Moroccan earthquake: Earthquake job extremely difficult – firefighters

A team of firefighters from the UK went to Morocco to help after an earthquake. They said it was one of the hardest things they had ever done.

On September 8th, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6. 8 hit and caused the death of over 2,900 people. Additionally, more than 5,000 individuals were injured.

Four firefighters from Lincolnshire and a rescue dog were part of a team in the UK that searches and rescues people in emergencies.

Neil Woodmansey, a member of the team, said that it was a reminder of the facts for everyone involved.

Mr Woodmansey, along with his dog Colin and his colleagues Karl Keuneke, Darren Burchnall, and Ben Clarke, joined a team of 60 firefighters from 14 fire services in the UK.

The firefighter, who lives in Sleaford, has been helping rescue people in other countries for over 20 years. They said it was still a very important moment when they received the call.

“One moment, it’s a Saturday morning and you have your plans – I was going to Lincoln to have some drinks – and suddenly, you’re quickly packing your bags and flying off to Morocco to try and support and aid the people there,” he explained.

When we arrived, we went up the mountains and it was very hard.
‘Everything taken away’ can be rewritten as ‘Everything has been removed’ or ‘Everything has been taken. ‘

The middle point of the shaking was in the High Atlas Mountains, around 44 miles (71km) away from Marrakesh. The places that got hit the hardest were faraway villages and towns.

Mr Burchnall said it would take around five hours to get to the villages that were affected because the roads were blocked and the mountain paths were very narrow. Additionally, their efforts to reach faraway places were hindered by aftershocks.

Mr Woodmansey said that it was both thrilling and frightening.

“He said that Colin simply lay down and fell asleep, but the rest of us were somewhat anxious,” he said.
Mr Clarke, who works at Sleaford fire station, said the thing that affected him the most was how big the disaster was.

“In my job as a firefighter, we usually handle smaller emergencies like a house fire or a car accident. So going from that to dealing with a whole town, village, or even a larger area like a city or an entire country affected by an earthquake, it was one of the most impactful experiences for me personally, and I will always remember it. ”

Mr Keuneke, who usually works at Lincoln South fire station, said that many families have lost everything. This includes their houses and loved ones.

“We are accustomed to encountering individuals during their most difficult moments. However, witnessing it on such a large level was completely unique compared to anything I have previously encountered. ”

Mr Woodmansey said that the experience made him realize the truth and made him value what he already has.