On the 30th anniversary of the GEA Search and Rescue Team, GEA Coordinator and team leaders presented a commemorative plaque to INSARAG representatives in recognition of our strong cooperation and shared commitment to humanitarian efforts.
As we celebrate this milestone, we remain dedicated to moving forward—step by step—toward a better world, guided by the spirit of goodwill.
Here’s to many more decades of compassion, solidarity, and the unwavering power of volunteerism!
Congratulations to the Heavy Dutch Urban Search and Rescue Team (NED-01) for successfully passing the INSARAG External Reclassification (IER) for the third time during the EU MODEX in Lisbon, Portugal! A well-deserved achievement and best wishes from the INSARAG Secretariat!
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.
The INSARAG External Classification (IEC) system aims to clarify the specific capabilities of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams offering international assistance. By classifying teams according to standardized criteria, disaster-affected countries can better prioritize and integrate international USAR support that demonstrably strengthens their national response capacity. This independent, verifiable, and voluntary process, along with the INSARAG External Reclassification (IER) for reassessment, has garnered unanimous support within INSARAG.
Outgoing INSARAG Global Lead Winston Chang was interviewed by OCHA on his three decades of experience in emergency response services. Please find a PDF transcript of the interview below:
From 10-15 November, Technisches Hilfswerk (THW) invited 21 participants from 12 USAR teams to take part in this year’s UC Course, supported by the DACH-L network.
Teams and organisations of DACH-L regularly offer and support trainings to each other and the INSARAG community. The logistic centre in Ulm, Germany, provided the space to train INSARAG coordination and to learn from each other’s experiences.
Sincere congratulations to AZE-01 team for successfully completing an IEC at the Medium level! With this achievement, AZE-01 now joins the global INSARAG network as the 58th classified USAR team. Warm welcome to the INSARAG Network!
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