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Personnel and Staffing

Type of Personnel Required​

Technical rescue operations demand personnel with a high degree of mechanical aptitude, physical strength, and problem-solving ability. Ideal team members are resourceful, adaptable, and comfortable operating in challenging, high-risk environments.

Desirable skill sets include:

  • Trade skills: carpentry, plumbing, electrical, welding, mechanics, or heavy equipment operation
  • Professional skills: engineering, paramedicine, logistics, communications, or technical coordination
  • Recreational or volunteer experience in rope access, caving, diving, or water rescue disciplines

Personnel selection should match the anticipated operational complexity of the team. Rescue is a patient-centred activity. Therefore, qualified medical personnel should be recruited to match the expected mission scope. Team members must be willing to meet the minimum standards for training, certification, and annual recertification as required by national authorities and INSARAG Guidelines.

Physical and Mental Fitness, Health Monitoring​

Due to the physical and psychological demands of USAR and technical rescue operations, all team members must meet the Member State’s established fitness standards. They must be capable of lifting, carrying, and deploying heavy equipment, as well as maintaining operational effectiveness in austere environments for extended periods.

The sponsoring organisation should implement a medical and health monitoring policy, under the oversight of the USAR Medical Director, to ensure personnel are fit for deployment.

This policy should cover:

  • Pre-selection and periodic health assessments
  • Monitoring of physical and mental resilience
  • Vaccination and immunisation requirements in line with WHO and national guidance
  • Maintenance of accurate and current medical records

The absence of such a policy increases the risk of:

  • Serious illness, injury, or death in austere environments
  • Early demobilisation due to medical incapacity
  • Disruption of operations through medical evacuation
  • Burdening local healthcare systems during deployment

The USAR Medical Director, in accordance with INSARAG Medical Working Group guidance, holds clinical authority for establishing medical readiness policy and ensuring compliance.

Personnel Selection Process​

Selection of personnel should be systematic, transparent, and competency based. Applicants should be evaluated for motivation, teamwork, technical aptitude, prior experience, and leadership potential.

Recommended selection process:

  1. Call for applications – announcement of team formation and invitation for expressions of interest or CV submissions
  2. Screening and interviews – assessment of motivation, commitment, and understanding of team responsibilities
  3. Physical and skills assessment – evaluation of fitness and task-specific capabilities
  4. Commitment agreement – signing of a service agreement (for example minimum of five years) to ensure return on investment in training and equipment

For volunteer-based organisations, a training reimbursement clause may be used if personnel leave shortly after receiving funded training. Selection decisions should ensure diversity of skill sets while maintaining operational discipline and readiness.

Integration of Firefighters, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Non-Specialist Personnel​

Technical rescue teams must operate as an integrated part of the community’s wider emergency management system. Non-specialist responders (firefighters, EMS personnel, or public works staff) may provide essential support during incidents but must not undertake technical rescue tasks without appropriate training.

To manage this, organisations should adopt a tiered response model:

  • Tier 1: First responders, trained to awareness level of scene safety, hazard recognition, and information collection
  • Tier 2: Operations level, rescuers trained and equipped for limited technical tasks
  • Tier 3: Technician-level specialists with full rescue capability

All personnel should understand what actions must not be taken, such as:

  • Entering trenches that have not been shored
  • Entering confined spaces without atmospheric testing, ventilation, PPE

Core first-responder actions include:

  • Scene size-up and information gathering
  • Establishing safety perimeters and isolating hazards
  • Implementing command and control structures
  • Supporting specialist rescue teams upon arrival

Integration of EMS personnel into rescue operations is critical. Paramedics and medical staff must have timely access to casualties for assessment and stabilisation once the scene is secure. Where possible, medically trained personnel should also receive technical rescue training to operate safely in hazardous zones.

Inclusion of Technical and “Citizen Experts”​

Teams may benefit from incorporating individuals with specialist expertise such as:

  • Structural or civil engineers
  • Canine search handlers
  • Medical doctors or surgeons
  • Construction or demolition professionals

While these experts enhance capability, their inclusion requires clear administrative and legal arrangements, including:

  • Defined roles and responsibilities
  • Insurance coverage for injury, liability, and malpractice
  • Familiarisation with field operations, team structure, and deployment protocols

When seeking INSARAG classification, all personnel, including external experts, must comply with the competency and deployment requirements defined in INSARAG Guidelines.

Minimum Staffing Requirements​

The number of personnel required for a technical rescue team depends on:

  • The type and scope of rescue disciplines
  • The command structure and operational duration
  • The number of personnel needed to sustain 24-hour operations safely

General staffing guidance:

  • Confined Space Rescue: Minimum of two entry rescuers supported by two standby rescuers
  • Structural Collapse (Reconnaissance): At least three personnel, two specialists and one safety supervisor
  • Trench Rescue: Labour-intensive operations may require additional staff unless advanced shoring systems are available
  • Rope Rescue: Multiple technicians are needed to set up and operate belay, anchor, and haul systems concurrently

Each discipline should have a dedicated supervisory structure, typically including:

  • Technical Rescue Team Leader
  • Technical Rescue Safety Officer
  • Equipment Officer
  • Personnel/Training Officer

Staffing plans must ensure continuous operational coverage while maintaining normal daily service delivery. If sufficient trained and equipped personnel are unavailable to conduct operations safely, the team must delay entry until appropriate resources are present. Safety is paramount and non-negotiable.

Summary of Key Staffing Principles

  • Recruit personnel with mechanical aptitude, discipline, and adaptability
  • Maintain high medical, fitness, and psychological standards
  • Ensure selection and retention policies protect training investment
  • Integrate with wider emergency services through clear command structures
  • Include subject-matter experts where appropriate, under formal agreements
  • Staff to safe minimum levels and never exceed operational capacity