John Holland talks about RAPID UK's search and rescue operations in Pakistan in 2005
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Be it floods in the UK or an earthquake in Haiti, RAPID UK’s volunteer search and rescue experts respond immediately whenever and wherever their expertise is required. As well as it’s work throughout the IK, since it was established in 1996 RAPID UK has deployed volunteer teams on 22 operational search and rescue missions in response to some of the world’s most devastating disasters including to Iran, Indonesia, Haiti, Peru, Turkey and Pakistan.
The majority of RAPID UK’s effort is its mitigation work in disaster-prone, often developing countries. RAPID UK has deployed 64 training teams to educate government agencies and vulnerable communities how to respond and take action in crisis. Helping to develop local resilience and capacity saves more lives in the long term and accelerates a country’s recovery following a disaster.
RAPID UK prides itself on the speed of its response and on the fact that since it’s foundation in 1996, it has been available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Its members, who are from around the UK, willingly volunteer their time to train and deploy on emergency response and training missions.
RAPID UK relies solely on public donations in order to enable it to provide the response, assistance or training wherever and whenever it is needed.
RAPID UK are monitoring the situation in Indonesia after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra at 1837 GMT, the middle of the night local time. Early indications suggest limited damage, but the team are ready to respond should the Indonesian Government request assistance. A RAPID UK team experienced and trained search and rescue volunteers deployed to Sumatra in October 2009 following an earthquake which struck the Padang region.
Our online donations facility is currently offline, however there are various ways in which you can help RAPID UK;
for example by cheque payable to RAPID UK and sent to RAPID UK, Unit 1, Norton’s Piece, Bristol Road, Gloucester, GL2 4RF.