The USAR Moldova team participates in the international INSARAG external classification exercise ("INSARAG External Classification Exercise")

The USAR Moldova national search and rescue team continues the preparation process for the international qualification by participating in practical exercises organized according to European and international standards. Between October 20-24, 2025, the USAR Moldova team of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations of the MAI participates in the international INSARAG external classification exercise ("INSARAG External Classification Exercise"), held in Nowy Sącz, Poland. As part of this activity, 40 IGSU employees are trained and evaluated by European experts in various simulated search, rescue and unblocking missions in urban conditions, close to real ones, according to the INSARAG standards of the United Nations. The field exercise is part of the preparation process for the international classification INSARAG (International Consultative Group for Search and Rescue) and aims to evaluate and improve the intervention capabilities of the national team in search-rescue missions in the urban environment. According to the scenarios of the exercise, the Moldovan rescuers will intervene to search for and unblock victims from under the rubble, stabilize damaged buildings, as well as rescue people from heights. During the activity, the team will act fully autonomously, using their own equipment and demonstrating the high level of training and experience gained in search and rescue interventions. The main objective of the applications is the continuous professional development of IGSU rescuers, as well as increasing the capacity of the Republic of Moldova to participate in international humanitarian aid missions, in accordance with European and international standards. The field exercise is carried out within the framework of the joint project of Moldovan-Polish cooperation in the field of emergency management, part of the initiative "Strengthening the capacity of the search and rescue group from the Republic of Moldova in accordance with European standards", financed by the Polish Development Assistance Program (Polish Aid) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. At the end of the applications, the USAR Moldova team will receive sets of specialized uniforms, donated by the Polish partners, thus contributing to the consolidation of the unit's operational capabilities. The participation of the USAR Moldova team of IGSU in the international external classification exercise INSARAG is an important step in the international evaluation and certification process, contributing to the operational integration of the Republic of Moldova in the European network of interventions in case of disasters.