Northumbria nursing lecturer tackles environmental disasters

Within a few weeks of qualifying as an international rescue worker, senior lecturer Tony Conner found himself tackling the devastation wreaked by the Indonesian earthquake and was called on to rescue flooding victims in Cockermouth in November.

Tony, who lectures in Pre-registration Nursing in the University’s School of Health, Community and Education Studies, was formerly a critical care nurse, and has worked as a volunteer with the International Rescue Corps for several years, but completed the training to undertake rescue work overseas three months ago.

He flew to Padang in Indonesia when news of the earthquake first broke in September.

“I don’t think anything prepares you for those kinds of realities,” he said. “As a Critical Care Nurse, I’m used to seeing dead bodies and people in major trauma, but it was still very difficult.

“The public were fantastic. They just had to get on with their lives. Some of the buildings were still unstable but people were opening their shops up every day. In Indonesia, there is no social security so if people didn’t sell their goods they would starve.

“It was mind-blowing and made me think about how fragile life is.”

The International Rescue Corps (IRC) is an independent United Nations registered disaster rescue service. After receiving a request for help, it is the aim of the IRC to mobilise a self-contained rescue team within 24 hours for overseas missions or within minutes for UK missions.

Tony, who lives in Blyth, was next called out with the crew when flood waters engulfed Cockermouth last month. Working with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the International Rescue Corps crew helped to evacuate 58 people from their homes in extreme conditions.

He said: “The water was up to the first floor of houses and the biggest danger was the speed of the fast flowing water and the strength of the current. It was literally a river running through the streets and taking everything along with it. Wheelie bins were whizzing past the boat at speed, cars were flying down the road underneath the water.

“We helped to evacuate an Old People’s home and had to tug people from their upstairs windows and into the boat. People were passing their dogs and cats out in pillow cases. It was incredible.”

The IRC is open to anyone of good character, with the crews benefitting from a diversity of backgrounds.

Tony added: “My bosses at Northumbria have been amazingly understanding on those occasions when I’ve been called on to help at short notice.

“Every member of our rescue team is a volunteer so we wouldn’t be able to help people in crisis if it wasn’t for the support of our employers.”

For more information about the International Rescue Corps, visit www.intrescue.co.uk