Thank you, Canadians.
Posted on 09/06/2005 12:21:54 PM PDT by Clive
RICHMOND, B.C. (CP) - The Vancouver-based Urban Search and Rescue Team - the first rescue team into Louisiana and the only Canadian contingent - arrived home Tuesday 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 said the group has waited several years for an opportunity to show its skills.
"We've been waiting for this, a large deployment of the team, for almost 10 years now," said Inglis. "It happened at an appropriate time and it was a quick response. We were out the door in the time we should have been."
Inglis said the B.C. team's work was appreciated.
"You can't possibly express the joy and gratitude and relief the people in St. Bernard parish expressed at our presence."
Another team leader, Tim Armstrong, said initially there was concern for the group's safety because of escalating violence in St. Bernard parish.
"But we worked with the Louisiana state police and we had an escort at all times. We were well protected and well looked after by them," he said.
"The safety of our crew was paramount to us to make sure they weren't operating in a hostile environment."
Armstrong said the crew worked four 18-hour days and rescued 119 people in total.
The mayor of the flooded town hugged him and told him the Canadian rescuers were their first sign of relief.
Team member Sheldon Young said the violence was not in their work area.
"The violence was mainly in New Orleans where there were gunshots and we were working in co-ordination with Louisiana state troopers," said Young. "I didn't fear for my safety at all."
Their work consisted of long days, often wearing hip waders because of the flood.
The crew was up early and had to travel two hours to get to its area, followed by a long day before packing up the equipment and heading to its quarters.
But Young said the effort was worth it.
"We were the first rescue team, period, and the only Canadian rescue team," said Young. "We were there for a few days before anybody started showing up and then (Federal Emergency Management Agency) started coming in slowly and now they are there in full force."
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Bless them.
Thank You.
Thank you, Canadians.
Hail,Canada
Thank you, Canada.
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