Search-and-rescue volunteers from around the globe 害羞草研究所� including the Semiahmoo Peninsula 害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淲e drove block after block after block, and in every direction, these large six-, seven-storey buildings were either completely demolished or tilted over,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渟omething that most of us will never experience,害羞草研究所� the South Surrey resident continued.

害羞草研究所淭o be there in a world-impacting event is certainly an experience that I won害羞草研究所檛 forget.害羞草研究所�

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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 害羞草研究所渂oots on the ground,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 equipment 害羞草研究所渉elped to confirm that there was a person in need of assistance,害羞草研究所� MacLeod said.

While extracting the woman took five to six hours, 害羞草研究所淚 understand she害羞草研究所檚 doing well and on the mend.害羞草研究所�

The story was among the positives that kept the team害羞草研究所檚 morale up and momentum going through the week, MacLeod said.

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

害羞草研究所淯nfortunately not,害羞草研究所� MacLeod said. 害羞草研究所淎s we were working, we were also doing recovery and working in areas where people were not so fortunate to get out alive.害羞草研究所�

While there was no time to dwell on that reality during the search efforts 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渨e were pretty much on the go right around the clock害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� MacLeod said the team does strategize to help each other 害羞草研究所渞ecover from that exposure.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 think while we害羞草研究所檙e working, we害羞草研究所檙e really focused on the job and we don害羞草研究所檛 have a lot of time to let things really sink in,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut after, in the calm, we reflect, we talk about it害羞草研究所� really look at how that impact can affect us as firefighters.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 doing well,害羞草研究所� he continued. 害羞草研究所淚 felt that we had a good, solid, successful mission and we were able to meet a lot of objectives that we害羞草研究所檇 set for the team. We were very grateful to be able to be there to help the Turkish people in their time of need.害羞草研究所�

Part of MacLeod害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所� worth of supplies 害羞草研究所渨ould be just scratching the surface,害羞草研究所� MacLeod noted.

害羞草研究所淗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.害羞草研究所�

MacLeod said he 害羞草研究所渁bsolutely害羞草研究所� wouldn害羞草研究所檛 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.

害羞草研究所淚 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,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 amazing.害羞草研究所�

Fundraising to aid in the disaster efforts is ongoing. For more information, visit . To support BUSAR害羞草研究所檚 efforts, donations may be made at