Michael Reaves/Getty Images View of Champlain Towers South's condo building, which was partially destroyed on Saturday.SURFSIDE (Florida) The rescue teams at Surfside fill five-gallon drums with rubble and then pass it down the line. It's tedious work that continues until they are jarred. It's repetitive work until you find a Keurig coffee maker. Dino Zeljkovic is a 33-year old rescue specialist with Floridas Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. He has been working on the pile for 12 hour days since last Saturday. You realize that you aren't on a pile, but in someone's home. It's easy to find personal items you feel connected to. You start finding personal items that you feel connected to. The building was located north of Miami Beach and contained 136 apartments. About half of them were destroyed. There are more than 120 people still missing and they are believed to be among the rubble. Twenty-four bodies have been found so far by rescuers, including three children, one of whom is a 7-year-old girl who was a firefighter. Many people have been haunted by this tragedy. Many of us know someone who was in the building or was affected by the tragedy, according to Francis Suarez (mayor of the city). This is not just someone we know, but someone who is part of our fire family.Hillsborough County Fire RescueIt is difficult to comprehend any tragedy, but this one feels especially unfathomable. There is no clear villain. It took place in a few seconds, at a location many missing considered home, where they are most secure. There are many interconnected lives, families, homes, and lives that have been affected by the disappearances, both randomly and unexpectedly. Although so many people have tried to find a way to help, it has been difficult. Each day brings more hope. The search for survivors will continue. Alfredo Landeros, who lives in Surfside, stated that everyone was hurting. He has been walking near the site every day since he moved there. This kind of thing puts a shadow on our lives. While we all want to be optimistic for the obvious reasons, I also think you need to be realistic. We are already in the second week. It's hard. It's very difficult for people to be down.Michael Reaves/Getty Images View of a memorial with photos of some of those who are missing. As loved ones searched for them, the photos were placed on the fence.Marcela Gutierrez rode her bike to pay her respects to the Surfside Wall of Hope and Memorial on 88th and Harding. It is located along a tennis court. Over the course of the week, the memorial has grown as more people, including President Joe Biden (and Dr. Jill Biden), have stopped by to pay their respects. The sun shines brightly on everyone, no matter where they go. But it is hot and humid. Nearby officials announce plans to remove the tower's remains to prevent nature from taking over. Gutierrezs' family was so shaken by the fall that they have begun to scramble to relocate her mother to a safer place. She said that it is better to be safe than sorry. These people didn't have a chance. There was no chance. A haunting surveillance video captured the partial collapse of the building in terrifying detail. The middle section fell down in seconds and was followed by another section that could not stand on its own. Surfside residents compare the event to 9/11. They see the shock, confusion, dust and smoke, and the rubble that was once there. The first hours of the collapse were crucial and many survivors survived. The response was swift. To sort through the pile and find people, a 24-hour operation was set up. K-9 units were brought in to assist with the detection of people. To help with the hundreds of workers, first responders from Florida and other states were called in. The task forces were divided into seven teams Zeljkovic was in Task Force 3, many of whom had experience with previous disasters such as hurricanes and the Haiti earthquake in 2010. A Mexican contingent arrived and an Israeli rescue team arrived. However, there was some controversy about the permission of the Mexican contingent to land in the area. This led to protests by people who put up signs in support of the Mexican contingent. Engineers were called in to assess the possibility of further collapse. A rescue worker who fell 25 feet was highlighted by family members who visited the site within the first few day. They could develop PTSD from the experience. Juan Pineiro, a Coral Gables paramedic firefighter, stated that it is just as dangerous while they are on it. He was there to offer peer support for those responding to the pile. It could happen that you slip, fall through a hole or you might walk on it and not be aware of what you are getting into.Michael Reaves/Getty Images A section with photos of the missing.While the main focus has been on the pile, which is right, many survivors and families of victims and missing have been desperate for more information. There is now a family assistance center where Kosher food can be prepared and victims advocates are available. As well as GoFundMe accounts, hardship funds and GoFundMe accounts were immediately set up. Unknown numbers of people were evacuated from Champlain Towers North and the twin tower Champlain Towers North. Residents reportedly expressed concern after the collapse. Hundreds of people were evacuated from Crestview Towers, a high-rise condo building in North Miami Beach that was also found unsafe, on Friday. These people have been helped by local and national nonprofits as well as national organizations like the Red Cross. The Shul, which is the main synagogue in the area and Jewish community center, provides housing, food and supplies for dozens of families with missing and survivors. Many of them are staying in a condo across the street from the Shul, and they attend family briefings at the nearby hotel every day. They are waiting for their turn, sharing meals and distracting themselves with the pool. Lipskar said that the survivors lost everything and pointed out how difficult it can be for older people to begin over in their lives. They lost all their personal belongings, including their photo albums, furniture, and momentos. My daughter is energy. My daughter is positive. My daughter was a consoling force. My father was my hero. My mom calls me to chat about nothing for an entire hour. I don't have anyone to talk with for an entire hour. Lipskar said that I don't look at the scale. I see each family member individually. Every story is a masterpiece. The Surfside community was there to help. If they were allowed, many would have grabbed buckets and climbed up the pile. They did their best to gather friends and talk it out, offer meals, and drop yellow flowers off for missing relatives on the way home from work.Amber Jamieson/BuzzFeed News Dino Zeljkovic is a rescue specialist from Floridas Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and is involved in the search efforts.
