Meeting of the INSARAG Regional Group Asia/Pacific
Christchurch, New Zealand
9 - 10 November 2008
Chairman’s Summary and Work-plan
The meeting was opened by Mr. John Hamilton, Director, Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management. On behalf of the United Nations, opening remarks were made by Mr. Winston Chang, Field Coordination Support Section (FCSS), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Geneva. The meeting was attended by 49 participants from 16 countries and 3 organisations. A list of participants is attached.
The meeting included the following presentations:
1. Review of Progress on decisions of the 2007 Asia/Pacific Regional Group meeting (INSARAG Secretariat);
2. Reports of worldwide INSARAG Activities (INSARAG Secretariat):
a) USAR Team Leaders meeting, UK, May 2008;
b) Status of the 2008 INSARAG Guidelines;
c) Americas Region Activities (Chairman, INSARAG Americas);
d) Briefing on the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise(ARDEX) 2008, Thailand;
3. Update on the progress of the INSARAG External Classification (IEC) of international USAR teams (INSARAG Secretariat);
4. Report and discussion on progress of the INSARAG Working Groups:
a) Training Working Group (INSARAG Secretariat);
b) Medical Working Group (Chairman, MWG);
c) Search Dog Working Group (Secretary, SDWG)
5. Visit to New Zealand’s USAR Task Force 2;
6. Briefing by China on the Sichuan Earthquake response, especially domestic and international USAR response (China);
7. Japan’s experience in Sichuan Earthquake response (Japan);
8. Lessons learned from the INSARAG Asia –Pacific Regional earthquake response simulation exercise held in the Philippines in April 2008 (Philippines and INSARAG Secretariat);
9. Overview of USAR related training activities in the region planned by Member States in 2008/2009 as inputs for a regional schedule of training events:
a) Proposal by Nepal on INSARAG Asia Pacific Regional Earthquake Response Exercise 2009 (Nepal);
b) Pacific Island Countries Basic USAR Course (Australia/New Zealand);
c) INSARAG USAR Capacity Building “Basic Responders Course” for ASEAN countries (INSARAG Secretariat);
d) Invitation by Member States for international participation in their training events in 2008/09;
10. New Zealand’s USAR and National Emergency Management Arrangements;
11. INSARAG Research;
12. INSARAG projects for USAR capacity building initiatives for the Asia Pacific Region (INSARAG Secretariat / SRSA).
The discussions during the meeting resulted in recommendations for follow-up activities, as described in the work-plan of the Regional Group Asia/Pacific for 2008/2009 given below.
Chairman’s Summary and Work-Plan for the period 2008 - 2009 for the INSARAG Regional Group Asia/Pacific
Americas Region Work-Plan 2008 – 2009
1. A representative from the Americas region provided feedback on the Americas work-plan for 2009.
INSARAG External Classification (IEC)
1. The INSARAG Secretariat gave a comprehensive update on the progress of the IEC of international USAR teams. The requests received by FCSS for countries wanting to undergo the IEC currently runs into 2012. A detailed list of the IEC schedule is available on the Virtual OSOCC.
2. The INSARAG Secretariat highly recommends the use of a mentor for countries preparing to undergo an IEC.
3. The INSARAG Secretariat recommends that countries wanting to undergo an IEC participate as observers in IECs so as to gain insight as to what is required for an IEC.
4. The INSARAG Secretariat invited countries to nominate experts, who meet the criteria to be a classifier in any of the five USAR disciplines, for inclusion in the IEC cadre.
5. Countries that desire to have their international USAR teams undergo the IEC are requested to inform the INSARAG Secretariat.
Action: Member Countries / INSARAG Secretariat
INSARAG Training Working Group (TWG)
1. The TWG briefed the meeting on its activities. The TWG has concentrated its recent efforts on developing the Basic Responders Course which will be presented for the first time in December.
2. The TWG is in the process of finalising the Training Standards for USAR teams. This will be presented during the INSARAG Steering Committee meeting in Dubai, UAE on the 28 November 2008.
