Fire Officer in Armenia earthquake exercise

The Greater Manchester Fire Service's Search and Rescue Team in Pakistan in 2005

A United Nations earthquake exercise took place in the capital city of Armenia, Yerevan, last week and Rochdale fire fighter Peter Stevenson attended as the UK’s International Search and Rescue’s representative.

Mr Stevenson, who is the Deputy Borough Commander of Rochdale, is one of the UK’s three international team leaders and is on stand by to attend any humanitarian disaster that occurs in the world.

Mr Stevenson responded to the Pakistan earthquake in October 2005 in which 27 rescues were carried out by the international search and rescue teams.

The UN exercise was attended by representatives from 30 countries including Columbia, Brazil, Spain, Germany and others that provide a Search and rescue capability during times of crisis when a country suffers a catastrophic earthquake.
Mr Stevenson's attendance was fully funded by the Department for International Development which is the UK Government's ministerial office that deals with humanitarian assistance for overseas countries.

Armenia is a country that is particularly prone to natural disasters and an earthquake strikes once every ten years on average.

Mr Stevenson said: “The UN exercise provided a valuable opportunity for all Nations to come together and practise the emergency response to an earthquake scenario. The exercise involved all levels of emergency response within Armenia from the Armenia Rescue Service right up to Government level in order to test the host countries response to a disaster in addition to being assisted by responding International Teams.”

Mr Stevenson is also in Command of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services International Search and Rescue Team that provide an overseas response for search and rescue in earthquake situations.

Following the teams response to the Pakistani earthquake much progress has been made with the local Pakistani communities within Rochdale whereby vital risk reduction activities have been implemented in what has previously been a difficult to reach group within the local communities.

Mr Stevenson said: “The response to the Pakistan earthquake has proven to reap fantastic rewards within the Rochdale Borough due to the admiration and respect afforded to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and the benefits continue to accrue some three years following the Pakistan earthquake.”