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Reception and Departure Centre (RDC)

A large-scale sudden onset disaster generally results in a rapid influx of assistance from the international community to the affected country. Response teams and relief supplies will converge into the country at one or more points of entry to seek access to the disaster affected areas. Depending on the geography of the affected country and the infrastructure damage, the point of entry may be an airport, seaport or land border. There may be numerous RDCs for one event, based on the need. The first classified USAR team into the country is to establish an RDC in consultation with the host nation. The aim of an RDC is to be the initial international coordination entity established in the affected country. The RDC is set up at major entry points for international assistance. The RDC is there to assist entry point operations by facilitating the arrival of incoming response teams and relief items and therefore take the pressure off local authorities. Furthermore, the RDC assists in coordinating arriving teams’ deployment to the field.

RDC Establishment Checklist​

  • Identify airport authorities or equivalent and determine focal points for air and ground traffic control, administration, logistics, customs, immigration, security, humanitarian aid storage facilities, and, if necessary, military liaison.

  • Arrange for airport official passes, particularly if required to go airside on the airport.

  • Brief airport authorities with partners on the purpose of the RDC and OSOCC and how it supports the arrival of international actors and relief items.

  • Negotiate a venue for the RDC that is visible and easily accessible but not too exposed to public traffic.

  • Establish the RDC with communication links and ICT equipment.

  • Establish one or more reception desks easily visible and accessible.

  • Prepare for crowd management, including:

    • Place signage to the RDC throughout the airport.
    • Visible signal (RDC flags) on reception desks and RDC.

  • Arrangements for paging with airport authorities.

  • Preparation of waiting area for arriving teams including area for search dogs.

  • Arrangements for customs, immigration and administrative support for arriving teams.

  • Arrangements for transport of teams to the disaster site.

  • Prepare briefing hand-outs about own purpose, contact information and situation update.

  • If available, distribute maps.

  • Prepare questionnaires for registration of arriving teams.

  • Prepare briefing for arriving teams.

  • Prepare for support of departing teams, including accommodation, logistics, and flight booking.

  • Prepare questionnaires for departing teams.

  • Develop exit strategy, including the identification of procedures that should be maintained and the entities to which they should be handed over.

  • Liaise with responsible authorities to provide information about the purpose and capability of the RDC by providing assistance to airport authorities in processing arriving international relief teams to facilitate rapid deployment to the disaster-affected area.

  • Establish a sequence of stations to allow the rapid processing of arriving relief teams. The stations should include immigration, customs, registration, briefing, logistics, and transport to the site.

  • Supervise the activities of RDC staff through the operation.

  • Ensure an information flow from the RDC to the OSOCC/UCC and the LEMA.

  • Facilitate logistics support for arriving International relief teams in cooperation with the LEMA and airport authorities. This task includes determining logistics requirements of arriving USAR Teams, making necessary logistical arrangements with the LEMA and briefing newly arrived relief teams accordingly.

  • If the RDC is requested by the OSOCC or the LEMA to assist with the tracking of international contributions, the RDC/UCC Logistics functions would be assigned this responsibility.

  • Liaise with the Logistics Cluster if and when established.

  • Ensure the establishment of the RDC, including station for rapid processing of arriving relief teams.

  • Ensure the set-up and operation of any electronic equipment that is required to carry out its task, including ICT equipment, internet connectivity and communication within the RDC.

  • Register information about arriving relief teams at dedicated reception stations and share this information with the OSOCC/UCC and other stakeholders.

  • Establish a system for filing and back-up of electronic documents on a regular basis.

RDC Layout​

RDC Layout

RDC Briefing Handout​

Handout to be distributed to arriving USAR Teams with critical information

⬇ Download RDC Briefing Handout

Situation

  • Date of issue
  • Time of issue
  • Overview of situation in affected areas
  • Infrastructure states (state of roads, bridges, mobile network etc.)
  • Safety issues
  • Security issues

Local response and GPS

  • Coordination mechanisms
  • GPS Datum (WGS84 normally)

BoO location

  • City
  • Sector
  • Address
  • Place name
  • GPS - Coordinates (Lat/Lon Hddd.Dddd)

UCC details

  • City
  • Sector
  • Address
  • Place name
  • GPS - Coordinates (Lat/Lon Hddd.Dddd)
  • Route information (e.g. detours, blockages)
  • Telephone number
  • Radio frequencies
  • Email address
  • Next UCC meeting

Team requirements

  • Transport
  • Supplies

Other information