Malawi Capacity Building March 2026
March 7, 2026
UK ISAR delivered capacity-building in Malawi in March 2026, working in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the World Food Programme to strengthen local response capabilities. The programme focused on providing specialist water rescue training, aimed at enhancing the ability of local teams to respond effectively to flooding incidents. With Malawi regularly […]
UK ISAR supports trainer development in Kenya
January 12, 2026
UK ISAR deployed to Nairobi on 12 January to deliver a ten-day capacity-building programme with the Kenyan Disaster Response Battalion (DRB) and the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU). Following a scoping visit in 2023 and earlier assessment training in 2025, several personnel were identified as potential trainers. This programme focused on strengthening their skills and […]
UK ISAR Participation in the Earthquake Response Exercise (ERE) 2025
December 1, 2025
UK ISAR attended and was represented by four team members at the Earthquake Response Exercise (ERE) 2025, held in South Africa from 1–5 December at Nelson Mandela University. This exercise simulates a major earthquake combined with severe flooding to test South Africa’s disaster management system and strengthen coordination and readiness across multiple partners. By recreating […]
UK ISAR Delivers Capacity- Building in Tajikistan
October 29, 2025
UK ISAR team members have recently returned from a week in Tajikistan, where they delivered capacity-building in Search and Rescue operations. Working alongside the Committee of Emergency Situations (COES) and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), our team shared knowledge, strengthened partnerships, and supported the development of local response capabilities. Representatives from Kent Fire and […]
UK ISAR Joins Global Experts at GCTF Workshop on International Disaster Response and Recovery
June 25, 2025
UK ISAR’s National Coordinator, Russ Gauden, had the honour of representing the UK at the recent Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) workshop in Taipei. Sitting alongside leading influential experts from across the public, private, and academic sectors, the event focused on strengthening international cooperation in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. This influential workshop provided […]
Crisis Preparedness and Key Learnings – Rhodes Pilot Project
February 25, 2025
UK ISAR National Coordinator Russ Gauden and Deputy Coordinator Lee Ivory delivered targeted crisis management tabletop exercises focused on flooding and earthquake response, with additional emphasis on the effective use of spontaneous volunteers to support response and recovery. The Rhodes Crisis Preparedness Pilot Project demonstrated the value of applying UK expertise in crisis prevention, emergency […]
Building Resilience: UK ISAR’s Capacity Building Programme in Malawi – February 2025
February 2, 2025
Strengthening Flood Response in Malawi Following UK ISAR’s deployment in March 2023 in response to Cyclone Freddy, and the Flood Response Capacity Building Programme in February 2024, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has once again mandated UK ISAR to undertake a second capacity-building initiative. This programmes aims to enhance Malawi’s flood response […]
UK ISAR Team’s Scoping Mission to Tajikistan: Exploring Future Capacity-Building Opportunities
December 11, 2024
A UK ISAR team recently embarked on a successful scoping mission to Tajikistan, focused on exploring future capacity-building opportunities in the region. With exceptional support from the British Embassy in Dushanbe, the team had the opportunity to meet with key officials, including the Ambassador, Deputy Head of Mission, and leaders from the Committee of Emergency […]
Malawi Capacity Building
February 16, 2024
A team from UK ISAR traveled to Malawi to conduct capacity building initiatives.Collaborating with a local team of 22 individuals, they focused on enhancing disaster preparedness capabilities for the future. A key component of their efforts involved providing comprehensive boat operator training, combining practical hands-on sessions with theoretical knowledge. Through this training, the aim was […]
Kenya Capacity Building
August 19, 2023
Following an original scoping mission to assess the disaster response capabilities of the Kenyan Disaster Response Unit (now the Disaster Response Battalion) undertaken by INSARAG representatives in July 2014, UK ISAR was requested to conduct a follow up scoping mission. Although the original mission still holds relevance and provides key recommendations, much has changed since […]
Cayman Islands Capacity Building
February 6, 2023
Our Strategic UK ISAR Lead DCFO Nick Searle, UK ISAR National Coordinator Russ Gauden, and our UK Training Officer, Paul Courtney, spent time with the Cayman Islands Government Fire Service as part of a Capability Team Building.