1. “USAR Preparedness and Response”
by Rudolf Müller
Chief , Emergency Services Branch
OCHA, Geneva

2. SCOPE:
• Introduction
• UN GA 57/150 and INSARAG
• Minimum Global Standards for USAR
Capacity Building at “All Levels”
• Summary

3. WHY INSARAG DOES CAPACITY BUILDING?
• GA 57/150 of 16 December 2002:
• ‘7. Encourages ..disaster preparedness and response
…at all levels;’
• The INSARAG Hyogo Declaration of 2010:
“…building national, local and community capacity is
critical ..in a rapidly urbanizing world;’

4. Where Does My USAR Team Fit?
USAR Teams are encouraged to identify their role.

5. Survival Dependent on Time From Disaster
to Rescue
100 81.0%
80
60
36.7% Survival
40
20 33.7%
19.0%
0
24 Hours 48 Hours 72 Hours 96 Hours

6. BACKGROUND- GA 57/150 and IEC
• UN General Assembly Resolution 57/150 of 2002
endorses the establishment of international standards
and also USAR capacity building.
• The IEC process has established international
operational standards for Medium and Heavy teams to
be deployed internationally.

7. Successful IEC/Rs from 2005 to July 2012
Heavy IEC
Medium IEC
IER
Americas Africa – Europe – Middle East Asia – Pacific
2 teams 23 teams 5 teams
Reclassifications
4 teams

8. BACKGROUND – CHAPTER G
• However, many USAR teams deploy at the national
level, not internationally;
• Therefore, for teams NOT deploying internationally,
INSARAG developed the ‘Operational and
Organisational Guidelines for Capacity Building of
National USAR Teams” Chapter G ( in the Guidelines)

9. USAR - Capacity and Capability
En- Heavy
tombed
5% USAR
Void Space Medium
Entrapment 15% USAR Teams
Non-Structural First Responding
Entrapment 30% Crews / Light USAR
Injured and Not Spontaneous Rescue
Trapped 50%
Civilians Near Collapse
Condition of Casualties Emergency Response

10. In Summary:
• Role and Effectiveness of Front line Community
Response Cannot be Under-Estimated;
• Capacity Building starts from a Functioning
Emergency Response Service to meet day-to-
day incidents;
• INSARAG provides a Yard-Stick for National
and International USAR Teams to ensure Quality
Response.

11. Resources in INSARAG Web page
• Http://insarag.org

12. QUESTIONS ?