Action: TWG Chair / INSARAG Secretariat
INSARAG Medical Working Group (MWG)
1. The MWG held its inaugural meeting in May 2008. The next MWG meeting is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE from the 13 – 16 January 2009. A total of 3 MWG meetings are scheduled for 2009 to ensure that the Draft INSARAG Medical Guidelines will be available for the USAR Team Leaders meeting in June 2009. The document will then be available for review and comment by the INSARAG community. The MWG aims to submit the consolidated Draft INSARAG Medical Guidelines to the INSARAG Steering Committee at the 2009 Steering Committee meeting.
Action: MWG Chair / INSARAG Secretariat
Search Dogs
1. The Search Dog Working Group (SDWG) gave a briefing on its activities and scheduled work plan for 2009. The next SDWG Meeting is scheduled to be held from 12 – 14 December 2008 in Salzburg, Austria.
2. The SDWG has finalised the Draft Minimum Criteria for a Mission Readiness Test (MRT) which will be submitted to the INSARAG Steering Committee at the meeting on the 28 November 2008.
Action: Secretary SDWG / Member Countries
Global INSARAG meeting
1. The INSARAG Secretariat has confirmed that there will be a INSARAG Global Meeting in 2010. Further details regarding this event will be made available to the INSARAG community once they have been finalised.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat
INSARAG Asia Pacific Regional Earthquake Response Exercise 2009
1. The Government of Nepal offered to host the INSARAG Asia Pacific Earthquake Response Exercise from 22-24 April 2009 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Countries of the Asia Pacific region and other INSARAG regions are invited and encouraged to participate with skeleton USAR teams and inform the INSARAG Secretariat accordingly.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / Nepal
Capacity Building / Training Opportunities for the Asia/Pacific Region in 2008/2009
1. The Training Working Group (TWG) has developed a Train-the-Trainers “Basic Responders Course” funded by THW, Germany and hosted by the Singapore Civil Defence Force. The 4-day course for ASEAN countries is scheduled to take place from 2 – 5 December 2008 at the Civil Defence Academy. The course will allow participants to take the training back to their respective organisations. Non-ASEAN countries that are interested in participating in the training course are requested to contact FCSS.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / SCDF
2. New Zealand and Australia intend to conduct a Cat 1 USAR training course aimed at the 14 Pacific Islands of SOPAC. This training program, funded by AUSAID and NZAID and facilitated by UN OCHA Fiji in collaboration with the INSARAG Secretariat, will be based on the successful training course conducted in 2002. Instructors will be supplied by the New Zealand and Australian Fire Services. This training course, scheduled to be presented prior to June 2009, will be conducted in two parts:
a. Part A: Light USAR course for 30 participants conducted over 4 days;
b. Part B: Selected participants will be invited to attend a Train-the-Trainers course.
Action: New Zealand / Australia / OCHA Fiji Office
3. The Government of Korea will be hosting an International USAR Course for ASEAN countries, tentatively scheduled for May 2009. This 2-week course, which is fully funded by the Government of Korea, is aimed at ASEAN countries with limited USAR capacity. Invitations to participate in this course will be sent out via Korean Embassies in the relevant ASEAN countries. Details of this course will be available on the Virtual OSOCC. Countries interested in participating in this training opportunity are requested to contact the INSARAG Focal Point in Korea.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / Korea
4. The Singapore Civil Defence Force has a very active international training program, training approximately 250 participants from 20 countries in 2007/2008. Countries are welcome to send participants to the International USAR Course in Singapore on a self-funded basis. The courses to be conducted in December 2008 and January 2009 are fully subscribed. There are places available for the courses scheduled to be run from 12 – 23 October 2009 and 11 – 21 January 2010. Details of these courses will be available on the Virtual OSOCC. Countries interested in participating in this training opportunity are requested to contact the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / Singapore
5. The Government of China provided a briefing that their new USAR training facility has been completed. The China National Training Base for USAR has expressed a willingness to work with partner countries and organisations in developing tailored USAR training courses that specifically address their needs. Interested parties are requested to contact the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) or the INSARAG Secretariat.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / China
Asia/Pacific Region INSARAG Activities 2009
The INSARAG Secretariat presented a list of relevant INSARAG activities for 2009. All INSARAG Asia Pacific member countries are strongly encouraged to participate in these activities:
1. Asia Pacific INSARAG Earthquake Response Exercise Kathmandu, Nepal, 22 – 24 April 2009.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / Nepal
The Africa/Europe/Middle East INSARAG Earthquake Response Exercise is scheduled to take place in Armenia from 23 – 27 March 2009. Members from the Asia Pacific Region are welcome to attend this event.
