Japan Earthquake: LA County Search And Rescue Team Arrives In Tokyo

PACOIMA (KTLA) -- Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Urban Search and Rescue team have arrived near Tokyo, as rescue efforts to find the thousands of missing in Japan continue.

The 72 member team is made up of doctors, firefighters, engineers canine teams trained to search for victims.

They returned to the states less than a week from a mission to assist quake-ravaged New Zealand, and say they are ready for the challenges ahead in Japan.

"We're excited to help the people of Japan," rescue team member Battalion Chief Dave Stone told KTLA before the group departed on Saturday. "It could happen here in L.A. and the international community would be helping us."

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Photos by AP