OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Urban search and rescue in the UK

USAR team member at an incidentUSAR team member at an incident

The terrorist attacks on the USA in September 2001 signalled a New Dimension of potential structural collapse scenarios. In response to the threat, the Government instructed that preparations be made to effectively deal with similar acts within the UK. The experience of United Kingdom Fire Service Search and Rescue Team (UKFSSART) was quickly acknowledged and called upon.

The New Dimension Programme was instigated and the Government supplied funding to enable Fire and Rescue Services to equip and train in order to deliver this enhanced capability. Since late 2003, an interim Urban Search and Rescue capability has been in place and there has been a roll out programme across England and Wales. The roll out across 17 Fire and Rescue Services's has been a phased approach and will eventually complete in 2008.

Training
To utilise the experience of the UK Fire Service's Search and Rescue Team  that were dispersed throughout the UK, a two week intensive training course was run in Texas. Members of the team attended and achieved a Search and Rescue Structural Collapse Technician qualification through Texas A&M University.

USAR training exerciseUSAR training exercise

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Urban Search and Rescue (GMF&RS – USAR)
The USAR team is also the UKFSSART and is made up of 26 team members headed up by Group Manager Peter Stevenson UKFSSART/USAR Operations Commander and co-ordinator and Group Manager Dave Morris UKFSSART/USAR Operations Commander. The remaining 24 members are split in three teams

The groups operate on a rota based system whereby they provide operational USAR cover one week in every three weeks. This ensures that 24 hour cover is available 365 days per year. The three group rota also ensures that it's possible to deploy one of the groups to overseas incidents if requested. The USAR duties provided by each team member is in addition to their normal day to day duties as operational firefighters and officers.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service provide a full USAR capability in collaboration with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS). Each Fire and Rescue Service is responsible for deciding on and adopting crewing arrangements that meet both the needs of integrated risk management plans and the requirements of the New Dimension Programme (NDP). The following requirements should be met:-

  • A minimum crew of five trained personnel who will respond to incidents that occur within the host Fire and Rescue Service boundaries.
  • A minimum crew of 10 personnel who, on request, will respond to incidents outside the host Fire and Rescue Service boundaries.
  • A response capability that will be able to attain a distance of at least 70 miles from home station within a 2 hour period.

Transport and equipment
In collaboration with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, we operate a number of vehicles and a quantity of equipment on behalf of the New Dimension Project. The equipment is stowed on a demountable module system and the modules transported by ‘prime mover’ vehicles equipped with a hook lift system. There are five modules:-

  • Module 1 – Providing USAR support in the early stages of an incident.
  • Module 2 – Providing the heavy rescue equipment at a major transport incident.
  • Module 3 – Heavy rescue support in the developing stages of an incident.
  • Module 4 – Providing a multi purpose vehicle and debris removal.
  • Module 5 – Providing timber stock for shoring.