Nevada team aiding in search

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005 | 10:07 a.m.

The 70 firefighters, rescue workers, doctors and structural engineers of Nevada Task Force-1 expected to begin search and recovery operations in New Orleans today.

The Las Vegas-based team, which left Las Vegas on Wednesday for the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast but had been training in Dallas, has been given its assignments and was to begin work this morning, officials said.

The team included Metro Police search-and-rescue specialists, who are handling four dogs trained to sniff out victims, and structural engineers to rescue survivors still buried in debris.

Back in Las Vegas, more than 100 police officers from Las Vegas, Reno, Douglas County, Elko and the Nevada Highway Patrol were still on standby Monday.

Metro Police Lt. Joe Ojeda said that the officers were waiting for Federal Emergency Management Agency "direction and invitation" to join the law enforcement efforts in the devastated areas of the Southeast.

The team included 30 Metro Police officers, eight Henderson Police officers and eight from North Las Vegas Police.

The officers are expected to spend three weeks on the Gulf Coast. In addition to law enforcement equipment, they are taking tents for shelter and enough food, water and other supplies to sustain them for the trip, Ojeda said.

Meanwhile, Southern Nevadans continue to contribute money for relief efforts.

The Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross has been "overwhelmed" by the generosity of Las Vegas residents, the organization said in a news released on Monday.

The local chapter is unable to accept food, clothing, furniture, blankets or toys because it cannot sort, package and ship the items to the affected area, the Red Cross said.