California firefighters alerted for possible rescue mission in Nepal

A team of California firefighters has been alerted and prepared Saturday for possible deployment to Nepal on rescue mission after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake killed over 1,400 people.

Though no order has been issued, "everybody is grabbing their gear," said Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Brian Jordan. "It (the notification) just means to stand by."

Jordan said the California Task Force Two team is preparing for the possible deployment at the county fire's Urban Search and Rescue Headquarters in the San Fernando Valley.

The team has about 65 firefighters, mostly from Los Angeles County, with at least one rescue dog handler from Santa Barbara County, said a Los Angeles County Fire dispatcher.

"It takes several hours to get ready to get deployed," local media quoted the authority as saying.

A similar crew from Fairfax County, Virginia, has also been alerted to get ready to move, local media reported.