Firefighters join rescue efforts in Armenia
Eight firefighters had a closer look than most at the devastation in Soviet Armenia; they comprised a team that assisted in rescue efforts there.
The team, organized through the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Citizen Ambassador Program of People to People International, was in the earthquake region for nine days in December. Although designated as a special emergency management advisory team, the members performed rescue work, such as searching for bodies.
Team members described a scene of total ruin: rows of 10-story apartment buildings had become one-story piles of rubble; literally thousands of coffins lined the streets; tools were scarce; and sub-zero temperatures and snow complicated rescue efforts.
“Everything was totally destroyed,” said Douglas Pollington, a retired chief and former IAFC president. “At the site there was no heat or light, and little or no food. The temperature never went above freezing, which was very bad for the rescue workers, but bodies were being preserved by the cold.”
“It was a significantly emotional event,” said Robert Weber, chief of the Dike Havasu City (Arizona) Fire Department. “There was snow, cold, and a lot of devastation.”
In addition to chiefs Weber and Pollington, the team included: Lieutenant Thomas Carr, Montgomery County (Maryland) Fire and Rescue Services; Chief William Brown, Cambridge, Ontario Fire Department; Battalion Chief Michael McGroaty, LaHabra (California) Fire Department; Division Chief Larry Greene, Fullerton (California) Fire Department; and Captain Richard Williams and Paramedic Larry Killen of the Prince George’s County (Maryland) Fire Department. Team members were chosen based on their expertise in disaster management; some spoke Russian or had special knowledge of Soviet Armenia.
