Le plus important en bref: Six équipes de chiens de sauvetage de REDOG composées de trois conducteurs de chien et un chef d’équipe sans chien sont en intervention à Padang. 120 personnes en tout font partie de la Chaînie suisse de sauvetage. Rapport: Ivo Cathommen avec Uma

Impressions de l'intervention
Révue de médias

 

Mercredi, 7 octobre 2009
20h00, Zurich

The Swiss Rescue Chain Corps arrived in Zurich on Wednesday, 7th October 2009 at 8.00 hours on the special flight with Swiss from Bangkok. On board were also the 27 REDOG members with 18 rescue dogs. However, the deployment in the earthquake region of Padang of the Swiss Rescue Chain has not ended. The priority now is to support the local people in regard to medical service and providing shelter for the homeless.

At the airport, the rescuers/helpers were greeted by countless dignitaries including the Indonesian Ambassadress to Switzerland and numerous friends and family. Toni Frisch, Chief of the Swiss Corps for Humanitarian Aid (SKH) dignified the deployment as an exemplary act of support for the affected population.

Fortunately none of the Corps suffered any serious injuries whilst on deployment.

Mardi, 6 octobre 2009
19h00, Bangkok

The majority of the Rescue teams has arrived in the Thai capital. Several specialists have remained in Padang to assist in supporting the reconstruction. It was good to see the Swiss-machine and its familiar crew again – they waited for us here in Bangkok. The last two days were very hectic for management; the rescuers and dog handlers were often ‘dammed’ to wait.

Everyone is taking it all very casually and is making the most of the time to recover and exchange opinions with their team members as many will only meet again on the next deployment. The depressing experiences of the deployment have already been discussed and worked through in the team. In the last days, the capacity to withstand stress was exceeded by everyone. Mutual support helped everyone be able to process the experiences and pictures.

Dog handlers will be very proud of their four legged partners. This experience has proven that the years of training have been worthwhile as under extreme conditions of this deployment, this training was able to be drawn upon. The dog handler with his faithful four-legged friend grew to be a close-knit partnership whilst on deployment. The good team spirit of the whole Swiss Rescue Chain during the last few days gave everybody the strength to again try the impossible and to accept the inevitable.

The question that we constantly pose to ourselves: “Is the whole effort of working 24/365 days of the year as a volunteer willing and ready to do ones best to saves lives  and minimise suffering, worth it?” This question will tomorrow already be superfluous.

Valuable experiences and insights gathered at this deployment will filter through into our daily life and into our training. REDOG is strengthened to continue on its path so that in future the work of the professional detection and location of victims on a volunteer basis can be warranted; wether this is for the Swiss Rescue Chain or for the needs at a disaster at home. We are ready!

The fact that in the end we were not able to save any lives was at first depressing. Nonetheless we can all be proud to have been in Padang. Tomorrow Wednesday at 8 am hours we will again be in Zurich.

Lundi, 5 octobre 2009
18h00, Padang Airport

We have arrived at the airport. Bit by bit our equipment is arriving after us and is being prepared for the flight home. The return flight is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday noon. Because the Swiss aircraft is not able to land and take off here fully tanked, we will have a stop-over in Bangkok of 9 hours. All hands on deck and effort from everyone were again needed to demobilise our base. At the airport the dogs were able to have the required rest and plenty of space for a run. And all team members had time to share their experiences. Hopefully the weather will stay dry tonight as we are sleeping out in the open.

11h00, Padang

We have just received the news that we will be relocating to the airport this afternoon. It is currently again raining heavily. Demobilising camp with wet gear. But moral is consistently good. Fortunately no team member has any serious injuries. All are doing well, our dogs included even if they are also very tired. The long waiting, the heat and humidity are causing them problems as well.

The reports from the rescue chain diminish hope of rescuing any live victims. For both dog handlers and rescuers this feeling of helplessness is very difficult to bear. In addition to fatigue and stress everyone will probably have to contend with personal despair and compassion for the family members who are watching the work.

It is an enormous burden to waver between hope and fear, as we witness how each however large rescue attempt does not bring the desired result and the survival chances diminish more and more.

Even if the rescue efforts are not crowned with the success of finding live victims, the presence of foreign rescue teams is still very important for the population. The rescuers with their search dogs and infrastructure give the population in their initial shock and grief the feeling, that they are not alone but are being supported by the solidarity from around the world.

