The Internatinal Maritime Rescue Federatin Mass Rescue Operatins Prject: A template mass rescue peratins plan Cntents This paper prvides a template fr a mass rescue peratins plan. 1 Overview 1.1 Fr a general intrductin t the IMRF s mass rescue peratins (MRO) guidance, please see MRO guidance paper 1.1 Cmplex incident planning the challenge: acknwledging the prblem, and mass rescue incident types. The guidance in this sectin fcuses n varius MRO planning issues. 2 Planning guidance 2.1 This paper supprts guidance paper 2.1, General planning guidance. 3 A mass rescue peratins plan template 3.1 Annexed t this paper yu will find a template fr a mass rescue peratins plan. In prviding this template, we aim nly t assist yur planning prcess: a viable MRO plan can nly be cmpleted lcally. 3.2 Yu shuld nt fllw the template at annex if it des nt meet yur lcal requirements. It may be that yu already have such a plan and, if referring t this template at all, yu are nly checking that yu have cvered all the bases. It may als be that yur MRO planning is, r will be, part f wider planning fr the respnse t any cmplex incident; that is, any incident which will require special arrangements t be put in place in rder t deal with it. It is recmmended that MRO plans shuld at least be clsely linked t such wider planning. 3.3 Yur wn plan may nt lk the same as the template: that is nt imprtant. What is imprtant is that the plan shuld be SMARTA! There are varius interpretatins f this acrnym, but in this case let s agree that it stands fr SPECIFIC mass rescue peratins have been thrughly cnsidered and planned fr MEANINGFUL the plan is fcussed and sufficiently detailed MRO guidance paper 2.2: cpyright IMRF Page 1 f 7 3 June 2016
Page 2 f 7 ATTAINABLE all stakehlders have agreed that the plan will wrk in practice; which means that its users must be trained in it and wn it RELEVANT the plan must be realistic, based n actual resurces and capabilities TRACKED the plan must be up-t-date: a cntrlled dcument ACCESSIBLE all users must knw where t find it, and must readily understand their wn part in it 3.4 SMARTERS is anther versin f the acrnym, in which E, R & S stand fr Evaluate and Reevaluate the assessment part f the prcess that keeps the plan alive and Satisfactry : the plan satisfies its wners strategic visin. See guidance paper 2.1. 4 Summary The template annexed supprts guidance paper 2.1. The template is intended nly as a planning aid: planning must be dne lcally, and the resulting plan need nt fllw the template. The plan develped shuld be SMARTA. 5 Further reading 5.1 Fr further reading n MRO planning, and supprting resurces, fllw this link. [insert hyperlink t Planning hme page] www.internatinal-maritime-rescue.rg MRO guidance paper 2.2 3 June 2016
Page 3 f 7 ANNEX A mass rescue peratins plan template 1 1) PLAN TITLE 2 2) PLAN ADMINISTRATION 3 Name & full cntact details fr the lead plan administratr, usually the SAR Crdinatr 4 r his/her delegate Cntents page Tabulated distributin list plan cpy number (fr example, Cpy n.1 ) the name f the rganisatin hlding this cpy the name & cntact details fr the primary cntact persn within that rganisatin fr plan administratin purpses 5 Tabulated recrd f agreed changes the amendment number the name and signature f the persn making the amendment the date the amendment was made Tabulated list f effective pages 6 the page number if the page is nt the riginal, its amendment number the date f the amended page Tabulated audit recrd the date the audit was carried ut the name, cntact details and signature f the auditr the auditr s ntes 1 The MRO planner shuld als refer t the Internatinal Aernautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual Vlume I chapter 6.6 and Vlume II chapter 6.15 and appendix C. 2 As agreed by the stakehlders: likely t include a reference t the gegraphical area(s) cvered by the plan. 3 This sectin ensures that all stakehlders are hlding the latest versin f the plan. This will need t be assured peridically by audit. 4 As defined in the IAMSAR Manual. See guidance paper 4.2. 5 In mst cases this will be an administratr, nt the primary cntact fr use in actual emergencies. 6 That is, a list f the mst up-t-date amendments t the plan, listed page by page. It is recmmended that amendments be issued as whle pages, t facilitate updating. www.internatinal-maritime-rescue.rg MRO guidance paper 2.2 3 June 2016
