The Service
Specialist Response - Community Aid
Hampshire has been sending volunteers to overseas disasters since 1988 and this continues as part of the United Kingdom International Search and Rescue (UKISAR), formerly known as the United Kingdom Fire Service Search and Rescue Team (UKFSSART).
Hampshire has had an Urban Search and Rescue team since 1991, when the Service was one of the original members of UKFSSART. This team is a group 13 UK Fire Brigades who each provide a few specially trained volunteers to respond to overseas disasters on behalf of the UK Government. Hampshire has since provided trained volunteers and equipment whenever required.
The Hampshire Team has been proactive in developing their own capability and subsequently played a leading role in the development of UKFSSART. The Service has run a series of national training events and exercises in Hampshire for several years. These have developed into major events with over 100 delegates attending along with expert instructors, not only from Hampshire but elsewhere in the UK and abroad. Widley Week 2008 was a truly international event, with teams in attendance from Los Angeles and Fairfax in the USA; South Africa; Germany; Estonia; Sweden; Northern Ireland and a full contingent from the UK.
Experienced members of our USAR team are specifically trained and equipped for overseas operations. When on international call, Hampshire is configured to send one commander and at least one crew of six, but probably two.
When attending an international incident, HFRS will take a large quantity of equipment specially packaged for air transport. This includes the full range of rescue equipment used for all types of USAR operations with additional items that allow the team to operate in extreme conditions. This includes various specialist tools, but also camping equipment, food/water and survival items to ensure the team is completely self sufficient for at least a week. Arrangements are also in place to ensure that when deployed abroad Hampshire can still provide a USAR response team for UK incidents.
Hampshire has mobilised personnel to the following overseas deployments:
At 0458 on 26 December 2003, an earthquake hit the ancient city of Bam in southern Iran, causing devastation to large parts of the city. The British Government offered help and the Department for International Development (DFID) mobilised the UKFSSART teams. A 71 strong team, and four search dogs, took off from Stansted Airport and flew straight to Kerman Airport in Iran. They arrived at 0700 local time on the 27 December, where they joined 15 other international teams. They searched for four days and found no signs of life in the rubble with virtually none of the collapsed buildings having voids where anyone could survive. At the end of day four they handed their site, in Bam, over to the charity, Save the Children, along with all their left over water, food, a generator and lighting. All efforts were then concentrated on the survivors with the end of the rescue phase having arrived.
UKISAR