When people see that strangers do their utmost to reduce their suffering and leave no stone unturned and with them grasp the last straw of hope, it give them strength to bear the inevitable – the loss of their loved ones.

Dimanche, 4 octobre 2009
08h00, Padang

Meanwhile in Padang heavy rain has set in. At the disaster sites the work has been suspended. The focus is on the support and assistance for the population. The appropriate specialists are working at full speed. The hopeful signs, witness statements and identified locations have not led to rescues. We simply cannot reach the victims and they are dying in front of us under the rubble. During Sunday night the signs of live are getting weaker and weaker. Nonetheless, we are experiencing enormous gratitude and support from the local population. The spirit of the Swiss Rescue Chain is very impressive. The dog handlers are deeply affected by the work.

Samedi, 3 octobre 2009
16h00, Padang

Our team of three dog handlers has now been searching for 16 hours at the Hotel Rocky. We have very good evidence from witnesses that one person is buried in the completely collapsed ground floor of the hotel. The alerts our dogs have made confirm this but our rescuers are unable to reach this person. The nerves of all the helpers are very tense.  Reports of victims found at other disaster sites keep coming in. The high humidity is hard for both dogs and people to deal with; but the team spirit is excellent. The military is assisting us in keeping the many onlookers at bay. Back at camp we will now be able to rest for a few hours – hopefully. During the  night search work of our team will continue.

08h00, Padang

Up until this morning the emergency rescue chain was unable to make any live rescues. However the dog teams were able to locate several bodies. Finding and burying their loved ones is also a great help and consolation for the relatives.

The pressure to save live victims is immense. The expectation of the population is enormous and it is very hard for them to understand that searching takes a lot of time.

Currently we are working intensively on three sites, specifically the badly destroyed school Prayoga, the Hotel Ambadjan and the Hotel Rocky as well as along streets of Padang.

Vendredi, 2 octobre 2019
19h00, Padang

The humid climate is overwhelming. The dogs struggle initially. We relocate on a minibus to a football stadium in the city centre where our base of operations is erected. Darkness set in at 6 pm. The first equipes of three dog teams each are deployed. In a school a woman with whom they have verbal contact but who is trapped, is to be rescued. During the night the rest of the dog teams will begin their work. Time presses...

14h30, Padang

La colonne de secours suisse avec des chiens de recherche supplémentaires et du matériel lourd est arrivée sur place et a immédiatement commencé les travaux de recherche. L’équipe complète restera dès aujourd’hui pour au moins deux à quatre jours dans la région sinistrée. Les 120 membres de l’équipe d’intervention ne  se compose pas uniquement des spécialistes du sauvetage du DDPS; elle se compose également de médecins et infirmiers-ières, de spécialistes pour la sécurité des bâtiments, l’approvisionnement en eau et la construction d’abris de fortune. Après la fin de l’intervention de sauvetage, une partie des experts restera sur place, afin de coordonner l’aide à la survie de la population locale.

Jeudi, 1 octobre 2009
Le soir, Zurich Airport

102 members of the Swiss Rescue Chain waiting for departure. Planned departure time is 19.30 hours. The initial excitement has died down somewhat. Ahead of us is a 10-hour flight. The dog handlers are allowed to have the dogs in the cabin with them. On short notice Swiss are making an Airbus A340 available.

Les deux conducteurs de chien sous la direction du chef d’engagement Elias Kalt, faisant partie du détachement de reconnaissance de la Chaîne suisse de sauvetage, entreront en fonction immédiatement selon leur mission. Ils visiteront les lieux avec un responsable de place sinistré de la Chaîne suisse de sauvetage et tenteront sans délai de localiser des survivants. Cela permettra à l’équipe arrivant au grand complet de procéder immédiatement aux travaux de sauvetage. Le détachement de reconnaissance a atterri à environ 05h30 heure locale.

Les équipes suivantes ont été mobilisées pour un déploiement en Indonésie: Doris Krähenbühl, Bruno Maurer, Markus Wild, Denise Wild, Katherine Fankhauser, Philippe Grosch, Sandro Galli, Isabelle Hagenbuch, Severin Kuster, Jo Näpflin, Carla De Pretto, Ivo Cathomen, Toni Hug, Sonja Hiltebrand, Tanja Aeberhard, Morena Kotay, Arielle Christe, Linda Hornisberger, Rea Wyser, Beat von Niederhäusern, Hanspeter Marending, Andreas Enzler, Antoinette Hutter, Gaspard Zbinden