Executive Summary and Meeting Notes

INSARAG Operations Working Group – November 5th to 9th2012

OPERATIONS WORKING GROUP (WG)

Executive Summary and Meeting Notes

Los Angeles

November 5th– 9th2012

OWG Members:

Working Group Members attending:

David Norlin (DN) Chair, Sweden

Tsukasa Katsube (TK) Asia Pacific, Japan

Ulf Langemeier (UL) Europe/Africa/Middle East, Germany

Sebastian Mocarquer (SM) Americas, Chile

Peter Crook (PC) Europe/Africa/Middle East, UK

Steve Smith (SS) Asia Pacific, Australia

Ramiro Galvez (RG) UNDAC

Alan Toh (AT) Asia Pacific, Singapore

Nihan Erdogan (INSARAG) also attended various sessions

Agenda

1. Adoption of Agenda
2. Opening and Welcome
3. Presentation of Meeting Schedule and Objectives
4. Presentation of achievements since last meetings
5. Working Sessions; Various
6. Planning of coming activities; homework, regional meetings, SG meeting,
7. Update of Task List and Timeline
8. Completion of Chairman’s Summary
9. Meeting Closure

Meeting Notes

Day 1 – Monday 5th November– OWG Meeting

09:00Meeting Opened

A summary of the week’s programme was discussed and a provisional outline schedule devised and the agenda adopted.The main points for resolution of the coordination system were listed:-

-UC/SC concept and staffing

-Finalisation of the new marking system

-VO auto analysis tools and the operational use of the VO

-IM tools – final agreement of all the forms/tools

An analysis was done on the specific functions that the UC and SC require to be effective.

Marking system: After discussions it was agreed that option 3 would be adopted with a few minor amendments (remove the part 2)and more detailed information on the application

Discussion on use of the VO and options for auto analysis and

-Develop tab system

-Propose auto analysis and autofill for the future

-Postpone authorisation levels

-Use of social media in the future

Meeting finished at 1700

Day 2 – Tuesday 6thNovember

08:30:

Modifications made to the ASR level names, updating of ASR details/definitions

Finalised details of the marking system

Discussion on a new triage tree

Discussion and update of IM tools/forms

Meeting finished at 1700

Day 3–Wednesday 7th November

0830

Updating the IM tools in detail

Individuals updated their individual areas of the system

Presentation on system given to TWG, shortened due to the need for more in depth understanding, agreed to provide printed material to TWG for their consideration.

Meeting finished at 1700

Day 4–Thursday 8th November

Meeting commenced at 0830

Written information given to TWG on system for their consideration.

Continuation of updating various tools and documents

Planning session with Urs Amiet on Swiss Countdown exercise

Long debate about UC/SC staffing and Coordination Module concept – agreed system

Received feedback from TWG, taken into account by OWG.

Meeting finished at 1700

Day 5 – Friday 9thNovember

0830

Confirmation discussions were held regarding the UC/SC staffing concept and the cross benefits for the whole coordination system.

