Each CDEM Group is encouraged to develop their own first response capability for USAR incidents. Response Teams are made up of volunteers from the community.
 Response Teams are registered with the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management upon meeting certain capability, administrative and training criteria as laid out in the Best Practice Guideline: Response Team Registration.
Although not mandatory, Response Team Registration provides assurance that the team meets national team standards and are considered then a national resource to support USAR Task Force operations.
Currently all NZ-RT’s are USAR specialists they also have a variety of skills in fields such as Communications, Welfare, Flood Response and Swift Water Response. Guidelines for these specialties are currently under development by the Ministry of Civil Defence Emergency Management (MCDEM). Those teams that chose not to become NZ-RT’s are known as Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs)
New Zealand Response Teams are allocated a unique team identifier (NZ-RT1, NZ-RT18) and authorised to use the USAR Logo as per the Logo Policy.
Role of Response Teams & CERTS
Response Teams and CERTS can come from a range of organisations, such as:
- Fire Service
- Civil Defence
- Industrial Rescue Teams
- Private Rescue Organisations
- Business House Rescue/Emergency Teams
Although each team has its own management structure, teams are generally assisted and have a functional link with their respective Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group. They provide the first response in any incident.
This involves:
- Primary survey of the incident and reporting back to Emergency Operations Centre
- Focus on rescuing victims trapped on the surface
- Supporting Task Force operations
Each Response Team or CERT:
- Has typically six to eight Responders (trained to Category 1-R: USAR Responder)
- Is led by a Team Leader
- Is co-ordinated and monitored by the CDEM Group in each region
- May be supported by local structural engineers, search dog teams and other specialists
New Zealand has developed another world first by introducing a Response Team Registration guideline.
 The Response Team Registration Guideline sets voluntary standards for organisations providing an official Responder (CAT-1R) level of capability for urban search and rescue operations within New Zealand.
Traditionally teams could qualify individual members in rescue techniques, but there were no national standards for the team’s ongoing training, self sufficiency, revalidation, equipment, or operating procedures.
The guideline sets minimum standards for teams wishing to be nationally recognised to provide initial response to, and support at major structural collapse incidents.
“The registration of response teams ensures that our Task Forces receive a credible resource on the day, not a liability. Previously, we had no assurance that supporting teams were in fact qualified or even properly resourced for disaster rescue operations”. Steve Glassey, USAR Training & Standards Working Group.
To become registered, Teams download the Best Practice Guideline: Response Team Registration from the USAR website and undertake a self-audit against the guideline requirements.
The Team then addresses any procedural, logistical or training deficiencies and requests to be registered by the panel appointed by their respective Civil Defence
Emergency Management Group.
The CDEM Group Panel is made up of suitably qualified people and often includes a range of senior managers and rescue experts from various emergency services. The CDEM Group (USAR Response Team Registration) Panel then carries out their own audit of the team against the guideline and provide a report.
If the Panel approve the registration of the Team, the CDEM Group notify the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management who in turn add the team to the website directory of USAR response teams and issue a registration certificate.
The USAR Training & Standards Working Group however moderates the first in each Group and some subsequent registration applications by way of visits and verification of procedures, records and equipment to ensure national consistency.
Those interested in response team registration requirements should download the guideline from the website. CDEM Groups or Teams who seek further information or support should contact the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management.
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USAR Teams 
