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United Kingdom Fire Service Search and Rescue TeamThe West Midlands Fire Service plays an active role as a member of the United Kingdom Search and Rescue Team. HistoryIn 1993 the Home Office sent out a request for volunteers to form an International Search and Rescue team. Historically the Fire Service has regularly been involved in rendering assistance to other nations in times of crisis and disaster. Their help would be in the form of rescue work ie rescuing people from collapsed buildings following earthquakes as in Mexico, or in the form of Humanitarian aid such as for the Kurds in Northern Iraq following the Gulf War, or more recently from the floods in Mozambique. This is a tradition that the Fire Service can justifiably be proud of, and in particular the West Midlands Fire Service who have always been prominent in this area. Following the tremendous success of all the Aid agencies in Iraq, Lynda Chalker, who at the time was the Minister for Overseas Development, proposed the setting up of a centrally organised and controlled International Disaster/Relief organisation to be administered by the "Overseas Development Administration (ODA)". Various Civil Organisations having suitable skills, facilities and abilities were approached and asked to provide volunteer teams, equipped and trained, who could at a moments notice be mobilized to respond to a disaster in any part of the world. Amongst these organisations is the Fire Service, with its training, discipline and personal qualities which are ideal for these types of situations. It is to this end that the request for volunteers went out to Brigade personnel. 18 individuals were originally selected forming the teams from the vast response to the advertisement from our Chief Fire Officer. Three teams of six each consisting of one Team Leader and five operators were to provide 24 hour standby cover for four months of the year on a rota basis. This has now been reduced to two teams of six covering six months each. The training is a massive undertaking, how do you prepare for any eventuality?Training the two teams has been, and still is a process of arranging a continuous stream of exercises, courses, lectures and training days, a process that will obviously be endless to ensure that we are as well prepared as possible for any of the tasks we may be given. Each team now has a Medic qualified to EMT level, drivers trained in off road techniques, Advanced Rescue Equipment trained personnel, linguists able to communicate in various languages, Rope Rescue operators, builders, water purification and sanitation advisors and so on. One of the highlights of the first year, was the Helicopter Training day, courtesy of the RAF a very enjoyable as well as an informative day. All team members have inoculations, covering the basic Hepatitis A and B, to the more not so well known diseases such as Rabies and Japanese Encephalitis, and just about any other disease known to mankind. Team StructureField Commander
We are often asked exactly what it is that we do and how we see our potential role, so here to set the record straight are the answers to the most common questions asked. What Skills Do We Have?Each of the two teams consists of a Team Leader and five operators, who combined would have the following specialist skills:
In addition all team members are trained and qualified in first aid and rescue techniques, line rescue, heavy rescue equipment, map reading, basic survival, helicopter safety and propping and shoring methods. What Is Our Role?Although we are first and foremost a search and rescue set up, intended to use the skills borne from our Fire Service experience and training to help in large scale rescue operations, we also assist Humanitarian Aid agencies. For instance, helping the medical teams and nutritionists with health and feeding projects, engineers in shelter provision and water supplies, technicians in setting up communications etc. All of these are vital to alleviate the suffering of a population already devastated by disaster, and in danger of suffering further casualties, due to the breakdown of essential services and supplies. What Equipment Do We Have?One of the most important aspects is that the teams must be self sufficient as the host Nation will have enough problems without having to feed and provide for other countries' relief workers, to this end each team is equipped with supplies to enable them to survive for two weeks, after which a new relief team would take over. In this way, continuous support can be rendered uninterrupted for many months. Each team member is issued with a comprehensive compliment of personal equipment which has to be packed and ready to go at a moments notice. Equipping the teams with clothing to suit any climate was a major task, but each team member can now boast of over £800 of protective clothing, enabling them to function in any environment, from extreme cold to tropical heat. Each member has his own pager, so that he may be contacted 24 hours a day. Our rescue tools and heavy plant are centrally located, and packed in cargo crates ready for immediate deployment. We also have two Land Rovers standing by for immediate use. What Training Do We Have?This is probably the biggest problem we face, how do you prepare for any role we may be tasked for? Here is a small sample of our training so far:
In order to assess each individuals ability to be effective in the arduous conditions that we may be committed, each member has to undergo an annual "Fitness For Role Assessment". In addition to this we train continually with other U.K. teams, not only in this country but in Paraguay and Sweden. What Have The Teams Been Involved In So Far?Several members of the team were part of the contingent sent to help in Kurdistan following the Iraq war. Their main role being to assist the engineers with water supplies and sanitation, and with the feeding of the refugees. In August 1999 both teams were involved in the earthquake disaster of Turkey. Then just over two months later, Turkey saw their second major earthquake, resulting in one team being sent back out there.
September saw a two man team join other U.K. teams out in Macedonia, this was to help staff at Scopie airport help unload urgent medical supplies and food, for the displaced people of the former Yugoslavia. Both teams have been out on a number of occasions to Romania, this has involved taking out fire engines, breathing apparatus sets and other firefighting equipment. We have also given training to the local firemen in the use breathing apparatus, and road traffic accident training. A number of the team have and still are giving up their free time to help refurbish a childrens orphanage in Romania. Other UK teams have been out to Monserrat, Mozambique and Rwanda. Are We Paid Extra?No (unfortunately). All members of the team are volunteers and commit much of their own time to the training and administrative work necessary.
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