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Turkey

On November 12th 1999 a request was made by the Department for International Development (DflD) via London Fire Brigade Main Control for the deployment of the West Midlands Fire Service detachment of the United Kingdom Fire Service Search and Rescue Team (UKFSSART), with a field commander to respond to a 7.2 earthquake which had struck in northern Turkey on the evening of the 12th of November.

Team members were contacted via pager by the WMFS fire control and mobilised as per the procedures promulgated by Divisional Officer Steve Pearce (WMFS). Field Commander Team members were asked to respond in the first instance to Fire Control at FSHQ with personal kit and equipment. Seven team members responded to FSHQ within one hour and were ready to deploy to RAF Lynam (Wiltshire) within two hours thirty minutes after they had collected team equipment from the team store located at the Brigade Training Centre, Due to a Home Office training commitment in Geneva Switzerland, the WMFS were unable to mobilise Divisional Officer Pearce as field commander.

Due to the protracted nature of the disaster and based on the experiences of tbe teams August 1999 earthquake deployment the remaining team members were put on standby ready for mobilisation should a second response be required. At this juncture the team and team leader would like to place on record our sincere thanks to the personnel of the WMFS fire control and SDO Parr (duty officer) for the assistance afforded to the team and the professional way in which they handled the deployment along with carrying out their normal duties.

Deployment

Team personnel received notification that they would be traveling to Duzce, Turkey 150 miles east of Istanbul, via RAF Lynam in a C130 Hercules transport aircraft.
Due to the experiences of the teams deployment to the disastrous earthquake of August 17th 1999 and the perceived nature of the mission, the team elected to take all requisite equipment and personal kit for all types of eventuality so as not to place any further burden on the obviously limited resources of the Turkish people affected or the local authorities, and be totally self sufficient for a minimum period of fourteen days in the field if necessary.

The team consisted of:

Sub Officer Bob Kriesler C03 B/W Team Leader
Sub Officer John (Sean) Moore BTC Field Medic/Operations
Firefighter Rudy Parkes CO7 W/W Field Medic/Operations
Sub Officer Bob Cross 'C' Civ FS Equipment/Operations
Station Officer Eddie Allsop AO7 W/W Equipment/Operations
Firefighter Chris Bingham B02 B/W Equipment/Operations
Firefighter Chris Neil E09 B/W Equipment/Operations

On arrival at RAF Lynam the team was greeted by a member of DfID and introduced to the Field Commander SDO Ian Muir from Kent Fire Brigade and the other teams from West Sussex, Greater Manchester, Lincolnshire and Lancashire Fire Brigades. The WMFS team being the only members with experience of Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management within an earthquake scenario, and being the only team not on call to be specifically asked for by the Home Office. After a short briefing team equipment and personal kit was loaded onto the aircraft and the teams flew non stop to Izmet Military airfield and then by Royal Naval helicopter to the disaster area. Following the setting up of a base camp, area teams were deployed by the local authority crisis centre to the areas and buildings where persons were believed to be trapped or confirmed missing. Teams were deployed using Thermal Imaging Cameras, Vibraphone trapped person locators, Specialist search and rescue dogs, Medical/Trauma kits and heavy cutting/lifting gear.

The WMFS team gave aid in the following ways:

Assisted in the giving of Medical assistance
The location and rescue of trapped persons (the team located a casualty and tunnelled for seven hours before being relieved by the Finnish and the Israeli S&R teams who subsequently rescued a 37 yr old woman).
The removal of deceased casualties.
The identification of buildings containing deceased casualties.
The identification of buildings which had been cleared.
The identification of buildings previously searched.
The distribution of food aid.
Assisted the local authorities and DfID in a needs assessment.

The team was deployed for a period of six days and returned to the UK via Nice on Thursday 18 November.

Health and Safety

On arrival at the base camp and following an assessment, the UKFSSART field commander briefed all teams with regard to Health and Safety.
Following this the WMFS team leader Sub Officer Bob Kreisler reiterated the Health and Safety policy of the West Midlands Fire Service and initiated a task analysis procedure to be undertaken prior to all tasks being carried out. The team leader then placed a duty of care on all personnel with a thorough risk assessment being carried out prior to all operations. A safety officer was put in place regardless of manpower needs. At no time was an element of safety compromised or any personnel placed in any danger. This duty of care did in no way hinder the team from doing all or anything requested of them.
All tasks were completed competently and safely utilising the training previously received and equipment issued to the team by the WMFS.

Conclusion

Being specifically requested by the Home Office and DfID for deployment to Turkey for the second time in three months shows the high regard in which the WMFS is held. There is no doubt that the WMFS personnel deployed to Turkey were amongst the best trained, best equipped and highly motivated to contribute to the rescue operations by direct involvement in the search and rescue programme. The use of a non-military, uniformed disciplined service with a 'can do-will do' attitude, completely self reliant and supported by, and is the product of an organisation such as The WMFS, has further reinforced the credibility and professionalism of the West Midlands Fire Service as being at the forefront of the British Fire Service as a whole.

The prior training that the team have received allowed them to cope in the most extreme circumstances and conditions, this is a credit to the WMFS who's expense has been totally justified. The WMFS has in its possession the personnel and equipment that can be called upon at a moments notice and be confident that it can be used effectively anytime, anywhere. The training received has also benefited the WMFS by manifesting itself in the training of watch personnel in collapsed structure and confined space rescue techniques, the training and assessment of the WMFS Young Firefighters Association undergoing the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, the assistance to young people undergoing the 'Princes Trust' training, and last but not least the effective and efficient use of personnel and equipment in assisting the communities served by the West Midlands Fire Service.