The Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) would like to thank and applaud the agencies involved in the successful search and rescue operation of Catherine “Helen” Frederick on Thursday, May 27th, 2021.
Frederick was found around 11: 55 am in the Belham Valley area, below the Isle Bay Plantation after 36 hours of searching.
The agencies involved are the Montserrat Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF), Montserrat Customs and Revenue Service (MCRS), Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPS).
The DMCA would also like to commend and thank Alfred Ryan and his dog Judah, Duren Brade and Lydia Ryan for their assistance in the search and rescue mission as well as all the volunteers involved for the role they played.
Operations and Logistics Officer at the DMCA, who is also, a Second lieutenant in the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF), led the Defence Force’s search and rescue team.
Kelvin White at the DMCA, said he was heartened and grateful for the team effort and the commitment shown by all those involved in the search and rescue operations.
He added that this follows on the heels of a recent search and Rescue pre-hurricane training initiative hosted by the DMCA, MFRS and DMCA on May 20th and 22nd. The training involved search resources, phases, and techniques that played a crucial role in today’s search and rescue efforts.
Montserrat Search and Rescue has a rich history dating back to 1996; a year after the eruption of Soufriere Hills Volcano. White is seeking the commitment of all to ensure this rich legacy continues to ensure Montserrat has a vibrant, search and rescue presence on Montserrat.
The DMCA also provided drone footage in the search and rescue operations in the areas of Bashan Ghaut, Belham Valley and Foxes Bay. The drone footage was done by DJI Drone Operator, Theodore Phillip.
Meanwhile,
The DMCA would like to make special mention of Alfred Ryan and his dog Judah and applauds both of them for a job well done in the search and rescue operations today.
Ryan who works for the Ministry of Health should be commended for his skills and ability in training his dog Judah in locating missing people which is critical in search and rescue operations.
Ryan, a competent dog trainer saw the gap and trained his 20-month old dog Judah (a Belgium Melinois) to search and find missing people.
