Heroes’ welcome for Haiti-rescue firemen
Reporter: Janice Barker
Date published: 25 January 2010
Two local firemen returned to a heroes’ welcome from families and friends when the Greater Manchester search and rescue team landed at Manchester Airport .
Peter Stevenson (48) from Royton led the team which flew to the Haitian earthquake emergency, and also home was rescue technician Martin Foran (29), who is based at Chadderton.
But one team member was missing — Echo the rescue dog had to be taken into quarantine and left at Gatwick airport. Echo is also based at Chadderton, and Greater Manchester county fire chief Steve McGuirk is appealing to the Government to get her released.
Emotions ran high at the Radisson Hotel at Manchester Airport where the Greater Manchester and Lancashire rescue teams met up with their families and children.
Mr Stevenson, who is the deputy borough commander at Rochdale fire station, was reunited with his partner Debbie.
But his 11-year-old daughter Sophie was at a children’s party. Sophie, a pupil at Thorp Primary School, has been on local radio describing her dad as a hero.
He said: “I’m looking forward to seeing her and I’ve been hearing about her radio appearances. When you see the children of that age dead in the rubble it is really quite upsetting.
“There are mixed emotions today — you are glad to be home, but constantly thinking, ‘Could we have done more?’
“I am satisfied we have done what we could as a search and rescue team and the rest is down to humanitarian aid now.”
The team helped to rescue Mia the toddler whose image was beamed around the world as the fire-fighters pulled her from the rubble on her school and reunited her with her mother. Mr Stevenson said seeing her freed was ‘brilliant.’
He added: “There were three teams involved: Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Mid and West Wales, and all worked tirelessly to get this little girl out. It probably took two hours to make eye contact with her and when she was lifted out it was such a boost to everyone’s morale.”
Mr Stevenson has been a team member for 15 years and tackled earthquakes in Pakistan and India. But Haiti posed different challenges.
“It is so densely populated and mountainous, so the people are all on coastal areas,” he said.
“You just can’t imagine how dense the buildings are with little side streets.”
Martin Foran, crew commander at Chadderton, who lives in Haslingden, was reunited with his wife Nina and six-month-old son, Joseph.
He said: “It was my first experience overseas and it was hard leaving Joseph behind, but getting Mia out was an ecstatic moment.
“The rescue phase is over now, and we needed to make room for the people giving aid, which is sad in a way.”
County Fire Officer Steve McGuirk said: “I am absolutely delighted with the job they have all done and it has actually been a real privilege to welcome them back and see them reunited with family and friends.
“We are disappointed about Echo, because she is a rescue dog for the whole of the UK and we will be having discussions with Government, as search and rescue dog rules over Europe are different.”