Page 4 f 7 3) INTRODUCTION Simple descriptin f the plan s purpse Descriptin f the gegraphical area(s) cvered by the plan, including charts r maps Hw the plan is cnstructed 7 Generic definitin f a mass rescue peratin 8 Summary f the risks that might generate a mass rescue peratin in the area(s) cvered by the plan 9 4) STAKEHOLDERS Tabulated list f thse cmpiling the plan, including the lead planner, and identifying fr each stakehlder: the name f the individual rganisatin the name & 24-hur cntact details fr the primary cntact within the rganisatin fr use in emergencies, when activating r cnsidering activating this plan 10 a summary f the rganisatin s respnsibilities, with particular reference t mass rescue peratins 11 a summary f the rganisatin s mass rescue capabilities 12 5) CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS a descriptin f the verall cncept f peratins, including: details f the cmmand, cntrl & crdinatin structure the strategic, tactical and peratinal levels f respnse 13 respnses t different types f mass rescue requirement 14 7 It may be that this will be a cmplete plan, detailing all its users respnses but it is mre likely that it will be a dcument linking the varius respnse rganisatins wn majr incident plans. The latter is preferable, as individual users d nt need t knw everything abut ther rganisatins internal prcedures. 8 It is recmmended that the IAMSAR definitins f rescue and mass rescue peratin be included here. See guidance paper 1.1. 9 See guidance paper 1.3. 10 This might be an individual but is mre likely t be the rganisatin s cntrl r crdinatin centre. 24-hur cntacts shuld be prvided whenever pssible, except fr stakehlders withut a respnse rle wh have agreed that ffice-hur ntificatin is sufficient fr them. 11 A particular class f stakehlder are cmpanies perating passenger ships n internatinal rutes, which are required by the SOLAS Cnventin t cmpile cperatin plans with relevant SAR authrities. States may require ther peratrs t draw up similar plans. Where this is the case, the SAR cperatin plan shuld be mentined in and/r linked t the MRO plan. See guidance paper 4.9. 12 This will include the area(s) cvered by the rganisatin, its crdinatin centres, cmmunicatins facilities, respnse units available (maritime, aernautical, n land), units search and rescue capabilities, peratinal limitatins, etc. 13 See guidance paper 4.1. 14 See guidance paper 2.1, sectin 9. www.internatinal-maritime-rescue.rg MRO guidance paper 2.2 3 June 2016
Page 5 f 7 6) ADDITIONAL RESOURCES REQUIRED a brief explanatin f the capability gap inherent in mass rescue peratins 15 a summary f the additinal resurces identified t fill the capability gap(s) 16 a descriptin f hw units whse parent rganisatins culd nt be included in the planning fr practical reasns will be incrprated in the respnse 17 7) COMMUNICATIONS a descriptin f the cmmunicatins netwrk t be used when the plan is implemented 18 : pririties systems structures 8) PUBLIC RELATIONS a descriptin f the public relatins arrangements under the cmmunicatins plan, including crdinated news media respnse arrangements 19 9) ALERTING a descriptin f hw the need fr a mass rescue peratin is identified, and by whm 20 a descriptin f the primary alerting prcess 21 a descriptin f the mbilisatin r tasking prcess 22 15 See guidance paper 1.4. 16 See guidance papers 3.1, 3.2 & 3.3 and IAMSAR Vlume II chapter 6.15. This sectin will include an acknwledgement that respnding rganisatins will need t identify additinal resurces t supprt their wn peratins: relief and supprt staff, extra cmmunicatins links and wrking spaces, etc. 17 Ships which happen t be in the area at the time f the incident, fr example. 18 See guidance paper 4.9. 19 See guidance paper 2.3. 20 If this plan is part f, r linked t, stakehlders wider planning fr majr r cmplex incidents, requiring mre than the nrmal respnse, this identificatin prcess will be linked t the prcess fr declaring a majr incident t ther stakehlders. 