SURFSIDE, FLA. (WSVN) - As the search for survivors in the partial collapse of a condominium building in Surfside enters its fifth day, first responders have brought in a specially trained group to sniff through the rubble.
Among the elite teams of first responders sifting through the debris of 12 collapsed floors at Champlain Towers’ South condo is Broward Sheriff’s Office Battalion Chief Nichole Notte and her rescue K-9, named Dig.
The two of them are working relentlessly to try to bring a survivor to safety.
Then there is Oreo. The Pomeranian husky, or “Pomsky,” has been on the site of the collapse since Friday.
“She can search by scent, or she can just search by leading people,” said Oreo’s handler, Moises Soffer.
Oreo, a highly trained dog flown in from Mexico, is set to sniff out anyone who might be alive in the debris.
An advantage the dog has in this situation, Soffer said, is a smaller size.
“She can go wherever she wants. That’s one of the things of the size. That’s why I like it very much, is that she can go into voids where big dogs don’t go,” said Soffer.
7News cameras captured the almost 2-year-old dog taking a moment to rest.
Oreo and Soffer have worked around the clock, like so many others, to find signs of survivors.
“Normally we can work for five to six hours in 20- to 25-minute intervals. Here we are trying to make it early in the morning or later in the day,” said Soffer.
When asked how long they plan to stay on site, Soffer replied, “Until we are done.”
The Mexican team said they’re not allowed to say whether or not they’ve picked up a scent in the rubble, but they’re committed to staying at the site until they do.
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