July 13 marked the completion of the first urban search and rescue (SAR) exercises in the history of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, illustrating the growing value of the world’s largest maritime exercise and the increased range and usefulness of the U.S. Coast Guard.
RIMPAC, carried out June 27-August 1, provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans.
Hurricanes, typhoons, flooding and tsunamis can inundate coastal communities and trap residents in their buildings, often driving them into their attics or roof spaces to escape rising waters. Members from the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, the Peruvian Navy, and the Mexican Navy collaborated for three days of combined training, simulated SAR coordination and survivor extraction and triage as part of the humanitarian assistance and disaster response component of RIMPAC.
The exercises paired teams from the three countries in a range of disaster scenarios. The Mexican and Peruvian teams brought expertise at rescuing survivors from damaged structures, while the U.S. team contributed tactics for water-based rescues and the detection and identification of hazardous materials.
“Natural disasters present serious rescue challenges in urban areas, so we were all grateful for the chance to share our experiences and tactics that have saved hundreds of lives during recent storms and flooding events around the United States,” said Chief Warrant Officer Ian Thompson, the Urban Search and Rescue coordinator for the USCG Pacific Strike Team. “All three teams leave this collaboration with a greater capability to collaborate and to save lives after disasters in our home countries and abroad.”
The teams drove inflatable boats into a simulated flooded community and practiced cutting through a roof. In a separate exercise area on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, they practiced vertical extraction, or moving injured medical patients up and out of buildings using vertical rescue systems with tripods, ropes and pulleys and entering confined spaces with atmospheric contamination to rescue victims.
Additionally, the USCG utilized the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Geographic Information Systems “SARCOP.” This smartphone app connects rescue coordinators and search teams via a common operating picture. By the end of the exercise, the three countries could coordinate via SARCOP, which will streamline coordination during future responses.
“Participating in these exercises has been invaluable for our teams,” said Peruvian Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Gonzalo Hernandez. “We have not only improved our technical skills but also strengthened our ability to work alongside our international partners. The use of the SARCOP app has significantly enhanced our coordination capabilities, which will enhance our collective response to natural disasters.”
“Working with the U.S. Coast Guard and Peruvian Navy is really good for us, we can learn a lot of their techniques and share how we work in Mexico,” said Mexican Navy Seaman Lizeth Magaña, a USAR team member. “We are so grateful for this partnership opportunity in RIMPAC.”
“We are honored to have participated in such a comprehensive exercise,” said Lt. j.g. Hernandez. “The shared experiences and knowledge gained here are invaluable, and we look forward to applying these lessons to improve our disaster response capabilities.”
To support people affected by different natural or man-made disasters, the principal mission of the Mexican Navy USAR Team is to carry out operations of search, location, access and stabilization of rescued people. They also perform body recovery.
Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft and 25,000 personnel took part in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971.