A review and update of the work package list was done:-

Work Package
Items / Status / Comments
Develop an OWG Report / An over-arching report that includes:-
-Exec. Summary
-Technical Note
-Concept of Operations
-IM Tools
-VO development
-Implementation Plan
-Annexes; Chairman summaries, Terms of reference / DN
SS
DN
RG
SM & UL
TK
SS
DN
Review of the Technical Note / Following revisions of various areas of the TN, consolidation into a reviewed TN is needed. / All OWG andDN
Coordination
Structure / The structure is now agreed, there are minor
updates required to the Technical Note. / Ongoing
(DN)
Coordination
Guides / These are completed in draft form but need reviewing following the changes made. / Ongoing
(Various)
Team ID
Naming
Convention / This has been finalised and just need adding to
the Technical Note. / Ongoing
(SS)
Sectorisation / A diagram of the Sub OSOCC principle and improved sectorisation diagrams need adding to the Technical Note. / Ongoing
(DN)
Marking System / The finalised marking system has been agreed by by OWG and needs adding to the TN. / Ongoing
(SS)
Roles and Responsibilities
of USAR
coordination
roles / Writing of the guidance for UC/SC coordination functions based on a core 2 x person staffing model. Guidance on of the concept and equipment needed for a ‘Coordination Module’ is required to include the options for using this module for RDC, provisional OSOCC, SC as well as UC.
Write a communication strategy to include
meeting programming and structure.
Development of display tools is needed,
guidance to follow. / Ongoing
(RG)
Assessment,
Search and
Rescue Levels / A final review to reflect the recent name changes and clarifications. / Ongoing
(PC)
Information Management
Tools / Final versions to be signed off by all.
User notes on the rear of each form explaining the requirements of each field is needed.
A section in the TN should cover the options for translation of some of the forms. / Ongoing
(SM and RG)
VO / The VO restructure plan is in hand and needs pursuing as part of the future implementation plan. This will include an on-line guide. / Ongoing
(TK and RG)
New Worksite
Triage system / Write up a section for the TN on the new
Worksite Triage form / PC & SS
IM backroom
tools / It is identified that there is a need for tools that
will collect and process all the information to
make it usable and available to all stakeholders.
It is unlikely that this will be completed in this work cycle.
Agreed that the use of macros as preferred temporary solution. Funding for this is needed and has been provisionally agreed by JICA. / Ongoing
(TK)
Use of Social
Media / This is not achievable in this work cycle but will
need to be developed in future. This needs to be added to the task list of a future WG. / Pending
Implementation
Plan / An outline implementation plan to be written for the period from Jan 2013 until 2015 completion of the review of the INSARAG Guidelines / Ongoing
(SS)
Exercise
Planning for
SIMEX / Planning for OWG involvement in SIMEX in Switzerland in March 2013
Flowchart/guidance for each BoO room
Display system for UC/SC information
Pre-exercise information sent out to all teams:-
-TN, forms and ppt,
Make-up of the UC – Australia will provide 2 x UC personnel plus other OWG members to investigate the possibility for 2 further members from other teams.
Presentations on the system to be finalised
A trial version of the ‘USAR Coordination’ area on the VO / All
SS
RG
DN
PC
TK & RG
Integration with UNDAC / There needs to be clarification of how the UC integrates with UNDAC in an OSOCC.
Changes to the UNDAC training to reflect the
UC and SC concept is needed as part of the implementation plan. / RG and DN
ISG Prep. / PPT and 2 page
report for ISG / DN and PC
Overall OWG
Report / There is a need for an overall OWG report which includes the TN but also has
introductions, explanations, executive summary and overall concepts etc. / All and DN

Requests to FCSS

A full day of training/discussion in January 2013 in Geneva to introduce the new system to FCSS staff and any related people deemed necessary.

Letter to the permanent missions in Geneva, political and operational Focal Points encouraging them to use of the new methodology in any upcoming exercises and to provide feedback via VOSOCC forum.

A full day (or 2 half days) at the annual Team Leaders Meeting to deliver a series of workshops on the news system followed by a 30 minute session on the final day.

Confirmation that the ISG will be able to approve the OWG report and the implementation plan proposed. And that the TL meeting can endorse the technical detail of the system.

A formal request to FCSS and ISG to approve an extension of the OWG work cycle to go up to the 2013 Team Leaders meeting.

VO Discussion

A detailed discussion on the proposed functionality of the revised ‘USAR Coordination area of the VO was held with agreement on the general needs. TK to take forward.

Training Package Development

A specific meeting is proposed between members of OWG and TWG to develop the training packages in 2013.

Swiss SIMEX Countdown

Agreed that OWG will take part in theSwiss Countdown SIMEX, arriving on Friday 1st March, departing late evening on Friday 8th or Saturday 9th.

The Chairman’s summary was reviewed by the group and finalised

17:00:Meeting Closed

Acknowledgements

The meeting in Los Angeles was generously supported by LA County Fire Department and the USAR department.

David Norlin

OWG Chairman