Fire-fighters back safely with their families

GMFRS team members - Andy Horridge, Alex Sugden, Mike Buckley, Dave Swallow, Neal Pickersgill, Clive Geoghegan and Peter Stevenson

Following their deployment to the earthquake zone in the north and east of Japan as part of the sixty strong national UKISAR search and rescue team, the seven team members who represented Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service in trying to help the people of Japan have now returned safely home.

The team flew into Manchester International Airport on Saturday (19 March 2011) where they were warmly greeted by family, friends and workmates. The teams were also officially welcomed and thanked by Stephen O'Brien, International Development Minister and Hitoshi Noda, Deputy Head of the Embassy of Japan.

Councillor Paul Shannon, Chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “Our first thoughts are with the people of Japan, who have lost so many family members and friends and who are faced with reconstruction of their communities.

“It is an immense pleasure to see our seven team members return safety to their families.

“They should be proud of the way they have represented themselves, their profession and GMFRS in helping the people of Japan, and now deserve some well earned rest”.

During their six day deployment the teams searched large areas of the northern towns of Ofunato and Kamaishi and sadly despite extensive searches of residential and industrial properties, no survivors were found.

Pete Stevenson, Rochdale fire fighter and UKISAR Operational Leader said: “The team members who went to Japan with us have lots of experience in dealing with large scale disasters but the conditions we faced in Japan were unique. The combination of earthquakes followed by tsunamis and then freezing weather was a deadly one.

“To the public it must seem odd that we would call searching for days without finding live casualties a success.

“To explain, we have searched the ruins comprehensively, removing the doubts of the families and friends left behind that anyone remains trapped and allowing the process of reconstruction to begin.

“I hope in some small way we have helped the Japanese people we met to move forward and begin the process of rebuilding their lives and communities”.

The team was dispatched to Japan following a direct appeal from the Japanese authorities. The British Government team, including 59 UK fire service search and rescue specialists, two rescue dogs and a medical support team, joined the international relief effort in Japan.