21 Alerting shuld be a cascade prcess. Primary respnse rganisatins will alert their lead partners, wh will in turn alert their wn partner rganisatins, and s n. The cascade will include the alerting f the additinal facilities required t fill the capability gap: shipping in the area, etc. The plan shuld make clear wh will alert wh, and by what means. 22 Units will be mbilised in respnse t the incident. The plan shuld include, in its cmmunicatins sectin, the netwrk required t manage cmmunicatins with these units efficiently: especially wh they shuld cntact when mbilised, fr instructins and t pass infrmatin. Where practicable, these cmmunicatins links will be the same as thse used in www.internatinal-maritime-rescue.rg MRO guidance paper 2.2 3 June 2016
Page 6 f 7 10) SEARCH AND RESCUE a general descriptin f hw a search will be rganised, and by whm a general descriptin f hw rescue will be carried ut, including hw survivrs will be supprted during rescue 23 a descriptin f places f safety, including any specific lcatins agreed 24 11) ACCOUNTING FOR THOSE INVOLVED a descriptin f the prcess fr ensuring that everyne invlved in the mass rescue peratin has been accunted fr 25 12) CONCLUSION OF MASS RESCUE OPERATIONS a descriptin f the prcess fr agreeing that the mass rescue peratin is at an end. 13) VIPS a descriptin f hw the invlvement f imprtant visitrs will be handled 26 14) BUSINESS CONTINUITY a descriptin f arrangements t ensure that stakehlders rutine wrk can cntinue while the mass rescue peratin is under way 27 rutine peratins, at least fr initial tasking. An MRO will invlve a significant cmmunicatins lad, but the additinal links are likely t be at the tactical and strategic levels. 23 Rescue is used here in the sense defined by the IMO: the peratin t retrieve persns in distress, prvide fr their initial medical r ther needs and deliver them t a place f safety : see guidance papers 2.4 & 2.6. 24 A place f safety is defined by the IMO as a lcatin where rescue peratins are cnsidered t terminate; where the survivrs' safety f life is n lnger threatened and where their basic human needs (such as fd, shelter and medical needs) can be met; and, a place frm which transprtatin arrangements can be made fr the survivrs' next r final destinatin. A place f safety may be n land, r it may be n bard a rescue unit r ther suitable vessel r facility at sea that can serve as a place f safety until the survivrs are disembarked at their next destinatin. See guidance paper 2.7. 25 This will include all thse directly invlved in an incident, including respnse team members deplyed t the scene. Infrmatin prvided shuld include peple s current lcatin (if knwn) and their cnditin if in need f medical assistance, cnfirmed dead, missing, etc. See guidance paper 2.5. 26 In a high-prfile peratin it is likely that VIPs (Very Imprtant Peple) will wish t visit the scene f the actin and/r respnding rganisatins, t shw supprt etc. This must be planned fr in such a way that their invlvement des nt impinge n the effectiveness f the peratin. See guidance paper 2.3. 27 This will usually be a matter fr individual rganisatins t arrange internally. Hwever, it will be beneficial t summarise such arrangements in this plan: giving alternative first pints f cntact fr wrk unrelated t the MRO, fr example, r explaining hw deplyed resurces will be substituted. www.internatinal-maritime-rescue.rg MRO guidance paper 2.2 3 June 2016
Page 7 f 7 15) TRAINING, TESTING & REVIEW 28, 29 a summary f the arrangements fr jint training in, and testing f, this plan a summary f the plan review prcess 30 16) GLOSSARY OF TERMS & ABBREVIATIONS 31 *** 28 See guidance papers 5.1 & 5.3. 29 The SOLAS Cnventin requires certain passenger ships t cnduct peridic exercises with SAR authrities: see guidance paper 5.3. 30 This will include prcedures fr reviewing the results f exercises r drills and actual MROs: see guidance papers 5.4 & 5.5. T encurage wnership, the respnsibility f individual plan users t highlight any discrepancies in, r ptential imprvements t, the plan shuld be nted here: see guidance paper 1.2. 31 Different rganisatins use different terms, acrnyms, etc. Thse which may be used in inter-rganisatinal cmmunicatins, and which might be misunderstd, shuld be listed here, with explanatins. www.internatinal-maritime-rescue.rg MRO guidance paper 2.2 3 June 2016