INSARAG Guidelines Volume II: Preparedness and Response

Chapeau

Final draft for ISG 2015 Endorsement

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | www.unocha.org

Chapeau Volume II: Preparedness and Response

This is the INSARAG Guidelines, Volume II: Preparedness and Response. The volume comprises three manuals

that provide guidance, and outline, procedures on urban search and rescue (USAR) methodology this includes

explaining the minimum standards and procedures for building up a USAR team, as well as on training, readiness,

classification and operations.

Volume II is based on the required capabilities of a USAR team. It is targeted at the person nominated as the

Operational Focal Point of the INSARAG member country, as well as at the focal point of a USAR team and a

USAR teams management.

The manuals are as follows:

Manual A: Capacity Building

Manual B: Operations

Manual C: INSARAG External Classification and Reclassification

Overview of Manual A: Capacity Building

Manual A was developed to assist those that have just started developing resources, those who have already

established resources, as well as those that support each resource.

This is the process of developing a robust and sustainable disaster management framework with a USAR

capability. Countries should have the ability to effectively use their own capability and to integrate international

assets into the national response. Capacity building should cover all five components of USAR capability; that is,

Management, Search, Rescue, Medical and Logistics. It is recommended that countries seeking USAR capacity

building should follow the USAR development cycle.

This manual attempts to differentiate between the usual actions taken by organised first responders and how they

can expand their capacity to develop technical rescue capability. This manual also addresses the formation of

USAR capabilities that can be designated as national capabilities.

Overview of Manual B: Operations

Manual B is targeted at the national INSARAG Operational Focal Point, the USAR Team Management, and the

INSARAG Secretariat with the purpose of providing guidance in the training, preparations and coordination of a

USAR team for national and/or international operations. It is based on the minimal standards and is describes the

required capabilities for coordinated operations.

This manual describes the International USAR Response Cycle, the roles and responsibilities of the key

stakeholders in a USAR operation, such as the UN, the affected and assisting countries, and the international

USAR teams. It also describes the five components of USAR capability within the USAR Response Cycle. This

manual also outlines the USAR coordination structures and methods, including the INSARAG Marking and

Signalling System and the link to the new On-Site Operations and Coordination (OSOCC) Guidelines.

Overview of Manual C: INSARAG External Classification and Reclassification

The INSARAG community acknowledges the importance of providing rapid professional USAR support during

disasters which result in victims entrapped in collapsed structures in an effort to achieve this objective, the

INSARAG community has developed two voluntary, independent, peer review-processes, the INSARAG External

Classification (IEC) and INSARAG External Reclassification (IER).

Manual C aims to ensure that a USAR team intending to undergo IEC/R is familiar with the planning, preparation

and delivery requirements. USAR teams and its Mentors are required to familiarise themselves with the contents of

the INSARAG Guidelines and of Manual C. IEC/R Classifiers are also required to use this manual as a reference

source.