strengthening the operational capacity of the team USAR Italy Light ITA-02

forthcoming

The USAR Italy Light team is a specialized Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) unit operating under the Italian National Fire and Rescue Service (INFRS). It is designed to provide technical search and rescue capabilities in response to disasters such as earthquakes, building collapses, and other emergencies requiring rapid intervention. The USAR Italy Light team is structured to bridge critical gaps in response time, coordination, and efficiency, ensuring that life-saving operations can be carried out swiftly and effectively in disaster-stricken areas. The team is particularly adept at working in complex urban environments, where collapsed structures require specialized search and rescue operations that meet the highest international standards. Currently undergoing the INSARAG External Classification (IEC) process, the USAR Italy Light team is reinforcing its operational capabilities to become fully compliant with international search and rescue standards. The Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) will significantly benefit from this action by enhancing the rapid response capabilities of the European Civil Protection Pool (ECPP), addressing identified gaps, and reducing geographic imbalances in available capacities. The ECPP capacity assessment (as of December 2024) highlights specific gaps in search and rescue capabilities.