TEHRAN – Tehran Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization team has represented Iran in the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) training course, conducted in cooperation with the Emergency Situations and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters of the Russian Federation (EMERCOM), and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The specialized training course aimed at improving coordination and command in international search and rescue operations, focusing on Incident Command Management System (ICMS). It was held at the Academy of GPS of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, ILNA reported on Tuesday.

Instructors from Armenia, Brazil, and Turkey taught participants about coordinating and managing international search and rescue operations with the help of specialized software. They also got acquainted with the principles of the data collection and processing system over the course of a week.

Moreover, operation teams were taught how to quickly send information from the emergency site to international search and rescue coordination centers via smartphone or similar devices.

In the ICMS, information is processed, summarized and used to collaborate with the authorities of the affected country on deciding priority areas to receive relief and rescue services.

Designed based on INSARAG standards, ICMS is currently used by internationally certified teams and has been deployed in relief missions in various countries, including Lebanon, Libya, Turkey, Morocco, Thailand, and Myanmar.

INSARAG, Russian EMERCOM assess Iranian crisis management teams 

In March 2024, The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and Tehran Fire Department were assessed by the INSARAG and EMERCOM.

The initial assessment mission was held from March 9 to 14 to achieve international classification according to the INSARAG standards.

Capacity building is at the heart of INSARAG and the EMERCOM of the Russian Federation, as a member of the INSARAG network, agreed to provide its technical expertise to support this initiative, UN Website announced in a press release on March 19.

Throughout the week-long mission, INSARAG and EMERCOM representatives met with Iranian officials and visited the Relief and Rescue Center of IRCS and Training Center of Tehran Fire Department.

The mission was initiated in response to a request from Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was facilitated by the Tehran Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization on behalf of the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO).

This mission established a roadmap for the remaining steps ahead of the completion of the classification process. 

MT/MG