There is not really any such thing as a typical day for Gary Carroll.
The 47-year-old, who lives in Torphins, works as an instructor for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
But he is also a team leader within the Scottish arm of UK International Search and Rescue (ISAR), as well as a dog handler.
And in that guise he has been deployed around the world, including to Christchurch, New Zealand, and Nepal after the earthquakes in 2011 and 2015 respectively.
So one minute he could be teaching how to use breathing apparatus, the next providing assistance to those searching for relatives with his dog Diesel, who just turned eight.
It is important for him to keep up to date with any new techniques and equipment and for both of them to maintain their skills, which means they also train together regularly in disaster scenarios.
Mr Carroll’s role is being highlighted by the UK Department for International Development (Dfid) to mark World Humanitarian Day on Saturday.
“I’ve had Diesel from the moment he was born and we have a great bond,” he said.
“He is a working dog so he is not as pampered as a pet dog but he does get to come home with me at the end of the day.
“He is a great asset in highlighting the work that we do and I often do ‘pat and chats’ with local school children.
“When I deployed with him following the earthquake in Nepal and put into practice all his training by using him to search collapsed structures, it was good to see him in action, for the purpose that he was trained for.”
Mr Carroll describes seeing the “harrowing effects” of a natural disaster as among the biggest challenges he faces through his work.
But he adds: “At the same time it is very satisfying being able to provide help, aid and assistance to those who need it most.”
Following the New Zealand earthquake, he remembers being applauded by members of the public and thanked at a special Hangi service by the local Maori population.
Mr Carroll also says he misses his family while away, adding: “When training the dogs I need someone else to hide so that the dog can locate them.
“Without my partner this aspect of the training would be impossible.
“She spends so much time hiding in locations such as wooded areas it’s just a shame that she never gets to see the end result of all her hard work.”
International Development Secretary Priti Patel said “Britain’s humanitarians”, like Mr Carroll, provided hope in countries where vulnerable people have nobody else to turn to.
She added: “Without a moment’s hesitation they risk their own lives, often leaving behind friends and family, so that they save the lives of others.
“Gary, alongside our other brave humanitarian workers, makes Britain stand tall in the world.
“Their expertise and remarkable skills demonstrate the very best of British values whilst helping to make some of the world’s most fragile and dangerous countries safer and more stable.”
