Danish Navy Understaffing Threatens Rescue Operations in Greenland
A Greenlandic emergency expert warns that a shortage of staff in the navy could ultimately cost lives.
Peter Davidsen starts the engine in his dinghy. It doesn’t look big, but there’s room for a ton of cod if he’s lucky.
He is the chairman of the many Greenlandic recreational fishermen who fish and hunt in the big country. And in Greenland’s harsh nature, it is not a completely safe occupation.
“I have had my engine break down,” says Peter Davidsen, while he reels in his harpoon line.
That day he got hold of his wife on the radio, and she called a friend who helped Peter safely into port.
“Many people are good at helping each other. We usually do that here in Greenland.”
But as a Greenland fisherman, you can quickly end up in a situation that even your best friends can’t save you from.
“If the weather is bad, or you are far away, and you may need special equipment, you will need help from rescuers.”
Can Reduce the Likelihood of Saving People
That is precisely why he is concerned when he hears that the navy’s Arctic ships, which are responsible for, among other things, rescuing people in distress at sea, are facing serious staffing problems.
According to documents from the Danish Armed Forces, which DR has had access to, nearly one in four employees on board the Arctic inspection ships is missing.
Emergency consultant Patrick Abrahamsen himself has experience from Greenlandic Search and Rescue missions, which are commonly called SAR.
He believes there is reason for concern.
“In Greenland, we have a huge stretch of coastline that needs to be secured. So if the Navy lacks personnel and will do so in the future, it will reduce the likelihood that we will save people,” he says.
“Because in an emergency, every minute counts,” says Patrick Abrahamsen, pointing out over Nuuk’s harbor.
“When dinghies like these get into trouble, they’re lucky if some of the Navy’s deployed units are nearby.”
Like Peter Davidsen, Patrick Abrahamsen recognizes the important cooperation among the Greenlandic fishermen.
“There is a fairly strong cooperation between the boats themselves in Greenland, which also plays a role in some of the rescue operations. But that’s not enough.”
Hire Greenlanders—They Know the Conditions
Peter Davidsen would like to have more local Greenlanders in the field to stem the shortage of personnel.
“You don’t have to be a soldier to take part in a rescue operation,” he says.
He would like to see a specific training course in preparedness and inspection outside the Armed Forces established.
“Then we can cooperate with the Arctic Command and contribute personnel,” he says.
Because although defense-trained Danish personnel can be good, local Greenlanders who know the area can contribute a lot, he says. They have control over knowledge that is absolutely essential during a rescue operation.
“Where the wind comes from, whether it is low tide or high tide, the waves that change direction depending on the ocean currents and the wind. These are some of the things that you also have to be able to calculate.”
Source: DR (in Danish)