URGENT – Notice to all USAR teams that responded to Türkiye and Syria Earthquakes – Reports of Asbestos Contamination

To all USAR Team Leaders and Representatives, Trimox

This message from the INSARAG Secretariat on behalf of NED-01 USAR.NL is to notify you of reported asbestos contamination found on the equipment of the NED-01 team. Mentat

NED-01, in their standard post-mission procedures during and after their deployment to Antakaya, Turkiye, have tested and sampled their equipment, clothing, and tents for asbestos contamination. The samples showed moderate decontamination with actinolite. On some samples, slight decontamination with chrysotile was also detected. Arcoxia

NED-01 will decontaminate the equipment involved under professional supervision. They will also notify the current users of their base of operations, which was handed over to Oxfam-Novib for the broader humanitarian relief effort. NED-01 was, due to the lack of raw water, not able to fully fulfil its regular decontamination procedures in the first days of its mission. Hence the contamination was able to spread further than normal.

As it cannot be ruled out that other teams have experienced the same.

The INSARAG Secretariat urges all teams to thoroughly conduct post-mission procedures and consider testing for asbestos contamination if this is not already part of your standard protocol. Decontamination should be carried out under professional supervision.

Preparatory Course for Members of the National Accreditation and Reaccreditation Process for USAR Light Teams – El Salvador

This preparatory course took place from 30 January to 3 February for members of the USAR National Accreditation and Reaccreditation Process in El Salvador. The objective of this course was to strengthen the national capacities of the members of the USAR National Accreditation Process (NAP) and the members of the USAR National Technical Accreditation Committee (CTAN). Overall, this course hosted 25 participants from the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC), the Health Solidarity Fund (FOSALUD), the National Fire Department, the Ministry of Justice, the National Civil Police and the National Academy of Public Security (ANSP).

National USAR Coordination Workshop-Honduras

A theoretical and practical workshop on National USAR coordination was held in Honduras from 24 to 26 January. The objective of the workshop included the review of national USAR coordination protocols/procedures as well as the use of coordination and information management tools available to National USAR groups, and a small-scale Earthquake Response Exercise simulating a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in Tegucigalpa to test national protocols. Participating institutions include the Secretary of State in the Offices of Risk Management and National Contingencies (COPECO), Honduran Fire Department, Honduran Red Cross, Honduran Armed Forces and several observers.

REGIONAL GROUP MEETING 2021 (PERU)

La XX Reunión del Grupo Regional de INSARAG y VIII Reunión Regional de Consulta UNDAC en las Américas se realizó del 14 al 16 de setiembre de 2021 en módulos de tres horas cada una. Se llevó a cabo de manera virtual utilizando la plataforma de teleconferencias del Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil y el servicio de interpretación simultánea al inglés y al español con apoyo de PNUD y USAID.
Participaron 79 representantes de 15 países de la región y otras organizaciones.
La agenda incluyó informes de actividades realizadas en el año y proyecciones para el 2022 tanto para el plan de trabajo de INSARAG como de UNDAC en la región, la Coordinación Nacional USAR, los procesos de acreditación nacional (NAP/IRNAP), el sistema de coordinación INSARAG (ICMS), lecciones aprendidas de misiones UNDAC, información sobre la Reunión Global de INSARAG y la Declaración de Varsovia, y el traspaso a la Mesa Directiva Regional INSARAG para 2022.

Relatoría de la Reunión Regional / Chairman Summary

REGIONAL GROUP MEETING 2020 (COLOMBIA)

La Reunión de INSARAG Américas 2020 se organizó a lo largo de la Consulta Regional de la UNDAC como lo fue desde las últimas 7 reuniones regionales. Tuvo lugar del 27 al 30 de octubre de manera virtual en sesiones de dos horas cada día. La agenda abarcó temas estratégicos y operativos para la región en relación con INSARAG y el sistema UNDAC. Fue organizada por el Gobierno de Colombia, con el apoyo de la Oficina de Coordinación de Asuntos Humanitarios de las Naciones Unidas (OCHA).
Hubo más de 90 participantes de 15 países y 3 organizaciones subregionales de la región, además de la participación de representantes de las regiones de Africa, Europa y Medio Oriente (AEME) y Asia-Pacífico (AP) que compartieron sus balances de actividades de 2020.
Los principales temas discutidos estuvieron relacionados con la respuesta flexible, la acreditación nacional (NAP / IRNAP, NAWG), el curso de coordinación USAR, el balance de INSARAG de las Américas 2020 y el plan INSARAG de las Américas 2021, contribuciones al Plan Global de INSARAG 2021-2026 y declaración de Varsovia, las lecciones aprendidas de Beirut, otros temas. Se presentó la conformación de la Mesa Directiva Regional 2021, que va a ser presidida por Perú, la I Vicepresidencia será asumida por Honduras y la II Vicepresidencia será asumida por Argentina.

Relatoría de la Reunión Regional / Chairman Summary

REGIONAL GROUP MEETING 2021

2021 INSARAG AEME Meeting Chairman Summary Link

Annex A_AEME Regional Meeting 2021_Presentation Link

Annex B_AEME Regional Meeting 2020_Agenda Link

Annex C _INSARAG Strategic Plan 2021 2026 Link

SIMEX 2022 held by Swiss Government

The Swiss government was pleased to host the INSARAG Earthquake Simulation Exercise 2022 (“SIMEX22”). The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, had hosted this event in Kriens, Switzerland, from June 20-24, 2022. The specific objective of “SIMEX22” was to train and practice INSARAG methods for disaster response, which provided a unique opportunity for national and international responders to participate in a realistic exercise where disaster victims had to fight for survival under rubble. 13 USAR Teams from 14 countries participated: Armenian, Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Nederlands, Qatar, Spain, Turkey, UK, USA and Switzerland.