The Maltese Association proudly announces the set up of a Canine Search And Rescue Team
The documents setting up the “Canine SAR Team”, including an Objectives, Organisation and Operational Procedures Manual as well as a Support Agreement with the Working Dogs Academy, were formally signed at a ceremony held at the Roger de Giorgio Hall at Casa Lanfreducci on Wednesday 2nd June 2021.
The Canine SAR Team will initially operate within the Maltese islands to serve as backup to the local government Urban Search and Rescue (“USAR”) team, primarily to provide trained canine teams in the efficient and speedy location of trapped live victims due to building collapse.
A longer term objective of the Canine SAR Team is to operate internationally by providing immediate assistance in case of any natural disaster happening in any other part of the world. To prepare for this, the Team will train up to International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (“INSARAG”) standards, with the final objective being official registration and approval for inclusion in the internationally recognised list within the INSARAG framework. INSARAG is a network of disaster-prone and disaster-responding countries and organisations dedicated to USAR and operational field coordination. It was established in 1991 to facilitate coordination between governmental and voluntary international USAR teams that make themselves available for deployment to countries that have suffered devastating events of structural collapse due primarily to earthquakes and floods. The United Nations was chosen as the INSARAG secretariat to facilitate international participation.
A Committee composed of a Team Leader, a Team Manager Search, a Team Manager Rescue, a Team Manager Medical, a Team Manager Logistics and a Team Manager Management was appointed to manage and operate the Canine SAR Team, relevant roles being initially assigned to Mr. Stephen Micallef, Mr. Simon Briffa and Mr. Joseph Sammut whilst Baroncino Michael Trapani Galea Feriol will perform the role of Council representative.
The Manual was signed by the President Marchesino Daniel de Petri Testaferrata and by the Hospitaller Dr. Kevin F. Dingli on behalf of the Association, as well as by all Committee Members; whilst the Support Agreement was signed by the President and the Hospitaller on behalf of the Association and by Mr. Stephen Micallef on behalf of the Working Dogs Academy.
This is a new and exciting project launched by the Association, very much in line with the Order’s humanitarian ethos. It has been close to four years in the making, and only came to fruition thanks to the Association having been enrolled as a voluntary organisation. Both the President and the Hospitaller envisaged that other synergies such as in the first aid sector could be given rise to, and the project could also open up possibilities for fresh volunteers to get involved in the works of the Association.
KD
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