Search-and-rescue volunteers from around the globe 香蕉视频直播� including the Semiahmoo Peninsula 香蕉视频直播� flocked to Turkey and Syria this month, following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake Feb. 6 that toppled countless buildings and killed tens of thousands.

Returning from a week on the ground in Adiyaman, Turkey, Norm MacLeod said the scene was one of sheer devastation.

香蕉视频直播淲e drove block after block after block, and in every direction, these large six-, seven-storey buildings were either completely demolished or tilted over,香蕉视频直播� MacLeod said Friday (Feb. 17), from his post at White Rock fire hall, where he has been deputy chief for the past three years.

Witnessing it firsthand and being part of rescue and recovery efforts is 香蕉视频直播渟omething that most of us will never experience,香蕉视频直播� the South Surrey resident continued.

香蕉视频直播淭o be there in a world-impacting event is certainly an experience that I won香蕉视频直播檛 forget.香蕉视频直播�

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MacLeod, 59, was part of a 10-person Burnaby Urban Search and Rescue team that deployed to the southeastern city of Adiyaman on the afternoon of Feb. 7, after reaching out to the Turkish consulate in Vancouver in the wake of the quake to offer support.

Within hours of being 香蕉视频直播渂oots on the ground,香蕉视频直播� the team proved its worth, assisting a Mexican dog team and a team of Turkish miners in finding and rescuing a woman who had been trapped in a collapsed building since the quake struck.

The BUSAR team香蕉视频直播檚 equipment 香蕉视频直播渉elped to confirm that there was a person in need of assistance,香蕉视频直播� MacLeod said.

While extracting the woman took five to six hours, 香蕉视频直播淚 understand she香蕉视频直播檚 doing well and on the mend.香蕉视频直播�

The story was among the positives that kept the team香蕉视频直播檚 morale up and momentum going through the week, MacLeod said.

But it did not, by far, outweigh the negatives.

香蕉视频直播淯nfortunately not,香蕉视频直播� MacLeod said. 香蕉视频直播淎s we were working, we were also doing recovery and working in areas where people were not so fortunate to get out alive.香蕉视频直播�

While there was no time to dwell on that reality during the search efforts 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播渨e were pretty much on the go right around the clock香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� MacLeod said the team does strategize to help each other 香蕉视频直播渞ecover from that exposure.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 think while we香蕉视频直播檙e working, we香蕉视频直播檙e really focused on the job and we don香蕉视频直播檛 have a lot of time to let things really sink in,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut after, in the calm, we reflect, we talk about it香蕉视频直播� really look at how that impact can affect us as firefighters.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 doing well,香蕉视频直播� he continued. 香蕉视频直播淚 felt that we had a good, solid, successful mission and we were able to meet a lot of objectives that we香蕉视频直播檇 set for the team. We were very grateful to be able to be there to help the Turkish people in their time of need.香蕉视频直播�

Part of MacLeod香蕉视频直播檚 own diffusing process, he said, involves spending time with his wife, Stacey, and his dog, Scribbles once home.

The 11-year-old chocolate lab accompanied MacLeod when the BUSAR team travelled to Nepal in 2015, after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the landlocked South Asian country, claiming the lives of an estimated 9,000 people and injuring many more. Due to her age now, however, she was not able to join the mission to Turkey.

The death toll in Turkey and Syria, as of Tuesday (Feb. 21) had reportedly surpassed 47,000. Compounded by additional quakes that struck Feb. 20, it continues to climb.

The disaster is a good reminder to be prepared for emergencies locally, MacLeod agreed. According to , everyone should plan to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours, with an organized and easy-to-locate kit.

In a disaster of the magnitude seen in Turkey and Syria, 72 hours香蕉视频直播� worth of supplies 香蕉视频直播渨ould be just scratching the surface,香蕉视频直播� MacLeod noted.

香蕉视频直播淗aving enough food and water and prescription medicine available is really, really important, and going to an area like this that was so devastating, you can really see how important that would be.香蕉视频直播�

MacLeod said he 香蕉视频直播渁bsolutely香蕉视频直播� wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 hesitate to respond to future events. As heartbreaking as they can be, they also unite people from around the globe with the common goal of helping others, while providing insight to just how strong people impacted by such events can be.

香蕉视频直播淚 have immense respect for the people of Turkey and their resiliency in being able to work through this crisis, this disaster, and continue to keep their spirits up, their strength,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 amazing.香蕉视频直播�

Fundraising to aid in the disaster efforts is ongoing. For more information, visit . To support BUSAR香蕉视频直播檚 efforts, donations may be made at