Israel’s Home Front Command Search and Rescue Brigade has won accreditation by the United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group.
The team — which includes several hundred male and female reservists as well as four female combat soldiers from the IDF Oketz canine unit, and four firefighters — was put through a week-long accreditation test that included 230 different criteria.
Our National Rescue Unit is now a member of the United Nations' International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (pic.twitter.com/GNJD9sSOH8
) and will henceforth operate under the at disaster areas abroad along with other foreign forces.— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF)
Among the criteria used to test the Israeli team were standards involving mobilization of the unit within a specified period of time, rapid analysis of situation, an engineering survey of buildings, provision of medical assistance, mobility, use of advanced logistical technological equipment and simultaneous operation of two parallel disaster sites.
Now when the IDF search and rescue brigade deploys to disasters alongside foreign search and rescue teams, it will operate under the accreditation of the United Nations.