First mass rescue operations training held in Uruguay

The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) informed that it has held the very first Mass Rescue Operations workshop in Uruguay, South America, earlier in June, in partnership with the National Navy of Uruguay at the Uruguayan Naval Academy in Montevideo.

A tourism is a valuable part of the Uruguayan economy, with approximately 200 passenger cruise ships calling at Uruguayan ports over the summer period, and more than 8,000 people using regular passenger ferries from Buenos Aires every weekend, the Uruguayan authorities supported the workshop as an important contribution to the country’s search and rescue (SAR) planning and operational preparedness.

The specialist SAR training was delivered by representatives from the IMRF, the US Coast Guard, the Uruguayan Navy and the National Emergency System (SINAE) in Uruguay. Theresa Crossley, CEO IMRF, explained:

The IMRF’s Mass Rescue Operations (MRO) Project shares valuable lessons learnt from the most challenging of SAR events. It really helps those responsible to plan their response to complex incidents, particularly at senior command, control and coordination levels.

At the workshop, participants were given guidance on preparing for, and handling, a mass rescue operation, enabling them to further develop their own local response plans. Eduardo Tucci, a Board Member from the Association of Maritime and River Rescue of Uruguay, said:

The IMRF Mass Rescue workshop highlighted the need for coordination, not only between the institutions involved in the search and rescue operation, but also between the many other parties assisting.