Search and rescue, together with evacuation
of the wounded and dead, is a first-line responsibility
of many National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies throughout
the world, depending on their role as auxiliaries to their
governments. This service is called upon in a wide variety
of disasters, both natural and man-made.
The search, rescue and evacuation phase
can often be complicated by the scale of the disaster and
the number of actors involved in the emergency response,
whether of local, national or international origin. Frequently,
the media shows images of international search and rescue
teams being flown in to a disaster zone to help locate survivors
and dig out bodies from the rubble. However, experience
shows that those who play the biggest part in search and
rescue efforts are most often members of the affected community.
It is therefore essential that programmes to improve disaster
response recognize and build on these local capacities.
Disaster management
