Building on a productive visit to Nepal in late 2018 the FIRE AID team made up of fire and rescue volunteers from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, led by John Monaghan have just returned from their follow-up visit to Nepal.

At the request of the Gurkha Welfare Trust fire safety, fire risk assessment and portable fire extinguisher training was delivered to personnel from across Nepal at the Dharan and Tanahun Area Welfare Centres.  A field shelter, stretchers and evacuation chairs were also donated for Gurkha Welfare Trust community medical centres which operate across Nepal and India to deliver vital welfare, medical and financial aid to British Army veterans living in some of the most remote and inaccessible parts of Nepal, as well as serving as vital disaster response equipment in the event of another earthquake.

Following the success of the community medical centres a further 5 shelters have been requested by the Gurkha Welfare Trust and will shortly be despatched to Nepal along with 260 ‘Aquabox’ safe drinking water and disaster relief kits. This equipment has been sourced with the support of National Resilience Wales and the trustees of Aquabox.

Continuing our support for local orphanages, significant donations were made for food and refurbishment of orphanages at Nawalpur, Sindupulchowk (an area badly hit during the 2015 earthquakes) and Siphal, Kathmandu, as well as clothing, bedding, learning materials, laptops, musical instruments and football kit.  Fundraising has also continued to support the completion of the orphanage at Nawalpur, with a first floor extension currently underway.

Following feedback from the Search and Rescue training delivered in November/ December 2018 discussions were held with partners to run a follow-up course in October/November 2019 at the Nepal Army Disaster Management Training School at Gokarna, Kathmandu Valley. A further visit to support municipal fire and emergency services in Rolpa, Panchkal,  Bhaktapur and Bharatpur is planned for February/March 2020.