UK ISAR team visit Downing Street

Members of the Hampshire UK ISAR team meet with Sarah Brown at 10 Downing Street...

11 Feb 2010

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The wife of the British Prime Minister has hosted a tea at Downing Street to thank members of the United Kingdom International Search and Rescue team who assisted in Haiti following a devastating earthquake.

Three members of the Hampshire Urban Search and Rescue team aided in Haiti and the rest of the USAR team ran the UK ISAR coordination centre from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service headquarters in Eastleigh.

Sarah Brown hosted the tea on Monday, February 8 and afterwards took the group on a tour of Number 10, visiting the Cabinet and state rooms.

The Hampshire crew joined staff from eight other UK fire and rescue services including Greater Manchester, West Sussex, West Midlands, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Kent and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Services; all of whom travelled to Haiti.

Hampshire USAR coordinator, Group Manager Pete Crook, said:

“Haiti simply did not have the resources or infrastructure to cope with the disaster we witnessed on January 12. So when the call for assistance was made, the UK ISAR team was ready for deployment within a matter of hours. “The whole team did their best, both on the ground in Haiti, and in the Hampshire coordination centre and felt honoured that its efforts were recognised by Sarah Brown and the staff at 10 Downing Street.”

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