MIAMI — The Tampa-based Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, a veteran-led and donor-funded nonprofit organization, had a team in northern Venezuela on Saturday.

The team traveled with Tampa Fire Rescue personnel on Friday to help victims of the devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck late Wednesday.

“We’re setting conditions for maritime operations, air operations, urban rescue operations, and humanitarian aid operations as we focus on search and rescue, evacuating American citizens, and bringing in as much aid as possible,” a spokesperson for the nonprofit wrote on X late Friday night.

Bryan Stern, who served in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy, founded the nonprofit organization in 2024 and helped María Corina Machado leave Venezuela so she could accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.

“Whole neighborhoods are flattened and pancaked,” Stern told CNN on Friday night.

During the interview, Stern asked the public to donate to his foundation. He said there were “a lot” of people trapped in the rubble.

“There’s probably more buildings pancaked than Venezuela has firefighters,” Stern told CNN.

For more information on how to contribute to Stern’s foundation, visit this page.

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SHARE THIS & GET THE WORD OUT: The Grey Bull Rescue team is forward deployed in response to the back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela with Tampa Fire Rescue SAR.

We’re setting conditions for maritime operations, air operations, urban rescue operations, and humanitarian aid… pic.twitter.com/KMcIfSC3Lu
— Grey Bull Rescue (@greybullrescue) June 27, 2026

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