UKUSAR.com

Training and Awareness for the Fire & Rescue Service
As a consequence of the change in legislation with the updating of the Fire and Rescue Service Bill, and to achieve a fully integrated response with the USAR Units, all personnel within the FRS, including support staff, will require a more complete understanding of USAR incidents.
USAR Awareness
	The USAR Project has developed information which will support the introduction of the USAR Units across the UK Fire and Rescue Service and, at the same time, provides advice for incident commanders and firefighters in FRS that do not host USAR Units. This information is in the form of an interactive CD-ROM that has been distributed to all FRS in England and Wales. Version 1 was released in 2004 and has now been superceeded by Version 2.
The Contents of the USAR Awareness CD include: Introduction Structural Collapse Fire and Rescue Service Resources Mobilising Fire and Rescue Service Operations
Joining USAR
As can be seen from the table on the right, all firefighters within the UK can be considered as having skills and knowledge useful in structural collapse incidents. They, together with personnel crewing 'specialist' rescue vehicles will be the first responding FRS personnel on the scene of any structural collapse. Most people trapped in a collapsed building will be rescued by these first responders and only when it comes to the search and recovery of persons trapped deep within the rubble do the skills of USAR Technicians become necessary.
USAR Technicians require the basic skills and knowledge commensurate with the firefighter role map. Therefore, whilst having the job of a firefighter is not a pre-requisite of joining the National USAR Units, this is usually the case.
Personnel interested in joining Urban Search and Rescue are advised to contact their nearest USAR Unit, when more specific information can be discussed.

Responder Type

Definition

Level 1 Responder

All personnel crewing first response vehicles within Fire and Rescue Services.

First Responder

All personnel crewing specialist vehicles (carrying equipment suitable for collapsed structure response).

USAR Technician

Personnel (whole time or “on-call”) crewing specialist USAR Units who have completed all primary skills modules and a number of secondary modules.

USAR Capability Advisor

Personnel with specialist knowledge and skills, who will act in an advisory capacity to FRS command teams at level 3 or 4 structural collapse incidents.