- UK deploying 68‑robust search and rescue workforce, together with specialist canine, to assist life‑saving efforts in Venezuela
- £2 million UK humanitarian funding will assist quick response and coordination
- UK Emergency Medical Group (UK EMT) is additionally sending an advance workforce to evaluate pressing well being wants and inform additional UK medical assist
The UK is releasing an preliminary £2 million in humanitarian funding to assist the response to devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, together with a deployment of specialist search and rescue personnel.
Supported by the Royal Air Power, the UK’s Worldwide Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) workforce of 68 personnel, together with six specialist search canine, departed immediately to help efforts to find and rescue individuals trapped within the wake of the earthquake.
The workforce set off from RAF Brize Norton on a Voyager plane, carrying specialist drones in a position to assist assess structural collapses safely, determine hazards equivalent to compromised roofs, and direct rescue groups. RAF personnel, together with aircrew and logisticians, labored quickly to organize the plane and coordinate the deployment, serving to ship the much-needed assist.
The flight additionally carries members of the UK’s humanitarian discipline workforce, together with provide chain, humanitarian and safety specialists, with additional personnel becoming a member of in nation to assist the supply and coordination of UK help.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned:
My ideas are with the individuals of Venezuela following this week’s devastating earthquakes. The UK stands in solidarity with all these affected, significantly those that have misplaced family members, houses and livelihoods.
We’re making £2 million of emergency humanitarian funding accessible and are working carefully with worldwide companions to make sure important assist reaches these most in want as shortly as potential.
The deployment brings collectively firefighters and specialists from 14 UK Fireplace and Rescue Providers throughout the UK, led by Merseyside Fireplace and Rescue Service. The UK workforce is very skilled and labored tirelessly on the bottom in Türkiye and Morocco in 2023, serving to to rescue survivors trapped below the rubble.
UK ISAR is a part of the UK’s Nationwide Resilience functionality and is on everlasting standby to answer disasters abroad. The workforce will work alongside native and worldwide companions to assist life-saving search and rescue operations.
Overseas Secretary, Yvette Cooper mentioned:
The UK immediately has despatched assist to Venezuela following these devastating earthquakes.
Our specialist search and rescue groups are deploying to assist save lives, and we’re offering a £2 million bundle to assist the humanitarian response.
We proceed to work carefully with worldwide companions to make sure assist reached these affected as quick as potential
FCDO funding ensures the UK ISAR workforce is educated, outfitted and able to deploy at quick discover to assist international locations affected by pure disasters, serving to to rescue these trapped, coordinate efforts on the bottom and strengthen the broader worldwide response.
Consultants from the UK’s Emergency Medical Group are additionally travelling to Venezuela to find out how the UK can finest assist save lives within the essential coming days and weeks as a part of the FCDO‑funded response.
The UK EMT members are travelling to Venezuela to evaluate pressing well being wants. Their evaluation will inform any additional UK medical deployment and assist wider worldwide coordination.
Minister for the Armed Forces Louise Sandher-Jones MP mentioned:
Our Armed Forces have moved shortly to assist the UK’s humanitarian response to the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, transporting specialist search and rescue personnel and gear to help life-saving efforts on the bottom.
The RAF performs an essential position in getting individuals and capabilities the place they’re wanted most, and our Armed Forces stand able to assist humanitarian missions world wide alongside our worldwide companions.
The UK’s £2 million bundle will assist quick life-saving exercise and the broader worldwide response. The UK works in partnership to quickly reply to humanitarian disasters and is a significant contributor to world emergency funds, together with the Worldwide Federation of Pink Cross and Pink Crescent Societies’ Catastrophe Response Emergency Fund (DREF) and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which underpin fast multinational responses.
DREF has allotted funding for the Venezuelan Pink Cross to ship a quick and native response to by quickly releasing funds to Nationwide Pink Cross and Pink Crescent Societies to hold out their position as first responders following a catastrophe. An allocation has additionally been made by the CERF and can present quick, life-saving humanitarian help to handle probably the most pressing wants of individuals affected by the earthquakes.
Notes to editors
- The UK Worldwide Search and Rescue workforce (UKISAR) reply to disasters on behalf of the Overseas, Commonwealth and Growth Workplace. UK ISAR is a partnership between the FCDO and UK Fireplace and Rescue Providers, offering a 24/7 deployable search and rescue functionality for worldwide emergencies.
- The workforce is made up of firefighters and specialists from 14 Fireplace and Rescue Providers throughout the UK and this deployment is led by Merseyside Fireplace and Rescue Service.
- UK‑Med is the supply companion of the UK Emergency Medical Group (UK EMT), funded by the FCDO.
- Please see images to be used: UK assist for Venezuela – Defence Imagery
