Earthquake in Peru - American Rescue

The ARTI Rescue in Peru. Earthquake!!

American Rescue International in Action

Be sure to visit the Picture Gallery at the end of the Press Release section!
The Rescue team in action.
Here is Rescue Chief//ARTI Doug Copp instructing President Fujimori how to use the Mine Collapse/Life Locator. President Fujimori, Prime Minister Pandolfi, The Peruvian Fire Dept. and the families of the victims all used the device. This device, invented by Copp, gave great peace of mind to the families and permitted the rescue procedure to be modified to allow for enhanced safety for the rescuers. For more information on this device, the Copp Life Locator for finding live victims in collapsed buildings and the Copp Casualty Locator for locating dead victims..go back to the home page and press the link "Location" in the script text.
The Rescue team in action.
Here is Rescue Chief//ARTI Doug Copp and Otto Lucac inside the mine. Was it dangerous? Yes, it collapsed 3 times due to aftershocks. One time it caved in with stones falling on our back as we rushed out. #Was it scary? Yes!

Thank God, for our record! Even though our team has had up to 300 men and women working at a single site....We pay attention. No one has been killed or injured at any site we have ever worked for the last 12 years!

Press Release Peruvian Mission:

The Peruvian Mission of the American Rescue Team (International Division) took place during the Earthquake of December '96. Our work consisted of 3 parts:
1) to determine if life existed in the Juanillo Mine Collapse and locating same
2) to provide logistical/ material enhancement by providing the authorities with an expanded donor base, and
3) giving the technological methodology by which a mine penetrating system could be constructed which would provide the speed of penetration of 'informal' miners and yet concurrently give an enhanced safety factor beyond the 'formal' miners techniques. Details: The Copp Life detector was sent via Varig Airlines...It was met at Jorge Chavez Airport by the Chief of Protocol for the country of Peru. General Alconser (Peruvian Army, Chief of Disaster) arranged for a Military Cargo Plane to fly the device to Marcon (staging area). Alfredo Pereyra (Trouble- shooter for President Fugimori) arrived at Marcon, via Helicopter with a press entourage and Doug Copp (Rescue Chief of the American Rescue Team). The device was taken via helicopter to The Mine Juanillo. President Fugimori, Prime Minister Pandolfi, Commandante de Bomberos "Otto" and the families of the victims all listened for signs of life. There were none. The victims were dead. This enabled a peace of mind and a down grade in emergency status from live trapped victims to'recovering'. The methodology of rescue was adapted to a less dangerous procedure for recovery, increasing the safety for rescuers. The interior of the mine came "alive" for those who listened. All natural activity; such as, minor interior collapses could be detected which were otherwise 'unknowns'. The names, titles and phone numbers for the International Relations Dept. for the city of Kobe and the Hyogo Prefecture were given in addition to the already contacted Federal Dept. of Japan. This opened new avenues for the flow of relief supplies. These contacts were made aware to Doug Copp, Rescue Chief, after the team's sole 'American Rescue' participation in the Kobe Earthquake. ( Please note: it has come to our attention that certain individuals other than our team members have been stating that they rescued in Kobe. They are lieing. Many times some US Government Sponsered Teams try to take credit for our work; including, team members from a Florida based Government Team actually pretending to be members of our team so that they could get special treatment in Lima. This was brought to our attention after the Nasca collapse by a member of the Peruvian Fire Dept.) The Japanese people have a very strong interest in Peru; since, their President is of Japanese ancestry. The tubular mine-penetration system was created and designed by Doug Copp. It was transported, from Lima, by Cargo Plane, Helicopter and 4 wheel drive to the mine collapse with the asssistence, cooperation and acive participation of General Alconser (Peruvian Army), The Minister of Transportation and other high level gov't officials. Implementation was facilitated by members of the Peruvian Firefighters; especially, Commandante "Otto" Otakar Lukac. After 11 days, Doug Copp, returned from mission aboard Air Force One with President Fugimori, to Lima, to arrange delivery of the Copp device for locating dead victims and to head off for scheduled training missions to Turkey, Armenia, Greece and other European destinations. The daily events of the American Rescue Team mission were seen by an audience of 100+ million via CNN World Report, CNN Espanol, Pan American Television (to all of the latin speaking world and Japan), and all National Peruvian Media of every kind. Before leaving, Doug gave a 5 1/2 hr. lecture at the American Embassey to increase building collapse survival during total collapse from a current worldwide average 2%. It is expected that survivability using this knowledge conveyed will be 75% or more. A further lecture at the Sheraton, Lima with room documentation will enable survivability, in the very worst of cases, to be 95%. Hotels offer a unique opportunity to reduce loss of life during complete collapse to practically, total survival. This was enthusiastically received. Thanks to Embassey Staff; especially, DCM in charge James Mack, Christopher Lambert (both USA Embassey) and Mark Birchall (Hotel Sheraton). There will be a follow up conference with representatives from Latin America, this fall. This conference will be of particular interest to American Multi-National Corporations doing business, in Peru....especially mining companies and others who wish to survive even total building collapse. Most deaths, in building collapse, are unnecessary. Simple knowledge, like the knowledge button on our home page, will save your life.

