In January and February 2026, personnel from UK ISAR undertook intensive Cold Weather Search and Survival Training in Sweden, strengthening the organisation’s capability to operate effectively in extreme winter environments. The training was delivered across two separate five-day courses, allowing multiple team members to gain specialist experience in prolonged sub-zero conditions.
The courses provided participants with first-hand experience of working in extreme cold environments while developing advanced survival skills and specialist search techniques. Team members navigated vast frozen landscapes using both traditional map reading and GPS navigation, adapting to wide-area search protocols and conducting casualty evacuation exercises designed to replicate realistic emergency scenarios.
A key focus of the training centred on establishing and optimising a Base of Operations (BoO), ensuring teams could create and sustain an effective operational hub in remote and hostile environments. This included planning command structures, managing welfare and logistics, and maintaining operational effectiveness in isolated locations.
The programme also delivered essential survival training, including cold weather preparedness, tracking techniques, shelter construction, fire lighting, and emergency signalling. Each five-day course combined environmental and skills-based instruction with demanding field exercises that tested both physical endurance and mental resilience under realistic operational pressures.
Successful completion of the training further demonstrates UK ISAR’s commitment to maintaining a world-class international search and rescue capability. Continuous development in challenging environments ensures teams remain fully prepared to deploy globally, supporting partners and communities in some of the most complex and austere conditions.
