4th IWG MEETING ON HADR

IWG members will continue to share HADR operational experiences and capabilities including analysis/lessons learnt.

IONS member nations are encouraged to invite other IONS member nations as active participants or observers in HADR courses, events and exercises.

IWG member nations are encouraged to volunteer for conducting Field Training Exercise based on IONS Guidelines for HADR. France volunteered to conduct the HADR Exercise in Mar/Apr 2021.

The HADR Resource Directory needs to be further developed with contribution from all member nations, including assets like hospital ships etc. All IONS member nations are requested to provide information by 31 Mar 2020.

A common format towards voluntary reporting of incident/disaster, with an aim to promptly disseminate information for common understanding, is proposed to be included in the Guidelines. A draft ‘HADR Information Sharing Template’ is placed at Enclosure.

The need to establish the IONS Co-ordination Centre for HADR (ICCH) was agreed upon in the meeting.

A flowchart on the planning and conduct of HADR operations needs to be incorporated in the guidelines. France will prepare the flowchart post conduct of the IONS HADR Exercise in 2021.

Bangladesh volunteered to be the co-chair of the IWG on HADR and formulate Maritime Search and Rescue Guidelines (MSAR). The draft MSAR Guidelines will be circulated by Bangladesh to the IWG members by 31 Mar 2020.

The IWG members agreed to discuss Submarine Escape and Rescue as part of future HADR Exercises. IWG member nations are encouraged to make presentation on the issue in the subsequent meetings.