International Search and Rescue Advisory Group

History

INSARAG was established in 1991 following international experiences in large-scale earthquake disasters, including the 1985 Mexico City earthquake and the 1988 Spitak earthquake in Armenia. These events highlighted the need for common standards in international search and rescue coordination.

In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed INSARAG’s role through Resolution 57/150, which called for strengthening the effectiveness and coordination of international Urban search and Rescue assistance. In 2010, the Global Meeting in Kobe, Japan, was held, during which participants adopted the Hyogo Framework for Action. This was a 10-year program for disaster risk reduction, which ended in 2015.

INSARAG has been involved in the coordination of international teams during several major emergencies, such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.

Mandates

The INSARAG mandates include:

• Developing effective international USAR procedures and operational standards.
• Implementing the Strengthening the Effectiveness document.
• Improving cooperation and coordination among international USAR teams at disaster sites.
• Promoting USAR preparedness activities in disaster-prone countries.
• Developing standardized guidelines and procedures.
• Sharing best practices among national and international USAR teams.
• Defining minimum requirements for international USAR teams.

Membership

Membership in INSARAG is open to any country or organization involved in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). Prospective members must designate a national focal point to liaise with the INSARAG Regional Group and Secretariat. Organizations apply through their national focal point. Although not required for membership, countries with internationally deployable USAR teams are strongly encouraged to obtain INSARAG External Classification (IEC).

Members participate in regional meetings, and contribute to INSARAG working groups. They may also access the Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) and the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) for real-time alerts and coordination tools. The INSARAG Secretariat maintains the USAR Directory, listing member countries and their USAR teams.

Leadership

In February 2023, INSARAG leadership comprised a secretary and regional Sub-Secretaries:

• Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, Secretary of INSARAG
• Haruka Ezaki, Sub-Secretary for Asia-Pacific
• Lucien Jaggi, Sub-Secretary for Middle East and North Africa
• Clement Kalonga, Sub-Secretary for Africa
• Ana Maria Rebaza, Sub-Secretary for the Americas
• Stefania Trassari, Sub-Secretary for Europe and the CIS

References

References

1. "International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG)".
2. "INSARAG Overview".
3. Albala-Bertrand, J. M.. (2000). "Responses to Complex Humanitarian Emergencies and Natural Disasters: An Analytical Comparison". Third World Quarterly.
4. (16 December 2002). "UN General Assembly Resolution 57/150". United Nations.
5. (2011). "Community, Environment and Disaster Risk Management, Volume 7: Disaster Recovery". Emerald Group Publishing.
6. "Hyogo Framework for Action Midterm Review".
7. Maclean, Ruth. (15 January 2010). "How international rescue teams coordinate in disasters". The Guardian.
8. (17 April 2016). "Coordination of International Urban Search and Rescue Teams in the 2015 Nepal Earthquake". Journal of Japan Association for Earthquake Engineering.
9. Luymes, Glenda. (10 February 2023). "BC's elite rescue team grounded after Turkey–Syria earthquake". Vancouver Sun.
10. "Mandate of INSARAG".
11. "Membership with INSARAG – INSARAG".
12. (2023-12-01). "INSARAG External Classification Overview (As of 1 December 2023) {{!}} OCHA".
13. "USAR Directory".
14. "Contacts". UNOCHA.