2. Annual INSARAG USAR Team Leaders Meeting in Iceland from 8 – 12 June 2009. A workshop on the RDC and OSOCC in the context of an earthquake response will be conducted immediately following this meeting.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat
3. INSARAG Regional Group Asia/Pacific annual meeting in Beijing, China, tentatively schedule for late October early November 2009.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / China
4. INSARAG Steering Committee meeting in Beijing, China, tentatively schedule for late October early November 2009.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / China
5. INSARAG External Classification (IEC) schedule for 2009:
· Poland – April;
· Estonia – May;
· Iceland – September;
· China – November;
· UAE / Abu Dhabi Police – December.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat / Member States
USAR Research
1. The role of INSARAG as a facilitator of research was discussed. It was recommended that the INSARAG Secretariat act as a conduit between researchers, the USAR practitioners and potential donors. Furthermore, it was recommended that a USAR Research session be included during the next USAR Team Leaders meeting to provide USAR practitioners the opportunity to submit ideas regarding research topics. In time this could be developed into a repository of USAR related research topics that could be made available to the research community.
Action: INSARAG Secretariat
USAR Capacity Building
1. A representative from the Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) provided a briefing on the Pakistan USAR Capacity Building Project currently underway. This project is a multi-donor, multi-agency initiative, the objective of which is to develop 2 Heavy USAR teams in Islamabad and Karachi respectively and 1 Medium USAR team in Lahore.
2. It was recommended that any member country that is either prepared to join USAR capacity building projects or wishes to invite INSARAG to assist them in developing USAR capacity should contact the INSARAG Secretariat.
3. The INSARAG Secretariat introduced briefly the UNDAC Disaster Preparedness Missions which is an effective tool in identifying capacity building projects within developing countries with a high disaster risk profile. Member States who are interested in having such a mission are requested to contact the OCHA Regional Office, Bangkok and FCSS.
Action: Member Countries / INSARAG Secretariat
Regional Chairman and next Regional meeting
1. China was elected to be the Chair of the INSARAG Asia Pacific Regional Group for the period 2008/2009. This will be effective from the end of the current meeting.
Action: China
2. The next INSARAG Regional meeting will be held in Beijing, China tentatively scheduled to take place in late October early November 2009.
Action: China
Acknowledgement
The INSARAG Secretariat would like to express its thanks to the Government of New Zealand for hosting the meeting.
