Lincolnshire firefighters reflect on their efforts in devastated villages in Morocco
Four Lincolnshire firefighters and search and rescue dog, Colin, have now returned from supporting search and rescue efforts in Morocco, following the magnitude-6.8 earthquake which hit the area
2 weeks on from the devastating earthquake that struck western Morocco and we're hearing from the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue crew that have been out there.
Four firefighters from Lincolnshire joined the UK International Search and Rescue Team - helping with search efforts and giving medical assistance.
During their time with the UK International Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) team, Ben Clarke, Darren Burchnall, Karl Keuneke and Neil Woodmansey aided search efforts and provided medical and practical assistance – predominantly to remote villages in the Atlas mountains.
Neil Woodmansey tells us what he'll remember from the deployment:
"It stick in your mind that these people, I mean, I can't even imagine the terror they've been through, yet they're just so pleased to see you and so welcoming. It's really humbling to be honest, it's a real humbling experience, and it definitely makes you appreciate what you've got back home.
"One thing I always think when we come back is just the aid to these countries, it isn't over, it's kind of just starting for these countries. It's almost like a survivor's guilt, just if we can send aid out, if we can help them rebuild - to me, we can all make a difference."
UK ISAR deployed a team of 62 personnel from 14 fire and rescue services, and four live scent search dogs on 10 September.
The team faced long drives on tracks to reach far-spread villages, often having to re-route around landslides. Aftershocks also hampered efforts to get to remote locations.
Many villagers they helped, had injured limbs, serious wounds, or were suffering with dehydration, and had had no medical care since the earthquake. Others, including an elderly man, hadn’t been able to get to their homes or travel away from wreckage for help.
Darren Burchnall told us what the environment was like when they were there:
"We landed at night-time and then we travelled to our base of operations, so it wasn't until the morning when we first went out to a work site that we saw the devastation, so we travelled through a few towns where there was a few houses just down, but i's when you got to the villages in the mountains that it was just total devastation.
"You'd sort of look out to the left, you'd get a really nice view over the mountains and it could almost be picturesque on holiday but obviously, you'd turn to the right and it would just be devastation, like very house was down and just people everywhere trying to find their family and just people living in tents that have obviously got nothing at all."
Cllr Lindsey Cawrey, executive councillor for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said:
“I’m very proud that once again our fire and rescue service has been able to assist international communities who have lost so much in a devastating natural disaster. “
Lincolnshire’s Chief Fire Officer, Mark Baxter, said:
“As part of UK ISAR, our firefighters undergo specialist training and learning to be able to help save lives and support operations in the most challenging of conditions.”