Announcements of significant developments in International Cooperation and disaster mitigation, to take place, at that time.

Look for a website-video of the "Crisis at the Japanese Ambassador's Residence". Team members Otto Lucac and Maria del Pilar were at the scene, under and behind the scenes for the entire 4 month occupation. ARTI team members Doug Copp and Jason Patel flew down when the Government attack took place. Other team members; such as, 'Memo' Tansriver, Turkey, were on standby. 'Memo' is the team expert in disarming unexploded material, booby-traps and bombs inside of rubble. Should it have been necessary Doug and Memo would crawl inside of the blown-up structure disarming unexploded bombs while rescueing the trapped victims. Fortunately, the Guerillas did not activate their booby-traps.

The Rescue team in action.
Another picture inside the collapsed gold mine! This time we are using the mine collapse//life locating device.

The team returned to Peru in April and signed an International Agreement of cooperation with:

Brig. Gral. CBP. Victor Potesta B.
Comandante General
Cuerpo General de Bomberos
Voluntarios Del Peru

The agreement.
The Agreement between the American Rescue Team International and the Cuerpos De Bomberos Del Peru (National Fire Dept. Of Peru) To see a larger version of the agreement, click here!

The Rescue team in action.
Here is Rescue Chief//ARTI Doug Copp with the Minister of Mines for Peru. Demonstrating the Copp Life Locator outside the Collapsed Nasca Gold Mine.
The Rescue team in action.
"Rule of rescue thumb....The President is always the BOSS! For Rescue and serious matters...this is a good one! He came , he listened...he backed us up!"...doug copp
The Rescue team in action.
Here is another picture of Rescue Chief//ARTI Doug Copp with the Minister of Mines for Peru. Demonstrating the Copp Life Locator outside the Collapsed Nasca Gold Mine. This was a tough disaster...2 local cities...we were there also...were severely damaged....notice in the background there is no vegetation....The biggest sand dune in the world was next to us (9,000 ft. high). There was no water...no normal transportation access....even by helicopter ( no pilot would try it except for President Fujimori's own personal pilot)...everything had to be brought in via a makeshift road we made...and CARRIED up the mountain "It was so dry...so hot...so nasty...I got callouses on my eyes...I'm still waiting for the operation to remove them...It was HELL...one of the most physically demanding rescues yet."...doug copp
The Rescue team in action.
Another consultation with President Fujimori. President Fujimori is a no nonsense kind of guy (even though he is a President). He was extremely helpful towards our work and we much appreciate him. His level of co-operation and help is reminescent of the level of co-operation given by President Duarte during the El Salvador Earthquake, in 1986.

During the next major disaster in South America ( expect fall '97 ) we will take the cameras inside of the collapsed buildings....as we rescue...you will be inside with us! The Discovery Channel has a contract with team members from England...Pioneer Productions...to film it...look for some excitement.... Production//Team Documentarian Chief Philip Dampier, will lead team documentarians...Ben Duncan, John McGuire, and (Let's hear it for those BRAVE women team members!! ) Nikki Reeves. They are also, life locating tech's...they will also be RESCUEING trapped victims!

"One of the most outstanding individuals ever to join the team is a woman. 'Mappy', Maria del Pilar. She will be crawling inside of collapsed buildings with doug copp. Mappy is a civil engineer, a psychologist, a fire fighter and a paramedic. She is a good hearted, humble individual of great reliability, responsibility, and courage. She is a woman for which Peru, Latin America and women worldwide can be proud. She sets an example of what a woman can be! " doug copp//rescue chief.

Picture Gallery

- ARTI 'The World's most experienced rescue team and disaster management-mitigation organization.'

The ARTI Rescue in Peru. Earthquake!!

American Rescue International in Action

Be sure to visit the Picture Gallery at the end of the Press Release section!