Source : Perth Now news
A team of Aussie drone operators and rescue specialists have landed in Nepal and are gearing up to enter the flood zone in an effort to help local authorities rescue and recover the people who remain missing in the wreckage.
Fifteen Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) specialists from DFAT, Queensland Fire Department and NSW Fire and Rescue landed in Tibet as part of AUS-2, a United Nations-classified International Search and Rescue Team “trained to deploy at a moment’s notice in response to disasters”.
Among the team are six specialist drone operators and four incident management specialists from Fire and Rescue NSW.
The drone teams are expected to help Nepalese authorities access areas too difficult for ground crews, map areas, locate people using thermal imaging technology and deliver live intelligence to support operational decisions.
According to Fire and Rescue NSW, the team will be “self-sufficient” and carry its own supplies.
“The team will be carrying its own food, water, medicines and tents so it does not place additional pressure on local supplies,” a spokesman said.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the floods in Nepal and those waiting for news of loved ones.”
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, FRNSW Chief Superintendent Jeremy Stubbs said the unit was comprised of members who had personal experience of the Christchurch Earthquake in 2011 and the Japanese tsunami the same year.
“It’s humbling to have our offer of this type of capability accepted,” he said.
“I think it demonstrates the relationship that Nepal has with Australia, and also the respect the Australian community has had for Nepal seeing them go through this type of disaster.”
There are still more than 5000 people missing, including 36 Australians after a devastating flood cascaded through the Nepalese-Tibetan border crossing and down through a heavily populated valley.
