The INSARAG Technical Guidance Notes provide non-binding guidance to USAR teams beyond what is specified as minimum requirements by the INSARAG Guidelines. These Technical Guidance Notes are prepared by the INSARAG working groups and then endorsed by the INSARAG Steering Group. Please note that these Technical Guidance Notes are not parts of the INSARAG Guidelines, they are only good practices and recommendations. They are not the expectations from INSARAG member USAR teams or those USAR teams that undergo the INSARAG External Classification (IEC) process.

Medical Guidance Notes:

  1. Amputations and Dismemberment Link – endorsed in 2023
  2. Identification of USAR Medical PersonnelLink – endorsed in 2011
  3. Post Mission Medical ReportingLink – endorsed in 2011
  4. Provision of Medical Care in an Austere Environment Specifically in a Confined Space Link – endorsed in 2011
  5. Recovery of Deceased During USAR Operations – Link – endorsed in 2011
  6. The Donation of Medical Supplies and Equipment Prior to DemobilisationLink – endorsed in 2011
  7. The Medical Management of the Entrapped Patient with Crush SyndromeLink – endorsed in 2023
  8. Patient Treatment RecordLink – endorsed in 2012
  9. Urban Search and Rescue in Extreme Environmental ConditionsLink – endorsed in 2014
  10. INSARAG Injury and Illness LogLink – endorsed in 2019
  11. Template Letter requesting Ability to Practice USAR MedicineLink – endorsed in 2019
  12. INSARAG Patient Treatment FormLink – endorsed in October 2019

Medical Guidance Note – Defining USAR MedicineLink

MWG Covid-19 USAR Response Technical Reference NoteLink

The INSARAG Guidelines remain a living document and will be subject to an ongoing process of development to improve and document the way we respond to save lives in major natural disasters like earthquakes, or building collapses in other disasters.

This is achieved through a regular five-year review cycle led by the INSARAG Guidelines Review Group (GRG), which aims to facilitate continuous improvement in classified teams. The INSARAG Steering Group (ISG) recognizes the importance of maintaining knowledge and process continuity between the 5-yearly GRG reviews.

The 2023 GRG is co-chaired by John Cawcutt (Australia) and Martin Evers (the Netherlands).

Guidelines Review Group 2023-2025
  Name CountryRegionPositionEmail
1Martin EversNetherlandsAEMECo-chairmartin.evers@vrh.nl
2John CawcuttAustraliaAsia-PacificCo-chairjohn.cawcutt@qfes.qld.gov.au
3Li LiChinaAsia-PacificMember market238@aliyun.com
4Safrizan Bin SuhainiMalaysiaAsia-PacificMember safrizan@nadma.gov.my
5Wee Keong LokSingaporeAsia-PacificMember lok_wee_keong@scdf.gov.sg; weekeong7@hotmail.com
6Sara RathbunUSAAmericasMember sara.rathbun@fire.lacounty.gov
7Patricio FuentesChileAmericasMember patriciofuentesvon@gmail.com
8Martin PavekCzech RepublicAEMEMember Martin.Pavek@grh.izscr.cz 
9Emmanuel ChapeauFranceAEMEMember emmanuel.chapeau@interieur.gouv.fr
10Yvonne GutmannGermanyAEMEMember Yvonne.Gutmann@thw.de
11Ciro BologneseItalyAEMEMember cirobolognese@gmail.com
12Fahad SultanQatarAEMEMember fstalhajri@lekhwiya.gov.qa
13Ove SislakNorwayAEMEMember Ove@Okim.no
14Belit TasdemirTurkiyeAEMEMember belittasdemir@akut.org.tr
 15Peter WolffGermanyAEMERepresentative of IMWGpeter.wolff@evonik.com

Link to Draft Terms of Reference, to be endorsed by the ISG in April 2023

Guidelines Review Group 2023 – 2025 – Online Meeting

Minutes Online Meeting – 3 May 2023

Guidelines Review Group Minutes – 18 to 20 August, 2023

After Cyclone Idai ripped through Mozambique, entire communities were surrounded by water. Humanitarians did everything they could to save lives and provide vital assistance. Link

Asia Pacific Earthquake Response Exercise 2023

INSARAG Asia Pacific Earthquake Response Exercise 2023 hosted by the Australian government from 21-25 August 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. The exercise organizers were the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW), and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The objective of the exercise was to practice the INSARAG methodology with national and international responding organizations, having 330 participants from all relevant national government agencies as well as international USAR, EMT, UNDAC members, and MapAction. This exercise was designed to consist of two separate streams. The first stream is dedicated to National Response Coordination to go through the procedure of accepting international assistance, while the second stream is focused on coordination of the international response teams and activities to allow both national and international participants to practice the international deployment cycle with comprehensive and realistic scenario of Australia.