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Types of USAR Teams

Government USAR Team​

Government USAR teams are made up entirely of government organisations. In USAR teams that have representation from multiple organisations, one specific organisation is usually designated as the lead. These teams make up a country’s national USAR response capability.

A government USAR team requires approval of the INSARAG Policy and Operational Focal Points to undergo an IEC/R.

NGO USAR Team​

Depending on the country’s policy, NGO USAR teams can respond autonomously and do not require the approval of its government to deploy. An NGO USAR team, however, needs to be endorsed by that country’s INSARAG Policy Focal Point after consultation with the INSARAG Operational Focal Point, if that team is planning for an IEC/R. Once an NGO is classified by INSARAG, however, it should deploy when requested by the affected country only, and not spontaneously.

Combined Government/NGO USAR Teams​

These are USAR teams that comprise a combination of both government (single or multiple organisations) and NGO organisations. A combined government/NGO USAR team requires approval of the national INSARAG Policy Focal Point after consultation with the INSARAG Operational Focal Point to undergo an IEC/R. Once a combined team is classified by INSARAG, however, it should deploy when requested by the affected country only, and not spontaneously.

USAR Teams Composed of Multiple Organisations​

The INSARAG IEC/R awarded is only applicable to the USAR team, including all its component organisations, being classified. If the USAR team is composed of several independent organisations (e.g. government organisations and NGOs that respond together as a combined team) the IEC/R awarded is applicable to that combination of organisations only. If any single component of the classified team does not respond with the rest of the team, the IEC/R classification is not applicable, and the team is not to use the INSARAG classification identification while deployed.

If any of the component organisations of a combined team intends to respond independently and would like an IEC for when it does respond independently, it needs to be classified as a separate entity.

An INSARAG IEC/R cannot be transferred. Any independent organisation that obtained INSARAG IEC/R as part of a composite team and subsequently leaves that composite team is not permitted to promote itself as being INSARAG classified.