made landfall October 28 near New Hope, Jamaica, as a catastrophic Category 5 storm with winds of 185 mph, leaving widespread damage, flooding, and fatalities across Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said his team stands ready to assist. This natural disaster has caused widespread damage, hospital evacuations, and flooding across Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Turks and Caicos, and Cuba, where fatalities have already been reported, Marrone said. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected. Our USAR teams train year-round, and their ability to assemble and deploy within hours is remarkable. Their expertise is why they're considered the best of the best. He added that USA-2 is expected to remain deployed for about two weeks. I wish USA-2 Godspeed as they embark on this life-saving mission, he said. Thank you for caring about people everywhere just as you care for those in Los Angeles County. U.S. Department of State USAR Coordinator Robert Chapman said the mission comes at the request of Jamaica's government. Following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest storms ever to hit Jamaica, the United States offered our support, Chapman said. Two rapid assessment teams from Los Angeles County and Fairfax County will assess damage, provide recommendations, and rescue victims if encountered. We're grateful for our long-standing partnership with LA County and eager to get to work. Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath praised the team's readiness. Melissa is no exception, and we are ready to go, Horvath said. Just weeks ago, our firefighters completed a 72-hour exercise with partners from Virginia Beach, Taiwan, and Japan training for moments like this. It's an honor to support a trusted, world-renowned team. Among those deploying is firefighter Louis Gudiel, a K9 handler. Words of encouragement for the people of Jamaica are that we're going to help, Gudiel told Key News Network on camera. We're all highly trained to respond to any situation. Gudiel added that the team will adapt to the island's hot, humid conditions and contaminated floodwaters while alternating between live-find and human-remains detection operations.