List of Participants
Meeting of the INSARAG Regional Group Asia/Pacific
Christchurch, New Zealand
9th to 10th November 2008
Australia
Mr. Mark Sullivan
Director, Capability Development
Attorney-General Department
Emergency Management Australia
PO Box 1020
DICKSON ACT 2602
Canberra, Australia
Tel: +612 6256 4616
Fax: +614 0007 8580
Mobile: +61 400078580
Email:
Mr. Gerry Foster
Acting Assistant Director
Urban Search and Rescue Capabilty Development Project
Attorney-General Department
Emergency Management Australia
PO Box 1020
DICKSON ACT 2602
Canberra, Australia
Tel: + 61 02 62564688
Fax: + 61 02 62564 653
Mobile: +61 439457011
Email:
Bangladesh
Mr. K.H. Masud Siddiqui
Director General
Disaster Management Bureau
Ministry of Food and Disaster Management
Disaster Management & Relief Bhaban
92-93 Mohakbali C/A, Dhaka 1212
Bangladesh
Tel: +880 2 8858755
Fax: +880 2 8851615
Mobile: +880 1713063065
Email: ,
Dr. Abu Nazeem Shahidullah
Director General
Fire Service and Civil Defence
Ministry of Food and Disaster Management
38-46 Kazi Alaauddin rd Dhaka-1000
Bangladesh
Tel: +880 2 9558880
Fax: +880 2 9565657
Mobile: +880 1714102903
Email:
Bhutan
Chhoeda Jamtsho Dzongrab
Royal Government of Bhutan
District Administration
Trashi Yangtse Bhutan
Tel: +975 4 781103
Fax: +975 4 781135
Major Karma Tshering
Superintendent
Fire Division, RBP, Thumpu
Tel: +975 2322021
Email:
China
Mr. Heping Zhao
Vice-Administrator
China Earthquake Administration
No 63 Fuxing Avenue
Beijing 100036
People's Republic of China
Tel: +86 10 8801 5514
Fax: +86 10 6821 0995
Email:
Mr. Huang Jianfa
Director General
Department of Earthquake Disaster Emergency Management
China Earthquake Administration
No 63 Fuxing Avenue
Beijing 100036
People's Republic of China
Tel: +86 10 88015613
Fax: +86 10 68170544
Mobile: +8613910300366
Email: ,
Mr. Wu Jianchun
Director-General
China Earthquake Administration
No 63 Fuxing Avenue
Beijing 100036
People's Republic of China
Tel: +86 10 5995 6325
Fax: +86 10 5995 6325
Email:
Mr. Yixiang Tian
Senior Consultant
China Earthquake Administration
No 63 Fuxing Avenue
Beijing 100036
People's Republic of China
Tel: +86 10 8801 5535
Fax: +86 10 6821 0995
Mr. Liu Yongxin
Senior Consultant
China Earthquake Administration
No 63 Fuxing Avenue
Beijing 100036
People's Republic of China
Tel: +86 10 8801 5535
Fax: +86 10 6821 0995
Ms. Zhu Fangfang
Project Officer
China Earthquake Administration
Mr. Zhu Fangfang
Project Officer
China Earthquake Administration
Tel: +86 10 8801 5535
Fax: +86 10 6821 0995
Email:
Tel: +86 10 8801 5535
Fax: +86 10 6821 0995
Colombia
Mr. Mauricio Toro
Director de Prevención y Atención Desastres
Cruz Roja Colombiana Seccional Cundinamarca y Bogotá
Av. 68 No. 66-31, Bloque Norte, Tercer Piso
Bogota, Colombia
Tel: +571-382 2500 ext 111
Fax: +571-429-8555
Mobile: +57-315-331-5290
Email:
IRO
Mr. Wolfgang Hitsch
International Rescue Dog Organization
Moostrasse 32
A-5020 Salzburg
Republic of Austria
Tel: +43 662 826 526
Fax: +43 662 826526-20
Mobile: + 43 664 428 22 31
Email:
Mr. John K.H.Choi
Deputy for Far East Asia
Tel: +82 31 461 6637 9
Fax: +82 31 462 0092
Mobile: +82 11 350 3036
Email:
Japan
Mr. Takashi Koizumi
Director
Overseas Disaster Assistance Division
International Cooperation Bureau
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2-2-1, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-Ku,
Tokyo 100-8919, Japan
Tel: + 81 3 5501 8359
Fax: + 81 3 5501 8358
Email:
Mr. Shuichi Ikeda
Deputy Director General
Secretariat of Japan Disaster Relief Team
Japan International Cooperation Agency
1-4-1 Ohtemachi
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-8144, Japan
Tel: + 81 3 5218 3326
Fax: + 81 3 5218 9852
Email:
Korea, Republic of
Mr. Gyeong-Jin Kim
Chief Training Section
Rescue and EMA Division