ANZAC Support

A multi-agency Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) taskforce, managed by Fire and Rescue NSW, has been deployed to New Zealand.

The team consists of:

FRNSW Firefighters
ACT Firefighters
NSW Ambulance Paramedics
Doctors from Department of Health
Engineers from Department of Services, Technology and Administration
Police from Bomb and Forensics.

The deployment is to assist and relieve NZ rescuers in Christchurch. An initial reconnaissance has been completed, and our USAR resources have been deployed to an area where there are confirmed victims. This morning a woman was rescued by the NSW Task Force and is now receiving medical treatment.

FRNSW’s first rescue team arrived at the centre of the disaster at 4am Australian time today. A base of operations has been established and rescuers have been tasked with their first search and rescue mission at the PGB building.

The team includes an advanced medical, search and rescue and logistical support capability.

The team carries more than 20 tonnes of advanced rescue and engineering equipment, tents, generators, food and water.

In the first couple of hours after arrival, as they established their base of operations, the team made a rapid assessment of the area. This included structural triage of buildings by our engineers to determine which ones were most likely to remain sound.

The various search and rescue teams are ‘blitzing’ the site. This is an initial process of flooding the areas with rescue teams to reach as many people as possible.

The teams will examine buildings to determine ‘collapse patterns’. These patterns determine if a building has collapsed in such a way as to provide void spaces where victims could survive.

After several hours the teams will split in two which affords 24-hour operations. The team can continue in this mode for up to 10 days, after which they will be relieved by a second task force if necessary.
The NSW Urban Search and Rescue Taskforce comprise specialists* from the following FRNSW stations:




The NSW Urban Search and Rescue Taskforce comprises:

· 50 FRNSW firefighters

· 4 ACT firefighters

· 9 Ambulance Service of NSW SCAT paramedics

· 2 doctors from NSW Health

· 4 engineers from the Department of Services, Technology and Administration

The team, which includes advanced medical, search and rescue and logistical support capability, carries more than 20 tonnes of equipment, along with tents, generators, food and water so it can be self-sufficient for 10 days.







- City of Sydney (8) 

- Balmain (1)


- Goulburn (1) 

- Eastwood (4)


- Wollongong (2) 

- Hurstville (3)


- Ashfield (2) 

- Doonside (1)


- Engadine (2) 

- Liverpool (3)


- Regentville (1) 

- Wentworthville (1)


- Alexandria (6) 

- Bankstown (1)


- Newcastle (3) 

- Cronulla (1)


- Narrabeen (1) 

- Ryde (1)


- Blacktown (2) 

- Crows Nest (1)


- Burwood (1) 

- Ingleburn (1)


- Shellharbour (1) 

- Fyshwick (2)


- Belconnen (1) 

- Greenway (1)


- Belmont (1) 

- Homebush Bay (1)




Approximately 70 members of the Queensland Fire Service Urban Search and Rescue Team, together with Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics and 20 tonnes of essential support equipment, are airlifted to Christchurch on February 23.Photo: AFP/AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT OF DEF










The Queensland Urban Search and Rescue Team board a military plane at the Royal Australian Air Force base at Amberley in Brisbane. The Team, equipped with sniffer dogs, drills and sonar devices, left Brisbane about 10.30am and will be tasked with a perilous mission to pluck survivors from the rubble. Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. (AAP Image/Petrina Berry) 








The arrival of Urban Search and Rescue personnel on an Air Force Boeing 757. Photo / NZDF








Specially-trained FRNSW rescue personnel search for survivors in a collapsed building in Christchurch, New Zealand.
23rd February 2011



Specially-trained FRNSW rescue personnel search for survivors in a collapsed building in Christchurch, New Zealand.
23rd February 2011




Specially-trained FRNSW rescue personnel search for survivors in a collapsed building in Christchurch, New Zealand.
23rd February 2011





HERE TO HELP: Members of an Australian specialist urban search and rescue team help with the rescue effort in Christchurch.



A rescue worker guides survivor Anna Bodkin out of the destroyed Pyne Gould Guinness building in Christchurch, New Zealand. -- PHOTO: AP


Members of the Australian Police stand on parade in Lyttelton during the two minutes silence for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake. Photo / Dean Purcell

(via Christchurch earthquake: Through the lens of Herald’s photographers - National - NZ Herald Pictures)