Armenia Hosted an Earthquake Simulation Response Exercise

On 24-26 March 2009, the United Nations Office in Armenia and the Rescue Service of Armenia, under the Ministry of Emergency Situations, will implement the INSARAG (International Search and Rescue Advisory Group) Earthquake Simulation Response Exercise. This exercise is designed to put into practice all the different components involved in the coordination of international response to a country affected during a sudden onset of natural disaster.

INSARAG Secretariat organizes similar Simulation Response Exercises every year, which are unique awareness and training courses. Earthquake Simulation Response Exercise in Armenia aims to increase the awareness of INSARAG disaster response methodologies amongst national and local authorities in Armenia, and to practice coordination and cooperation between international and national responders during major disasters, such as earthquakes.

Disaster managers and USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) teams from 22 countries, various UN agencies with their local counterparts, international organizations operating in Armenia, and emergency managers from relevant institutions will participate in the exercise in Armenia.

The exercise is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Armenia, with funding from the Government of Estonia. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) also provided support in organization of the exercise.

Acting UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Bushra Halepota said, "While the United Nations and the international community promote a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness, earthquakes will still happen in high-risk areas, resulting in collapsed buildings and infrastructure. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to be well-prepared for potential earthquake scenarios and have all the coordination arrangements in place for both national and international response mechanisms and ensure prompt, effective search and rescue operations, and relief response."

INSARAG (International Search and Rescue Advisory Group)

The INSARAG, under the UN umbrella, was established in 1991 following initiatives of international search and rescue teams that responded to the 1988 Spitak earthquake. The Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) became a center of a global network of more than 80 countries and disaster response organizations, simplifying international response procedures. The Field Coordination Support Section of the OCHA in Geneva functions as INSARAG Secretariat. The main goal of INSARAG is the efficient implementation of search and rescue works as part of international response, coordination of work of rescue services of various countries, drafting of common methodology, and establishment of cooperation between international rescue teams and local disaster management authorities, including their deployment, operations, information management and drafting of common standards.

The INSARAG Guidelines have been endorsed in the UN General Assembly Resolution of 16 December 2002. It deals with urban search and rescue (USAR) related issues and aims at establishing standards for international USAR teams and methodology for international coordination in earthquake response. The same GA Resolution endorses organizing simulation exercises annually as training on INSARAG methodology. Thus, the main goals of the exercise in Armenia are:

• Mobilization of international search and rescue teams,
• Planning of joint actions of the Armenian Rescue Service and these teams,
• Practice coordination and cooperation between international and national responders during major disasters, such as earthquakes.

The exercise scenario is based on a possible major earthquake which requires the affected country to make a request for international assistance. It will see active involvement of international search and rescue teams responding and working alongside national counterparts. In parallel, there will be engagement of the national emergency management team (LEMA) working alongside the in-country UN Disaster Management Team (DMT). As a part of international response practice, the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team will be deployed to assist national emergency management team (LEMA) in establishing an immediate response coordination structures at the airport, as well as on site operations and coordination center (OSOCC).