Unable to sleep, I’ve been replaying the events of this past Saturday in my mind. It was a journey to say the least.
Saturday To Do List:
Fundraising
Sports Program at Hogar Trisker (orphanage)
Architect meeting with the Red Cross Chapter in David to discuss a new facility
Meet with Gill Humphreys (mother of Alex, missing British Tourist)
Organize a local “search & rescue” for a missing Peace Corp volunteer
Remember my dad (15 year memorial of his passing)
Dinner at Mike & Mindy’s
I was invited to dinner this past Saturday night by Mike & Mindy, a wonderful couple from the states who now live here full-time. They are the type of people that just make you feel safe when they are around. They are working on some fundraising events for GHA & are a dream to have as volunteers. Dinner was great & very relaxing; it had been a while since I had experienced either of these.
Saturday was also the 15 year memorial of my dad’s passing. I found comfort in the fact that I would be spending the end of the day with Mike, Mindy & another wonderful friend, Yamel. I made the decision early in the day to “do what dad would do”.
On Saturday mornings we usually go to Hogar Trisker (orphanage) to play soccer with some of the boys. With all the stress lately over fundraising, I contemplated “sitting this one out” to focus on raising $ to pay the bills for the past couple of weeks. BUT, “what would dad do”… Well, my dad would stick to the game plan & go spend time with the boys. So, I did.
At the same time, I received a phone call from a buddy who owns an outdoor adventure company, BOA. He had received word that there was a missing Peace Corp volunteer & wanted to see what info I had & see what could be done to assist with the search. I’m already on the way to play soccer at the orphanage, and I have an afternoon appointment with Gill Humphreys (mother of Alex, missing British tourist)… The day is getting hectic & it’s just 10 am.
I make a couple of phone calls en-route to the orphanage to organize a local search party. The authorities, SINEPROC, are heading up the official search on the other side of the mountain, but considering that I’m spending part of my day with the mother of a missing person already, I can’t sit this one out!
I call Peter, our Director of Logistics here in Panama. He has spent the last 29 years as a volunteer with the Panama Red Cross & specializes in disaster response, search & rescue, and countless other trainings. He begins collecting info & making phone calls, connecting us locally with Red Cross & SINEPROC so that we can respond in an efficient manner. While the pieces come together & I wait for my meeting with Alex’s mother, we continue on to the orphanage.
Back to town, we scramble to gather more information on the lost hiker. She is in her 30’s, has been on the mountain for over 48hrs & was last heard from 24hrs ago when her cell phone died. She was hiking alone & became disoriented on the trail. (The mountains in this area are covered in thick jungle. The tree canopy can let in little light at times & make an air search difficult. Nights are cold, depending on elevation & there are a lot of “creatures” that call this area home. The mountains here are a result of Volcan Baru & slopes can be sheer cliffs.)
Ok, back to the schedule… it’s time to meet with Alex’s mom, what do I say to a mother whose son has been missing for weeks? Having lost my youngest brother, I can feel some of her pain, but it’s not the same – this is her son & he has just disappeared. There are no leads, no conclusions, absolutely nothing. We talked & discussed different things & I pledged to help the family in any way possible. We will be their voice here as they need us. Alex’s mom also shared a couple of photos & told me a little about Alex; she said that he spent a good deal of time working with children back in the UK & said that he would have really liked what GHA was doing… She wants to help with one of our projects. Here is a woman who can’t find her son & she is offering to help with the playground project at Hogar Trisker, for him. What a humbling honor. I have been wanting to do projects in my brother’s name & here is a woman that I have never met until now wanting to join in for her son.
(I’m still thinking about my dad & the fact that there is a woman out there lost in the mountains… What do I do, how, when… Well, “what would dad do?”)
After the meeting, I get back on the phone & head to my buddy Jim’s shop. We have deemed this the base command for the local search & rescue. Steve is there from Dead Wheat Intl, a partner organization & we collect our thoughts, resources & information. Local guides are being called to help with the search & we head into the mountains in Steve’s truck to try to find the authorities for more info… No luck. My mind is racing, we need atvs, we need guides, we have to help, we can’t lose another life!
Well, it is my pleasure to tell you that we need these items for next time… she was found & was transported to a local hospital for observation!!! (As we returned to town, we received a text from Steve’s wife letting us know that she had been found & was ok. We later were able to confirm from the authorities via the Red Cross.)
So, I made it to the dinner party… a little late. But, nonetheless I was there. The day was drawing to a close & it was time to catch my breath, relax for a bit, enjoy the company of friends & discuss some fundraising ideas (can’t completely get away from it). We enjoyed good conversation & great food.
So, not to just tell you about the issues, I have to share some of the solutions also.
(Keep in mind, that resources are fairly limited here & things that would be automatic in the states are not here).
Today I’m meeting with one of the local Rotary Club members to discuss GPS systems & how we can integrate them into the next search & rescue operation.
The Red Cross does not have an office here yet, but we are working on that. In the mean time, we will work with what we have & start working on what we need.
In the wake of Alex, who is still missing, we are going to work with the local hotels & hostels to educate guests about local dangers & urge them to enter a log of all hiking & local adventures (like a boat captain or pilot would do before a trip). Information is knowledge & the more you know in these types of situations, the better. As we have witnessed in the past 6 weeks, it is the difference between life & loss.
We will be composing a list with the Red Cross & other local volunteers for the most efficient response plan… command posts, radio communications, GPS mapping/tracking, first-aid & rescue training, atvs. (The best response plan is a preparedness plan.)
If you have skills, equipment or finances to assist with this, please contact me directly rpickett@gogha.org
We work closely with the Red Cross HQ in Panama City, & all equipment (GPS, radios, atvs, etc.) can be shipped in tax-free.
Looking Back & Moving Forward…
Saturday taught me quite simply, that I may not always be able to fix things immediately or have the answers to the issues around me, but I can always have the answer to this question “what would dad do?”
He would take care of others first. He would see the issues at hand & respond with action. He would leave an impression on everyone he came into contact with. He would leave this world better than the way he found it.
So, for Alex, for Ben & for my dad – I will respond & leave things better than I found them.
Sincerely,
robb pickett
Red Cross - Boquete Chapter Reinstatement - volunteer recruitment
