Here’s another update—seemingly the last, surprisingly—from Vancouver’s extremely and sadly underrated (by all Canadian media) Urban Search And Rescue team. This is right from their web site. Read more of my entries about them and their absolutely heroic and exemplary effort here and here.
Yet another example of how Canadians are blind to their own talent—and lacking in a superb opportunity to rightly show great Canadian pride? Yes. Another example.
September 5: St. Bernard Parish, LA (6:05 pm PDT)
We’re in the process of demobilization. The team is returning to Vancouver. Today, we worked all day again in St. Bernard Parish. It was quite an emotional day for the team. When I had to let them know that we had to return to Vancouver, they were rescuing another 25 people today for a total of 117 people overall. Emotions started to take over a bit, and the people who’ve been helping us out here were quite emotional. But everybody’s safe, and we’re looking forward to coming home. I think everybody should be proud of the job that these people have done here. The team has given about 110 per cent the whole time they’ve been here. I know I’m proud of my team and I think everybody’s looking forward to coming home and seeing their families. We’ll look forward to seeing everyone again, and thanks again for your support.(The Vancouver USAR team was scheduled to arrive back in Vancouver on Tuesday, September 6 at approximately 7 am PDT.)
– Tim Armstrong, Team Leader Vancouver Urban Search and Rescue Team
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September 4: Chalmette, LA (5 pm PDT)
The team is safe and secure. The Vancouver USAR has moved their command post into a viable fire hall in the city of Chalmette in the St. Bernard region. Chalmette has a population of about 32,000 and is the fourteenth largest city in the state of Louisiana.Tim says virtually every square inch of real estate is covered by water at this time, and the devastation is beyond comprehension.
Today, the team mobilized their search operations at 7 am CDT. As of 5 pm PDT, they had rescued 14 people. Operations were going well to that point, but the search and rescue efforts are hampered because water levels can be as deep as 10-12 feet in and around some of the homes and buildings. The heat is relentless with dehydration being a major concern for team members. Dehydration, heat exhaustion, and possible heat stroke have taken a great toll on many of the citizens here. Tim informed us that the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) task force teams had just arrived in the area, and he was working in the Emergency Operations Centre with three other task force leaders. FEMA resources are now pulling in the St. Bernard Parish region in large numbers. Vancouver USAR will coordinate rescue operations with the American task forces in the region. The team will be planning toward demobilization as the American forces move in and continue rescue and search operations. The team is equipped to be self-sufficient for a 10-day deployment period.
-Message via John McKearney, Deputy Chief Emergency Services with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, who spoke to USAR Team Leaders Tim Armstrong and Brian Inglis
Here’s a pitifully small and woefully insignificant story about what should be their heroic and celebrated arrival back home.
Canadian Press
September 6, 2005RICHMOND, B.C. (CP) – The Vancouver-based Urban Search and Rescue Team is home after completing its work in a flooded community near New Orleans.
The exhausted 46-member crew, which had gone 30 hours without sleep, met briefly with the media at Vancouver International Airport before getting on a bus and heading home for some well-deserved rest.
Team leader Brian Inglis says the group has waited several years for an opportunity to show its skills.
Another team leader, Tim Armstrong, says initially there was concern for their safety because of escalating violence in St. Bernard Parish.
Armstrong says the crew worked four 18-hour days and rescued 119 people in total.
He says the mayor of the flooded town hugged him and told him the Canadian rescuers were their first sign of relief.
Canada and its media…. what is wrong with these people?
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