As the largest land-locked country in the world, sparsely populated Mongolia strives to honour the same obligations to its citizens as any other responsible state in the world does. Despite successively expanding the scope and quality of its services since being established in 2004, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is struggling to address many challenges it faces, particularly with regard to its urban search and rescue services (USAR)
At the policy level, Mongolia amended the Law on Disaster Protection (March 2017). This law defines the concept of disaster management as something that goes beyond preparedness and response to include risk management and reduction. In pursuit of strengthening its USAR capacities, NEMA sought mutual cooperation with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Despite gradually expanding the scope and quality of its services since its establishment in 2004, NEMA still wants to be better prepared and equipped to address the many challenges it faces, particularly for its search and rescue services (SAR). Ever-increasing expectations, climate change, and the sheer size of Mongolia in comparison to its population are issues that NEMA wishes to counter by improving its SAR capacity, for example, through improved equipment and better management. In addition, NEMA is looking to be certified through international classification. As a first step to be taken, NEMA seeks to enhance and consolidate its national emergency response abilities. NEMA wants to deliver its services to Mongolians in Ulaanbaatar to people nationwide and to be able to respond to emergencies immediately, efficiently, and effectively. A coordinated provision of capacity-building measures, structured into logistical and management support, operational support and improvement of infrastructure, will lead to stronger institutional capabilities to respond effectively to emergencies across Mongolia. This is where SDC’s project stepped in.
From 2018-2020, NEMA received ground training in accordance with international standards from Swiss experts. Swiss Humanitarian Aid also donated critical equipment to NEMA. Today, specialists from NEMA can exercise in a “damaged” training facility. They get a realistic experience of saving people in this very specific, close-to-reality setting. The project will continue with further plans for strengthening the capacity of Mongolian search and rescue teams.
On February 7, Deputy Chief of NEMA Brigadier-General B. Uuganbayar and his rescue team of 35 search and rescue specialists and two search dogs headed to Turkey. This operation was Mongolia’s first deployment of a large-scale, rapid, and professional international search and rescue, medical, and humanitarian aid operation. The rescue team pulled eight survivors from under the rubble of buildings and took them to emergency medical facilities, and the bodies of 19 people were handed over to the relevant authorities. With the help of their two search dogs, Balu and Marta, they also located the bodies of 45 people who lost their lives in the earthquake. Based out of a local hospital, the medical team provided medical care to 649 people. In addition, five tons of meat, one ton of candles, 1,000 blankets, and 20 Mongolian gers were sent to Turkey as humanitarian aid. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation is very happy that Swiss knowledge could be shared for this international rescue operation and save many people’s lives.
