Improving the National Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) capacities of Mongolia


The intervention seeks to improve the national emergency response capacities of Mongolia in the area of Urban Search And Rescue (USAR). In Mongolia, USAR services are delivered by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Capacity building will be pursued through a selection of measures with special focus on targeted training in USAR techniques on the newly built training facilities, as well as support for organizational and operational conceptualization.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Mongolia
Climate change and environment
Disaster risk reduction DRR
20.01.2023 - 31.12.2024
CHF  200’000
Background As the largest land-locked country in the world and being exposed to significant climatic challenges, Mongolia is vulnerable, in varying degrees, to a large number of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, forest fires, as well as incidents impacted by extremely harsh winters (“Dzuds”). The increasing urban environments of Ulaanbaatar, where around 50 % of the country’s total population of 3.3 mio. inhabitants live, as well as the cities of Darkhan and Erdenet are especially prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity.
Objectives Mongolia’s national response capacities are strengthened and its search and rescue operations extended to urban areas according to international standards.
Target groups

Direct beneficiaries: (Urban) Search and Rescue experts and the management of NEMA

Indirect beneficiaries: All urban dwellers of Mongolia, particularly those in the capital Ulaanbaatar 

Medium-term outcomes

Outcome 1: Appropriate training facilities consisting of a Modular Training Ground, including various training stations and partly new components, that enable them to practice USAR techniques according to international standards, are owned, used and maintained by NEMA’s USAR units.

Outcome 2: NEMA’s USAR units’ response capacities have been improved through introduction of systematic training of USAR techniques according to international standards, by using the partly newly purchased rescue tools, as well as through adaptations of the organizational setup and logistical infrastructure.

Results

Expected results:  

1.1)    Additional components and adaptations of the existing Modular Training Ground, on the premises of NEMA’s Special Rescue Unit near Ulaanbaatar, have been identified and planned in cooperation of NEMA, SDC experts and the mandated contractor.

1.2)    Additional MTG components have been constructed and necessary adaptations have been realized by the mandated contractor, based on the planning and supervision of NEMA and SDC experts.

1.3)    NEMA has acquired know-how on the use and maintenance of the new MTG.

2.1)    The state and functionality of NEMA’s rescue tools, including the SDC donated and newly purchased ones, as well as the infrastructure to store, maintain and repair those, are verified and eventually (re-)prepared and (re-)conditioned to be used for trainings.

2.2)    NEMA has carried out practical USAR trainings on site, by using the SDC donated as well as the rescue tools, which had been locally purchased. 2.3: NEMA has initiated the necessary adaptions to systematically manage its USAR units during the preparedness, mobilization, deployment and demobilization phases on national base. 


Results from previous phases:  

During the project pilot phase 01 (01.07.2017 - 31.12.2018) and the phase 02 (01.01.31.12.2019) the capacity building process was initiated and developed with the following achievements:

-    Identification, recruitement and employment of 12 new USAR trainers

-    Planning,tendering and construction of a new Modular Training Ground (MTG) for practical USAR trainings

-    Evaluation and purchase of new rescue tools as well as donation of rescue tools from the stock of the Swiss Rescue USAR team

-    Conceptualization related to the upgrade process “SAR to USAR”

-    Introduction of necessary adaptations in Management and Logistics 


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
Foreign state institution
  • National State Institute North


Other partners
National Emergency Management Agency of Mongolia NEMA
Coordination with other projects and actors Synergies, coordination and – as far as possible – trilateral cooperation is sought with the USAR entities of the rather newly established Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management.
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    200’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    136’130
Project phases Phase 3 20.01.2023 - 31.12.2024   (Current phase) Phase 2 01.01.2019 - 31.12.2019   (Completed) Phase 1 01.07.2017 - 31.12.2018   (Completed)