Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team
Encyclopedia
The Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) is an elite team within the Singapore Civil Defence Force
(SCDF), formed in 1990 to handle complex rescue and fire fighting incidents, such as urban search and rescue
; prolonged fire fighting
; height and confined space operations; and water rescue.
One of the very specialised vocations in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), it is staffed by handpicked firefighter
s, who show exceptional skills in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and very complex firefighting skills. The selection process for Dart is very stringent and only the best trainees pass the course--for example, one of the selection requirements is finishing a 2.4 km run by 8m 30s.
The team's operations include the training and utilisation of rescue dogs. Robots are also increasingly being utilised to minimise danger faced by Dart personnel and an array of complex rescue equipments which are used for USAR.
In October 2005, a 44-member DART was sent to Pakistan
to help in the relief and rescue operations following the 2005 Kashmir earthquake
.. The DART were also sent to Bandar Aceh in Indonesia during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
which claimed almost 150,000 lives. Ever since then, the DART had received international recognition and are regarded as one of the best USAR teams in the world
In May 2008, a 55-member DART was sent to China
to help in the relief and rescue operations following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake
.
In February 2011, a 55-member DART team was sent to New Zealand
to assist in urban search and rescue operations after the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Singapore Civil Defence Force
The Singapore Civil Defence Force is the main agency in charge of the provision of emergency services in Singapore during peacetime and emergency.A uniformed organisation under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the main role of SCDF is to provide...
(SCDF), formed in 1990 to handle complex rescue and fire fighting incidents, such as urban search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
; prolonged fire fighting
Fire fighting
Firefighting is the act of extinguishing fires. A firefighter fights fires to prevent loss of life, and/or destruction of property and the environment...
; height and confined space operations; and water rescue.
One of the very specialised vocations in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), it is staffed by handpicked firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s, who show exceptional skills in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and very complex firefighting skills. The selection process for Dart is very stringent and only the best trainees pass the course--for example, one of the selection requirements is finishing a 2.4 km run by 8m 30s.
The team's operations include the training and utilisation of rescue dogs. Robots are also increasingly being utilised to minimise danger faced by Dart personnel and an array of complex rescue equipments which are used for USAR.
International rescue operation
DART members form the bulk of SCDF members dispatched overseas for search and rescue operations.In October 2005, a 44-member DART was sent to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to help in the relief and rescue operations following the 2005 Kashmir earthquake
2005 Kashmir earthquake
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a major earthquake centered in Pakistan-administered Kashmir known as Azad Kashmir, near the city of Muzaffarabad, affecting Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It occurred at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time on 8 October 2005...
.. The DART were also sent to Bandar Aceh in Indonesia during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
which claimed almost 150,000 lives. Ever since then, the DART had received international recognition and are regarded as one of the best USAR teams in the world
In May 2008, a 55-member DART was sent to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to help in the relief and rescue operations following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake
2008 Sichuan earthquake
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan Earthquake was a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0 Msand 7.9 Mw occurred at 14:28:01 CST...
.
In February 2011, a 55-member DART team was sent to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to assist in urban search and rescue operations after the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
See also
- Disaster Assistance Response TeamDisaster Assistance Response TeamThe Disaster Assistance Response Team is a rapidly deployable team of 200 Canadian Forces personnel. It provides assistance to disaster-affected regions for up to 40 days. DART's headquarters is in Kingston, Ontario...
, a Canadian ForcesCanadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
(military) rapidly deployable disaster-response force