Fifteen members of the UK International Search and Rescue Team (UK ISAR) were flown by helicopter to Petit-Goave to do reconnaissance. They identified seven buildings that had been further damaged by the latest aftershock. The team cleared three of these buildings after setting up a forward command post in the local Mayor’s office.
A Polish medical team accompanied the UK team and within the last hour a second group of 15 UKISAR operatives had been dispatched by helicopter to assist with searching the remaining four buildings.
If no survivors are identified within the area the rescue work will be complete by the evening and the team will return to the Base of Operation in Port-au-Prince. The remainder of the UK ISAR team have been working close to the Base of Operations, carrying out a final sweep of the damaged buildings there.
There are around 67 members of the UK ISAR Team in Haiti which includes 12 from West Midlands Fire Service. The latest rescue efforts in Petit-Goave are being lead by the UK team and were triggered following a major aftershock earlier in the day, measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale.
West Midlands Fire Service’s Search and Rescue Team regularly leads training exercises around the world as well as being at the forefront of a number live rescue missions. Most recently, the team has been training with rescue crews in Sweden and was a key player in the rescue missions following the earthquake in Indonesia last October and the floods affecting Cumbria in the, UK last November.
Further updates will be issued when they are available.
Issued by West Midlands Fire Service’s Media Relations Office.
Regular updates on incident and other WMFS activities can be found on the media voicebank on 0871 550 0056.
