Photograph: Rotarian Peter Robinson and members of the Cornwall Fire & Rescue service who helped prepare the Land Rover for Albania.
Just days after arriving in Albania, a Land Rover sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bodmin and donated by the Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, was called into action to rescue the survivors of a horrific bus crash that claimed the lives of 14 people.
The Land Rover, together with a Cornish fire engine, made the 1600 mile trip to Pukes in Albania earlier in July driven by Bodmin Rotarian Peter Robinson and Peter Old. They met up with local Rotarians and the Chief of the Pukes fire station together with the local MP, Mayor and other dignitaries.
The intrepid duo had barely made it back to the UK before both vehicles were deployed in two dramatic incidents. The fire engine was called out to a major blaze which threatened to engulf the forest around the town. Just hours, later fire crews were on call once again after a bus careered off the side of a mountain road. The Land Rover was able to make its way into a ravine to take medical support to the 20 survivors, conveying 12 of the most seriously injured to a helicopter deployed to the scene.
The dramatic rescue was filmed by news crews and tributes to Rotary have been flooding in from the Albanian Parliament and the Ministry of the Interior. Read the news story here.
Rotarian Peter Old said: “This was clearly a tragedy and my heart goes out to the relatives of the people killed in the accident. The Land Rover did a good job at the scene and I am very pleased to have been involved with the project and the delivery of the vehicle to Pukes. Having met local fire fighters I know that they will have been delighted with the performance of the Land Rover”.
Rotarian Barry Kressinger, coordinator of the Rotary district’s Overseas Project Team said: “This project was the team’s 38th and was achieved through the support and generosity of Rotarians and our community. Fire and rescue services within parts of Albania are very limited and this incident shows the value of the equipment and training provided in conjunction with the Cornwall Fire & Rescue service. Although saddened by the tragedy, we are pleased that our efforts over the years have helped others living overseas less fortunate than ourselves.”
