QNA
Doha
The exercise implemented by the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group to pass the final stage of the international reclassification (Heavy) by the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will be held from November 25 to 28.
Through the reclassification process, the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group aims to continue working according to the guidelines of the international group (INSARAG), to benefit from the United Nations in obtaining information, and to coordinate with the affected country in the absence of an embassy and other mechanisms of work during crises.
As part of the preparation, the group held a preparatory meeting on Thursday to ensure readiness for the test, in the presence of the group commander Major Khalid Abdullah Al Humaidi, the team supervisor from the Singapore Civil Defence Chew Keng Tok, along with a number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and members of the group.
In statements, Major Humaidi said that in light of the successes that the group has achieved, Qatar International Search and Rescue Group sought to translate this by entering the international reclassification tests at the (Heavy) level from the United Nations, which was obtained in 2015, to continue working under an international umbrella with partners from international teams around the world according to a unified language and scientific approach in the field of search and rescue.
He pointed out that the group, as part of its preparations for reclassification, implemented various field exercises and training courses that exceeded 1,500 training hours, in addition to qualifying group members and refining their field experiences through specialized training courses and programs.
Humaidi expressed confidence in the group members and their passing of all procedures, stressing that this classification will be exceptional by passing all points, especially since the work is being done according to a strategic plan stemming from focused directions.
For his part, the team supervisor from the Singapore Civil Defence Chew Keng Tok said that he began his journey with the team in 2015, expressing happiness to return to work with the team again, especially in light of the great experience that the group has gained over the past years.
The United Nations INSARAG recently approved the special file submitted by the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group for the international reclassification tests for the ‘Heavy’ category, obtained in 2015.
Heavy is the highest classification granted by the international group to search and rescue teams. During this test, the group will be evaluated according to theoretical and practical tests and the application of what was discussed in the workshops, field applications, and exercises carried out by the group, under the supervision of the Singaporean supervising team to qualify the team members according to the scientific methodology followed by international search and rescue teams, to verify its readiness and complete the requirements for reclassification by the organization.
The reclassification procedures include scenarios for field exercises that simulate natural disasters, as well as field, logistical, medical, and administrative operations.