| Structure |
| There are thirteen brigades in the United Kingdom that have contracted to provide an international search & rescue team within UKISAR. Typically, each Brigade team consists of between 12 and 20 personnel and therefore approximately 150 - 200 firefighters make up UKISAR. The team operates a 2 group rota and therefore, at any one time about 40 - 60 firefighters are on immediate standby duty. |
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| The Team is registered and accredited by the United Nations INSARAG system as a heavy search and rescue resource and is available for immediate deployment 365 days-a-year. The accreditation ensures that the elements supplied by the team (i.e. technical and canine search, rescue including heavy lifting and moving, shoring and breaking and breaching and a command, logistics and medical element) are what will be required in the host country post disaster. |
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| When Help Is Required |
| UKISAR is the official search & rescue response of the UK Government and will only respond and send teams if a request has been made at government level. UKISAR cannot and will not respond uninvited, as experience has showed that such help often causes problems for the host country. The request has to be made by the government of the affected country or the United Nations representative in that country. |
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| Once any request for assistance is received and approved (usually by the Department for International Development) mobilisation is organised and co-ordinated by the Command Support Centre which will be in either Hampshire FRS or West Midlands FRS dependant on the rota. |
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| If there is any doubt about the need for deployment, a member of the UKISAR management group may be sent to the area to assess the needs of the community & deployment will be made on their instruction. Alternatively, DFID may wait for confirmation of the need to deploy from any UNDAC team tasked with reconnaissance and disaster assessment. |
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| Despite these safeguards to prevent unnecessary deployment and waste of resources, all involved with UKISAR are aware of the imperative for quick and effective action when lives are at risk. UKISAR has shown consistently that it can deploy within a few hours to any Country in the world and bring effective resources to bear upon many types of disaster. |
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| More Information |
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