WATCH: A team from B.C. is heading to Nepal in the next few hours with the specific task of searching for survivors. Jeremy Hunka has the story.
As the Nepalese community in British Columbia continues to desperately search for any information about loved ones back home following Saturday’s massive earthquake, firefighters in this province are preparing to fly to Kathmandu to assist with rescue operations.
“We’re hoping for a rescue. Obviously there will be recovery that goes along with it…but our intention is there to get the live scent and get those people out as soon as we can,” says Larry Watkinson, Fire Chief for the city of Mission.
“It’s emotional. We obviously know that people are right now under rubble, and they have a limited timeframe to get rescued, we want to go get them as soon as possible.”
He’s heading to Nepal with 17 other Metro Vancouver firefighters as part of a Canadian Medical Assistance Team that leaves YVR tonight. The group also includes a paramedic and two doctors to attend to injured people, and three dogs that will be tasked with searching for people in the rubble.
“Our dogs are specifically trained to deal with disasters, working on rubble piles with their handlers to identify live scents,” says Watkinson.
“They bark and indicate a scent they’re familiar with.”
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Watkinson’s group is one of several Canadian contingents that will be assisting in Nepal. The Canadian government is sending a disaster assessment team to the country and is contributing $5 million to relief efforts, Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson’s office said late Saturday. CARE Canada, a non-profit disaster relief charity, said Sunday that emergency specialists from across the world – including a Canadian – were on their way to Nepal, adding that CARE has more than 150 staff already in Nepal.
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Vancouver’s Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team is on standby, ready to lend their assistance if needed.
“We’re all standing by and wanting to help,” says Brian Godlonton, deputy chief for Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.
“Our cache of equipment is ready to go as we speak, so we’re just waiting for the call.”
Retired Burnaby firefighter Eoin White won’t be among those going, but he’s hoping to help from home anyway he can – and urges others to do the same.
READ MORE: How Canadians can help the victims of the Nepal earthquake
“There’s no other nationality that can go to Nepal that’s as well-received and respected as Canadians. Canadians are kind, Canadians are generous,” he said.
“Anything we can do as a nation to help these people will be a great benefit and be appreciated for their entire lives.”
Help needed, communication sparse
The sheer scale of the needed recovery effort is staggering, as Nepal begins rebuilding after the worst earthquake to hit the country in more than 80 years. More than 2,500 people are confirmed dead, and its impact spread far beyond the Kathmandu Valley. Strong aftershocks were still being felt Sunday, including one with a magnitude of 6.7.
In a small country with little wealth, where many buildings are poorly built or centuries old, the extent of damage is immense.
“There are no building codes. There are no building inspectors. Many of these brick buildings are put together seemingly without mortar. They can be five, six centuries old, and are just ready to crumble,” says White.
“It’s a rudderless ship. If there was ever a time or a country that needed help, it was before this happened.”
White has organized dozens of trips to Nepal for British Columbians eager to explore the country, and employs several Sherpas at Mt. Everest. He’s tried to get in contact with them in the last two days – but all attempts have been unsuccessful.
“If you’ve ever been to a third-world country, the telephone poles look like a rat’s nest. It would only take one or two buildings to knock out all communications. I’ve sent out dozens of emails, text messages and phone calls, and it doesn’t even ring through to the country,” he says.
White is among the many Canadians desperately searching for information. There are at least 388 Canadians registered in Nepal, and chances are virtually all of them have had loved ones try and contact them in the last two days.
Among them is Mike Magee, chief of staff for Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. His son Aedan was near the epicentre of the earthquake at Pokhara as part of a school group, but managed to escape unharmed.
“Thankfully, we knew pretty much right away that Aedan was going to be okay,” he said.
“I’m pretty anxious to see him and have him home and know that he’s okay. But he’s got a lot of leadership skills and I know he’s probably going to want to stay and help if he can.”
Raymond Sartor is another father who received a welcome message this weekend. His son Dylan, a UBC student, was at Mount Everest’s base camp when the earthquake triggered a deadly avalanche.
“He’s just basically saying he’s alive and he’s happy, and he’s hungry,” said Raymond.
“The concern is he’s not back yet. He seems to be out of harm’s way…It’s a horrendous mess, and they do not have the means to help like we do.”
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Other Canadian families are still waiting.
“We were expecting avoiding communication for a few days because she was trekking…but obviously we’re encountering an additional barrier with the earthquake and the aftershocks.
“We’re in the dark. We have no idea what’s going on, how she’s been affected by it.”
– With files from The Canadian Press
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