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Current LTQAWG membership:
| Brad Commens | Australia | Asia-Pacific | Co-Chair | [email protected] |
| Rob Davis | UK | AEME | Co-Chair | [email protected] |
| Christophe Debray | France | AEME | Member | [email protected] |
| Johannes Gust | Germany | AEME | Member | [email protected] |
| Cem Behar | Turkey | AEME | Member | [email protected] |
2022 Update
The first Light USAR IEC was completed during the INSIEME Exercise in Switzerland from 21-24 November 2021. This exercise had previously bee delayed by 18 months due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and was conducted in the colder months, providing additional challenges for all teams. Following the successful exercise a review of the IEC was conducted by the LTQAWG via VidCon on 20 December 2021 after the IEC report was released.
A Review of Light USAR Team Classification – @fire November 2021 was prepared to review the Process, Observations and Recommendations from the Light IEC, and was provided to the INSARAG Secretariat on 28 January 2022. A follow up meeting was held in conjunction with the Team Leader’s meeting in Qatar on 7&8 March 2022, confirming that:
- The Light USAR IEC process has been developed and proven in practice.
- A review of the Light IEC process has been completed
- No changes to the Checklist are currently recommended
- Further improvements to the concept are expected in the future for flexibility as required by INSARAG.
- Classified Light Teams will provide more Classifiers to the global pool.
- Light USAR team concept is progressing for recognition by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (ECPM) in 2022. RE: Council Decision No. 1313/2013/EU
- Three Light USAR Teams are progressing to IEC in 2022
Recommendations were tabled during the Team Leaders meeting for the LTQAWG to transition to a reference group (Light Team Quality Assurance Reference Group – LTQARG), to provide technical and concept advice to Teams, Mentors and Classifiers involved in future Light USAR IEC/R activities, until the concept is universally accepted and understood throughout the network. This recommendation was approved by the INSARAG Steering Group (ISG) during the HNPW meeting on 10 May 2022, transitioning the group to LTQARG.
Three Light USAR IEC’s are planned for 2022 for teams; GEA-Turkey; SARAID – United Kingdom; and Cyprus. The LTQARG update information from the 2022 ISG are here.
Review of Light Team Classification – @fire November 2021
Workplans:
2021-2022
A LTQAWG meeting was conducted in conjunction with the @fire pre-exercise brief on 28 September 2021 (Slide brief provided). This meeting provided an overview of the Light USAR concept and considerations for the upcoming IEC (@fire).
The key discussion points during the virtual meeting included the overview of a light team IEC, and the focus on achieving the required assessment items in a reduced timeframe, as a result of only two work periods instead of the standard three periods for a continuous 24 hour exercise.
In November 2021, the first classification of a Light USAR team (@fire) to INSARAG IEC standards was completed as part of the INSIEME excercise, in Geneva.
Following the Light USAR IEC, a review of the process will be conducted by the LTQAWG members to highlight any areas of amendment required to progress the Light IEC process for future benefit.
This review will require the disclosure of the Light IEC report by the @fire team to assist with the analysis of the effective classification process.
A final LTQAWG meeting is planned fot the Working Group/Team Leader meeting in Qatar in March 2022, at which time a decision on the future of the LTQAWG will be agreed.
October 2019 Team Leaders Meeting Chile
INSARAG Light team Working Group Chairman Summary
Attached, the Classified Light Usar Team Position
Completed work of the LTWG:
The document “Introduction LT” describes the concept of International Light Teams. At this moment the Guidelines text for the GRG has been assembled and rewritten on the Light concept and needs a final check to see if it is complete. The results will be shared with you before the coming summer holidays.
The document “Quality Assurance explanations” describes the advice of the LTWG to the new QAWG. A PowerPoint presentation is added to clarify the text and to show how a classification process could be setup for International Light. And at the same time could be used for a discussion about the classification process for Medium and Heavy in the future in the attempt to reduce the amount of work to assure the existing quality.
The document “USAR scale” explains the differences between national, regional and international deployment of USAR teams and the need for the type of quality assurance. The LTWG thinks that this document will clarify the inter-linkage between International Light teams and existing systems National-, Neighbour assistance- and classified International Medium and Heavy teams. A PowerPoint “National Regional and International assistance scale” is added to show the build-up of a large scale incident.
The document “LTWG Meeting Chairman summary Valabre” is a reflection of the work of the LTWG during the final meeting in France in April 2017.
2018
- Designing the classification process for Light Teams and preparing the documentation for the implementation of international light teams in the system
At the INSARAG Steering Group Meeting (ISG) in 2016, the group directed the Secretariat to initiate the establishment of an INSARAG Light Teams Working Group (LTWG) with clear terms of reference and to request INSARAG regional groups to nominate suitable members. Relevant members from existing working groups could be co-opted. The LTWG will take the lead and, following consultations with the regional groups in 2016, present the recommendations to the ISG of 2017 for a decision.
The LTWG is made up of representatives coming from the three INSARAG Regional Groups, and are selected from different USAR Teams Heavy, Medium and non-classified teams selected by the Secretariat. The LTWG is chaired by Arjan Stam, Team leader from the Dutch USAR team, chair of the UCC in the earthquake of Nepal, IEC/IER Team leader and the member of the GRG.
The first meeting of the LTWG was held in Geneva from 15-17 June 2016 and was also attended by the Chair of the TWG Mr Dewey Perks.
Chairman’s Summary – First LTWG Meeting 15-17 June 2016
Proposal External support and Validation process National Accreditation_ENG