Three firefighters from the Brigade recently returned from training agencies in Malawi, where they were deployed to help local first responders be better prepared to tackle flood emergencies. Two of the firefighters had previously been deployed to the country in 2023 as part of the UK’s International Search and Rescue Team (ISAR), after Cyclone Freddy devastated the southern African country.
The team spent a fortnight training Malawians in various response and rescue techniques, which included:
Amongst the London team was Station Officer Alastair Hislop, an experienced ISAR technician who has spent 20 years on the team and is a trained paramedic. He worked alongside Station Commander (SC) Ian Simpson, who is the Brigade’s UK ISAR co-ordinator. Both went to Bangula in the south of Malawi two years ago, to help with the rescue effort following the cyclone. On this deployment, Leading Firefighter (LFF) Sarah Mimnagh joined the pair, her first visit to the country, teaching locals how to manage power boats. LFF Mimnagh’s expertise with power boats comes from working with the Brigade’s Fire Rescue Units on the River Thames in London.
SC Simpson said it meant a lot to return to Malawi, although this time they were in a different part of the country – on the shores of Lake Malawi in the eastern region. He said: “I really feel I have built an affinity with the people and the country. This deployment was a real opportunity to add value. We saw how much their response strategy improved since the last time I was there. It’s a country accustomed to having lots of rain and cyclone seasons, but Cyclone Freddy was the longest-lasting tropical storm on record lasting for 36 days. Sadly, with climate change, this type of disaster is probably going to be more prevalent in many parts of the world.
“We taught local agencies about disaster risk management but also how to be more strategic with resources when a disaster, like floods, hit. The teams we met out there were really receptive to our expertise and were fully engaged in everything we had to teach them both on the boats and in the classroom.”
SC Simpson, who has been part of the UK ISAR team for five years, continued: “It sounds like a cliché but being able to help people really is the reason for doing this type of work. I always have my bag packed ready for a deployment, and ready to share my skills to help save lives.”