Gavin from Sai Kung in the thick of it in Kyiv

^{Gavin Neale}

A little known rescue team, primarily based out of Alberta, Canada, is quietly and effectively working through the tragedies presently affecting Ukraine. Currently in Kyiv, the eight man team, specialising in search and rescue of primarily human victims of catastrophic events, have been in theatre since the start of the invasion by Putin’s army.

As eclectic as this team is, and its parent organisation, the Canadian International Rescue Organization, (CIRO), most of its members are volunteers and from Canada. However, one of the team calls Hong Kong home and when in the enclave, resides near Wong Shek pier with his Hong Kong partner and a couple of locally rescued dogs.

Gavin Neale has been associated with this Rescue organisation for many years and has been involved in previous rescue exercises, training events and coordination protocols but the Ukraine invasion spurred him into making a more pragmatic push into using his skills right on the front line. As a former Royal Marine Territorial reservist in the UK and with medical, first response training, Gavin has the experience, skills and tenacity to bring his pro-action into the Rescue team, colloquially known as Rescue 1. Locally, he has been involved with search, rescue and recovery of missing persons, including the tragic death of a paraglider pilot in Lantau in July 2018. He has coordinated search events with rescue dogs and the more basic search equipment but more recently and appropriately, for Ukraine, with high tech systems, designed to locate victims in the rubble of bombed buildings. This includes acoustic equipment that has been designed through the efforts of the CIRO and will be brought into other areas where earthquake victims, those affected by other wars and structural collapses, need assistance.

^{The Canadian International Rescue team in action. Gavin is wearing the beanie (middle).}

Gavin has stated, through intermittent lines of communication back to Hong Kong and via his efforts in the field, that these tech units are costly. All the team are volunteers and rely on sponsorship, donations and pledging, so any financial help is greatly appreciated. The logistics alone, of rapid rescue response to some of the most remote and sometimes war torn regions of the world, is undoubtedly expensive. Coupled with the risk assessments that these teams have to reconcile, overall threat levels are frequently very high.

For Gavin in Kyiv, he recently commented on the results of a recent Russian shelling of a large block of flats. He had no idea of the number of fatalities but it was in the hundreds, with less than 20% of those victims extricated from rubble, being alive. Those who have not survived are moved to either make shift “mortuaries”, (often little more than four walls and no roof) or left for relatives to bury, in ground that is as hard as permafrost due to the effects of the Ukrainian winter. Those needing medical attention are given first response care and then taken by car, ambulance, truck or simple barrows, to hospitals, if they are lucky or more usually, below ground basements akin to WW1 trench field units.

^{Gavin in more peaceful times….}

Gavin and his team continue their work, often under fire from both Russian artillery and over incredibly fragile ground with risk of further structural collapse. Conditions are poor, temperatures below freezing, rain, snow and fog. Fire, with gas mains explosion risks, unexploded ordinance and water mains flooding, all add to the layers of this disaster. The team rests and eats when it can. Charging equipment and phones has become highly problematic since electricity in many areas is no longer available. Solar charging systems will only work for a few hours of sunshine but cars and other vehicles, military or otherwise are often used for charging top ups.

Gavin is keen to emphasise that the disaster in Ukraine and the apparent disregard for civilian life by the Russian invaders has massively unified the Ukrainian people. Though he wears a Canadian badge on his upper arm, the Rescue team receive no preferential treatment and the resulting respect they receive from the Ukrainian Army, civilians and the medical care teams has increased his resolve to remain where he is until the job is complete. So if you are keen to help, please link in to here.

Any and ALL contributions are used with as close to maximum efficiency and every non-Russian rouble is VERY much appreciated.

Equally, you can find the work that Gavin and the team are faced with by looking for Canadian International Rescue Organisation on the web. In closing and reflecting the conditions that his teams are working in, often surrounded by garish atrocity and putrid smells, Putin is now referred to as  the president Putrid! ( lower case intentional).