Los Angeles County K-9 teams reunite with their fire family after helping out in Texas

(The Center Square) — Los Angeles County Fire Department K-9 teams returned home Sunday morning after an 18-day search-and-rescue mission to Texas to help in the aftermath of the catastrophic Independence Day flooding.

The teams left for central Texas on July 9 after California Gov. Newsom announced the deployment of 18 urban search-and-rescue team members from fire departments in Los Angeles and Orange counties and the cities of Riverside and Menlo Park.

The mission was physically demanding, with conditions almost costing one dog’s life.

The members are in addition to the nine members deployed July 7 from the cities of Riverside and Oakland.

The fire and K-9 teams helped with search-and-recovery efforts in the areas worst hit by the flood. The dogs were helping teams search for remaining victims, with dozens still not found.

At least 135 people have been confirmed dead.

Los Angeles County members included Capt. Cenlina Serrano and a K-9 named Prentiss, firefighter paramedic Jonathan Munguia and a K-9 called Clifford, and search team manager Capt. Michael Devine.

All the members made it back home, with Prentiss bringing back scars from an emergency surgery after being diagnosed with gastric dilation and volvulus – a life-threatening condition in dogs where the stomach fills with gas, fluid or food, then twists on itself.

Crew members said the weather posed a challenge to the teams because they had never been to Texas and were greeted with unfamiliar heat and humidity, according to ABC 7.

Crew members added that the dog's schedules had to be rearranged due to the weather to make sure the animals had enough energy to last the whole day.