Urban Search and Rescue will provide the Fire and Rescue Service with a national capability to respond to major emergencies involving chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) events, search and rescue, major flooding incidents and major transport incidents. This national capability will augment existing local and specialist capability based on nationally assessed risk and wider planning assumptions.
This capability will also be available for use by the Fire and Rescue Services whilst carrying out their normal business.
Objectives of the USAR Project
The strategic objectives of the Urban Search and Rescue are as follows:
- To enhance the capability of the fire and rescue service to respond to and manage three simultaneous and large scale structural collapse incidents.
- To enable the Fire and Rescue Service to respond and deal with a wider range of incidents with enhanced safety.
- To provide a tiered structure of response to incidents.
Personnel
The USAR's primary role will be to respond to a range of major incidents and provide specialist/technical knowledge and skills; however they may also be utilised for assessment, preparation, and prevention purposes. USAR teams will consist of:
- 16 whole time USAR Technicians.
- 14 on call USAR Technicians.
- 1-2 Search and Rescue Canines.
USAR personnel must be prepared to commit to the following:
- Minimum 3 years appointment as a USAR Technician.
- The requirement to attend incidents anywhere in the UK.
- The requirement to attend such incidents for extended periods beyond traditional duty periods.
- The requirement to work on an incident ground for periods up to 12 hours.
- The requirement to perform routine work in other Fire and Rescue Service areas.