– I wish I had done more – VG

It has snowed heavily in Gjerdrum on New Years Day. More than 40 hours since the rapid clay landslide, ten people are still missing. The area is still too unstable to send people on foot to apply and there have been several small landslides.

The first alarm went off at 04:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Since then, there have been volunteers here, including from Norwegian People’s Aid.

– Then we expelled the patients from the landslide. It is special to look people in the eye when they have experienced something like this. Even if you haven’t been there, take what happened inside of you, Guttorm Skovly tells VG.

He arrived with an emergency ambulance from Hadeland when it crashed. At that time, there were around 100 volunteers available, from Norwegian People’s Aid, the Red Cross and Norwegian rescue dogs.

Those who are waiting now are allowed to come down.

– It is unusual to be here in dry shoes

So far, only specially trained rescue teams from Oslo Fire and Rescue and the police have been able to enter the landslide area by helicopter. Rescue teams from the rescue center in Gothenburg have also come to Gjerdrum to help.

Until the area is stable, a helicopter is the only way to enter.

– It’s a bit unusual to be here in dry shoes. We’d like to do more, but we’re ready and it’s great to be able to be here and help where we can, says Øystein Vik.

They have been able to contribute with the evacuation and registration of those affected, the classification and distribution of food and clothing, and with competence and knowledge in KO. On Thursday there was also a lot of waiting.

– It may be tedious, but it’s worth being here. It is an indescribable situation for those interested. The most important thing to us is that we can help, whether it’s exploring, giving away clothes or being someone you can talk to, says Øystein Vik.

– Our mission is to wait until they need us, adds Kristian Mikkelborg.

Demanding job

Volunteers have day jobs and do something else. But they have all received training, says Norwegian People’s Aid operational leader Harald Wisløff. There are people here who have search and rescue courses, long training, and dog sitters have demanding approval, he explains.

“Along with the other voluntary organizations, we have about 40 crews here, with cars, ATVs and disaster dogs, ready to help,” he says.

He says the willingness to help is excellent.

– What the police and NVE decide we can do, we implement with the experience we have.

– Rescue Norway consists of volunteering. Without the volunteers, the Norwegian rescue will collapse. We have several hundred assignments a year, and this is huge, but we can do this, he says.

– One would realize if we weren’t here, even if we are not allowed to do everything we should have done.

– Are people tired now?

– Yes. This is tiring. It is exhausting to wait. It is a demanding job and of course it is an effort having to be here doing nothing concrete. That you are not allowed to provide such help or participate in rescue work, but there are only a few extremely skilled rescue actors here who can fall into such a dangerous area.

– came from everywhere

Øystein Vik and Kristian Mikkelborg have been here since morning. They will be replaced by fresh forces on Thursday night.

– It is more difficult to go to relax when the action is not over. You have a sincere desire to help, says Mikkelborg.

They come from Norwegian People’s Aid in Oslo.

– People have come from all over and it’s wonderful to see them, says Vik.

That the New Year’s celebrations take place partly in a sanitary tent and partly in Gjerdrum ungdomsskole is not something they think about.

– There’s a reason you’re here. We are always here to help whoever we can, says Wenche Holmen of Norwegian People’s Aid in Hadeland.