After the deadly mudslide in Montecito occurred last Tuesday morning, Fillmore’s Engine 91 was requested to be part of a mix strike team along with Federal Fire, Ventura City Fire, Oxnard Fire, and Santa Paula Fire. Fillmore Fire Fighters Claire Morgan and Jordan Castro (pictured above) were up to their thighs in mud outside a home in the Montecito area.

As of Sunday, January 14th reports were 20 dead and 3 missing. Officials have transitioned from search and rescue mode to search and recovery mode. Large amounts of mud, rock and debris were making search and recovery efforts difficult.

Fillmore Fire Fighters looking over a map of the Montecito Mudslide area, where they were assisting with search and rescue/recovery mode last week.

(l-r) Captain Bob Thompson, fire fighters Claire Morgan and Jordan Castro of the Fillmore Fire Department. The team spent 8 day together working on rescue efforts looking for victims as well as searching through debris, houses and the beach as part of a mixed strike team combined with other fire departments.