Blog - ISAR

If you have been following Malcolm's blogs, you may be interested in a programme that was broadcast by Channel 5 earlier in the week: http://www.channel5.com/shows/tsunami-british-search-rescue/episodes/tsunami-british-search-rescue

Moved to the hangar where we were processed through a customs desk and then waited a few hours before boarding the DFID chartered flight with Swiss and German rescuers, about 15 dogs, and several civilians. With the aircraft no doubt near its limit for weight, it was nice to get...

An uneventful day, knowing that our flights are tomorrow morning. Eating, doing admin, team debriefings and sleeping. Stayed up through the night, knowing that my body clock is about to be unceremoniously reset again and that we'd be woken at 0230hrs to move to the departure hangar.

Another early start. Kit and boots still damp and now 2-3 inches of snow on the ground but the day looking bright. After team briefings we headed off to another area of Kamaishi. Some unrecognised genius had managed to swap our school buses for coaches which made the transit much...

Up just before 0500hrs. The main aim is to get as much work done during the daylight hours as possible. In New Zealand we worked 24/7 with different shifts, here the pattern is different with everyone out to cover wide search areas during the day when visibility is good. Of...

We have limited communications now and can't watch the news but gather there's lots of bad things happening with the nuclear power stations. I'm wearing a dosimeter which, I'm happy to report, has shown no radiation so far. Back to the BOO and a tidy up, although there are no...

Up at 0430hrs after about 3 hours sleep but felt quite refreshed. Had breakfast in the mess hall and then packed up and off to the hanger where we arrived last night. The plan was to move South to Ofinato on the coast where, we're told, a town of 40...

Luckily, the call didn't come in the night so it meant that a. we did spend our family evening together and b. I got a decent sleep. Still slightly on New Zealand time, I woke early thinking that having not been called through the night, perhaps things were not quite...

Arrived back in the UK on Tuesday evening from the New Zealand earthquake. Drove to Dunsfold on Tuesday morning for our two Clinical Governance days. Quite a lot of flying on Wednesday. Drove home that night and still feeling jet-lagged. Early night. This morning I was up early to do...

Packed up camp today and, not leaving until this evening, drank a lot of tea. The end of the day began the start of what turned into a 36 hour journey home with an unplanned diversion of our plane to Hawaii (my fault) after an elderly gentlemen became very poorly...

Our last day before leaving and we had a day at a local Maori Marae (spiritual home). We weren't sure what to expect but had been told no mobile phones and no hats - that was about it. We arrived at the Marae which was close in appearance to a...

Today was spent on a trip out of the city, up in Hanmer. Strange to see ordinary people and a lack of helmets, respirators and protective suits! We were taken by coach and various team members took part in bungee-jumping, jet boating and visiting a vineyard. A lot of letting...