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International Search and Rescue Advisory Group | |
Agency overview | |
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Agency executive |
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Parent agency | UNOCHA |
Website | www.insarag.org |
The International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) is a network of disaster-prone and disaster-responding countries and organizations dedicated to urban search and rescue (USAR) and operational field coordination. It aims to establish standards and classification for international USAR teams as well as a methodology for international response coordination in the aftermath of earthquakes and collapsed structure disasters. The INSARAG Secretariat is located in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. [1]
INSARAG was established in 1991 following initiatives of international USAR teams that responded to the 1988 Armenia earthquake and the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. [2] The United Nations was chosen as the INSARAG Secretariat to facilitate international participation and coordination. INSARAG Secretariat is hosted in the Emergency Response Section (ERS) of the Response Support Branch (RSB) (which was called in the past "Field Coordination Support Section of the Emergency Services Branch") of OCHA in Geneva. [3]
INSARAG activities are guided by UN General Assembly Resolution 57/150 of 16 December 2002 on "Strengthening the Effectiveness and Coordination of International Urban Search and Rescue Assistance" and by the INSARAG Hyogo Declaration adopted at the first INSARAG Global Meeting in 2010 in Kobe, Japan.
INSARAG participated in relief efforts for the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.
INSARAG led the response to the 2023 earthquake in Turkey. [4]
The INSARAG Mandate entails:[ citation needed ]
Any country or organization with a stake in urban search and rescue may join INSARAG. Countries that wish to join identify a national focal point that acts as an interface with the INSARAG Regional Group and the Secretariat. Organizations wishing to join apply to the Secretariat through their national focal point. Member countries with USAR teams deploying internationally are strongly encouraged to apply for an INSARAG External Classification (IEC), however, this is not a requirement to be a member of INSARAG.
INSARAG members are part of a worldwide knowledge-sharing network on collapsed structure rescue and operational field coordination. They are invited to annual meetings of the relevant INSARAG Regional Group and to participate in INSARAG working groups. The members are expected to have access to the Virtual OSOCC (Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination Centre) and the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) on the internet, which provide alert notification in the event of a sudden-onset disaster and real-time information updates and coordination during ongoing disasters. The USAR Directory, managed by the INSARAG Secretariat, provides an overview of INSARAG member countries and their USAR teams.[ citation needed ]
As of February 2023, the leadership was composed of a Secretary and regional sub-Secretaries, as follows: [5]
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search is conducted over. These include mountain rescue; ground search and rescue, including the use of search and rescue dogs ; urban search and rescue in cities; combat search and rescue on the battlefield and air-sea rescue over water.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is a United Nations (UN) body established in December 1991 by the General Assembly to strengthen the international response to complex emergencies and natural disasters. It is the successor to the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator (UNDRO).
The Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) is the elite unit of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) that specialises in complex incidents such as technical rescue, urban search and rescue, water rescue operations and prolonged firefighting.
The National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) is a youth national uniformed group formed in 2005. The creation of this uniformed group was initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore in response to the need for the young leaders of tomorrow to have a firm pillar and grounding in Singapore's firm belief of Total Defence.
Urban search and rescue is a type of technical rescue operation that involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in an urban area, namely structural collapse due to natural disasters, war, terrorism or accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.
The Central Emergency Response Fund is a humanitarian fund established by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 December 2005 and launched in March 2006. With CERF's objectives to 1) promote early action and response to reduce loss of life; 2) enhance response to time-critical requirements; and 3) strengthen core elements of humanitarian response in underfunded crises, CERF seeks to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts.
The Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) is a Danish governmental agency under the Ministry of Societal Resilience and Contingency. Its principal task is to manage an operational part who work out of six Emergency Management Centres, and administrative and legalizing part, who supervises the national and municipal rescue preparedness and advises the authorities on matters of preparedness. DEMA works in closely structured co-operation with the EU, UN and several neighbouring countries.
Urban Search and Rescue Florida Task Force 1 (FL-TF1) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Miami-Dade County, Florida and sponsored by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. The mission of FL-TF1 is to respond to natural and man-made disasters to provide search and rescue as well as both medical and communications support.
Urban Search and Rescue Utah Task Force 1 is one of 28 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces in the United States. The task force is based in Salt Lake City, Utah and is managed by the Unified Fire Authority. Activation of the task force is accomplished by the State of Utah, or FEMA for rapid deployment of the Task Force, modular or single US&R resources. The task force is self-sufficient for up to 72 hours and includes physicians, search dogs, heavy rescue technicians firefighters and paramedics, and structural engineers. The Task Force manages 6.3 million dollars in specialized vehicles and equipment that is maintained by personnel trained by FEMA.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), previously the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), is a group of 36 United Nations funds, programmes, specialized agencies, departments and offices that play a role in development. It was created by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in order to improve the effectiveness of United Nations development activities at the country level.
The International Rescue Corps (IRC) is a volunteer organisation involved in disaster rescue, based in Grangemouth, Scotland. Its motto is "United To Save Life".
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is an Indian specialised force constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
AKUT Search and Rescue Association is a Turkish non-governmental organization for disaster search and rescue relief. It was established in 1995 as a grassroots organization by seven leading outdoor athletes of Turkey and officially founded as an association in 1996.
The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) is part of the international emergency response system for sudden-onset emergencies. It is designed to help the United Nations and governments of disaster-affected countries during the first phase of a sudden-onset emergency. UNDAC also assists in the coordination of incoming international relief at national level and/or at the site of the emergency. UNDAC was created in 1993 and currently is composed by 259 national experts in emergency situations, as well as by OCHA personnel and regional and international organizations, including UN agencies.
Emergency Response Team Search and Rescue (ERTSAR) is an INSARAG listed international disaster response NGO search and rescue team, with bases in Henley-on-Thames, United Kingdom and Toronto, Canada.
The Logistics Cluster is a coordination mechanism established by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), activated to ensure an efficient and effective emergency response.
New South Wales Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1 was first established as a USAR capability in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After earlier large-scale collapses including the 1977 Granville Train Disaster, 1989 Newcastle earthquake and 1997 Thredbo landslide, Fire & Rescue NSW was legislated as the combat authority for responding to major structural collapse incidents within the state of New South Wales.
@fire International Disaster Response Germany is a German non-profit, non-governmental civil protection organisation which assists during natural disasters. The organisation was founded in 2002 in Wallenhorst, Germany as a pro bono network of professional and volunteer firefighters. Since 2010 @fire is member of the UN-Organisation INSARAG.
The Special Malaysian Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team is a disaster relief and rescue task force established under the National Security Council based on the approval of the Cabinet on 18 May 1994. The SMART task force is a United Nations INSARAG certified Heavy USAR in June 2016.
United Kingdom International Search and Rescue Team (UK-ISAR) is a search and rescue team from the United Kingdom that responds to humanitarian accidents or disasters on behalf of the UK Government. The current team structure is classified by the United Nations as a ‘Heavy USAR Team’ under the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) guidelines.