INSARAG IEC-R Leadership Course 2025 – Qatar

The INSARAG IEC/R Leadership Course was held in Doha, Qatar, from 13 to 16 January 2025, hosted by the Qatar team at Lekhwiya Centre. This was the third course of its kind, following those held in Oman (2020) and The Netherlands (2023). The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of the IEC/R process for individuals preparing to take on leadership roles, including Team Leader, Deputy Team Leader, Classifiers, Mentors, and representatives of the INSARAG Secretariat.

The course was facilitated by members of the INSARAG Training Working Group, alongside other experts, and brought together 22 participants from around the world.

Over four days, the course focused on key topics such as the Roles and Responsibilities of leadership positions, Negotiation Skills, Exercise Design, Checklist, and Exercise Site Analysis. Knowledge and experiences were exchanged between participants and facilitators to enrich the learning process.

A heartfelt thank you to all the participants, facilitators, and especially to Qatar for graciously hosting this successful course.

IER FRA-03

Congratulations to the 7th French Battalion For Civil Protection (FRA-03) Team for successfully passing the INSARAG External Reclassification (IER) in France, between 26-30 January 2026! This recognition affirms the exceptional skill and commitment to International Search and Rescue of the team. The INSARAG Secretariat extends its most sincere congratulations.

Letter of Remembrance and Appreciation.

On 6 February 2026, AKUT Search and Rescue Association issued a Letter of Remembrance and Appreciation to the INSARAG community, marking the anniversary of one of the most devastating disasters in Türkiye’s history. The message pays tribute to international Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams that rapidly deployed from around the world, leaving their homes and families to help save lives in the affected areas.​

The letter recalls how international and national teams worked side by side in the rubble, demonstrating professionalism, courage and compassion, and bringing hope when hope seemed lost. It emphasizes that these efforts embodied INSARAG’s principles of cooperation, coordination and mutual support, and showcased the true meaning of international solidarity.​

AKUT extends its deepest gratitude to all INSARAG teams and to the INSARAG Secretariat for their leadership, coordination and unwavering support during the response. 

 

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IEC OMA-01

Congratulations to the Oman Team (OMA-01) for successfully passing the INSARAG External Classification (IEC) from Medium to Heavy, between 06-10 December 2025. This recognition affirms the exceptional skill and commitment to International Search and Rescue of the team. The INSARAG Secretariat extends its most sincere congratulations.

Exercise Site Directory

The INSARAG Exercise Site Directory offers an overview of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) training worksites worldwide that are willing to host INSARAG teams for training activities. These sites provide valuable environments to conduct realistic exercises, strengthen operational readiness, and promote collective learning within the network. Each entry in the directory is voluntary and includes information on the site’s location (with links to Google maps) and contact details, enabling teams to identify locations that best meet their training needs. Please note that all arrangements to use these training sites must be made bilaterally between the requesting team and the site owner/host, using the contact information provided. Register a New Training Site We encourage Member States, organizations, and partners to contribute to this global resource. If you manage or represent a USAR training facility that could support INSARAG preparedness activities, you are invited to register your site in the directory. To submit a new site, please complete the registration form here.