Four Scottish firefighters join earthquake response
Warning the death toll could reach 20,000
Last updated 8th Feb 2023
Four Scottish firefighters stationed in the north east are flying to Turkey to join the rescue operation following devastating earthquakes that hit both Turkey and Syria.
The World Health Organisation's warning the death toll from Monday's disaster could reach 20,000 in the coming days.
It's feared that many people are still trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings in freezing conditions.
Turkey's president has declared a three-month state of emergency to help search and rescue teams and to help rebuild critical infrastructure.
International efforts
Watch Commander (WC) John Aitchison from SFRS Training Centre in Portlethen, Crew Commander (CC) Steven Adams, MacAlpine Road Fire Station, Dundee and firefighters Tony Armstrong and Keith Gauld from Aberdeen’s North Anderson Drive Fire Station are joining a 77-strong International Search and Rescue (UKISAR) team which is made up of firefighters and staff from 14 fire and rescue services, deployed through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
WC Aitchison and CC Steven Adams have been involved in previous search and rescue missions. They were deployed as part of a team sent to Nepal in 2015 following an earthquake near Kathmandu.
Bruce Farquharson is Deputy Assistant Chief Officer for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and UKISAR Team Manager in Scotland. He said: "The scenes in Turkey and Syria are devastating and our thoughts are firmly with the families, friends and communities who have been affected by these tragic earthquakes.
"Our team will use their specialist skills and a range of technical equipment as they join a wider collective effort in a bid to save lives and they will also be supporting other emergency service teams already in the area."