A Disaster Response Division was recently established within the ICE-SAR Rescue School, replacing the former Urban Search and Rescue Division. This change aims to further strengthen education and training for members in responding to a wide range of disasters, including wildfires, avalanches, landslides and volcanic eruptions, alongside urban search and rescue and earthquake response.

We will outline the division’s responsibilities, the challenges it faces, new courses and lectures, and collaboration with other divisions. We will also discuss plans for developing training materials and how learning resources and training will be structured and delivered to members.

Finally, we will briefly review the outcomes and next steps from the Future Vision for Disaster Response Teams workshop, which will be held on the Thursday before the Björgun conference.