UK fire and rescue service teams conclude flood response deployment to Mozambique

Specialist fire and rescue service teams from UK International Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) have concluded their deployment to Mozambique, where they supported the flood rescue response following devastating flooding caused by extreme rainfall.

Marking the conclusion of the deployment, Baroness Chapman, Minister of State for International Development and Africa, met UK ISAR team members last Thursday (29 January) in Maputo. Following the meeting, Baroness Chapman praised the team’s “professionalism and commitment”, commenting “the work they do is genuinely amazing and I’m proud that we could support it.”

A total of 36 members of the UK ISAR team were deployed to Mozambique to support the national response led by the Mozambican Government. An initial group of seven specialists arrived on 20 January to assess conditions and coordinate with local authorities, followed by a further 29 personnel from UK fire and rescue services. Teams deployed with four rescue boats, drones and specialist equipment, enabling them to clear fallen trees and debris, assess affected areas from the air, and carry out search and rescue operations.

During the deployment, UK ISAR teams carried out multiple rescues from floodwaters and structures, including rescues from a bridge and from the rooftop of a building. Teams systematically checked and cleared residential buildings, schools and other public buildings to identify and assist anyone in need of rescue. Men, women and children were rescued, including people who had been stranded in floodwater for several days. Teams also delivered crucial aid such as water and hundreds of kilograms of food to small, isolated communities that had been cut off by floodwaters and without access to food for up to a week.

National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Chair, Phil Garrigan, said:

“On behalf of the UK fire and rescue service, our thoughts are firmly with the people of Mozambique as they face the devastating impact of these floods.

“In response to the request for international assistance, specially trained UK ISAR firefighters have been on the ground, bringing vital flood and water rescue expertise to support local responders. I want to pay tribute to our teams for their professionalism and commitment, and to the Mozambican authorities and partners who are working tirelessly to protect lives.”

Minister of State for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, said:

“When I met the ISAR team in Mozambique I was really impressed by their professionalism and commitment. I heard how they had rescued dozens of people, used drones to scout out otherwise unreachable areas and made sure life-saving provisions got to those cut off by the floods. The work they do is genuinely amazing and I’m proud that we could support it.”

UK ISAR Deputy National Coordinator, Lee Ivory, said:

“The team has worked tirelessly throughout the operation to rescue and support as many people as possible. Their efforts were closely coordinated with the UK High Commission in Maputo and Mozambican government agencies.

“To date, they have carried out more than 80 life‑saving boat rescues, conducted extensive damage and needs assessments using drone technology, and delivered significant quantities of humanitarian aid. They have also played a vital role in coordinating wider humanitarian services on the ground.

“None of this would have been possible without the exceptional commitment and professionalism of volunteers from UK fire and rescue services and the medical team who joined them. Their dedication has been nothing short of extraordinary.”

Weeks of heavy rainfall and flooding in Mozambique have caused widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. It is estimated that up to seven hundred thousand people have been affected by the floods, with some reports estimating that over half of those affected are children, with many hundreds of people trapped by rising floodwaters.

Local and international authorities report that the floods have caused major damage to health facilities and roads, with nearly 5,000 kilometres of roads damaged across nine provinces.

The UK has previously supported Mozambique in response to severe flooding. During the devastating floods of 2000, ISAR capabilities were deployed with support from the UK Government, with UK fire and rescue teams and Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) specialists delivering water rescue operations using inflatable boats and lifesaving equipment.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• The UK ISAR team https://www.ukisar.org/ responds primarily to overseas urban or flood search and rescue emergencies on behalf of the UK and are all trained to use specialist kit, including flood rescue boats and drones. They are sponsored and supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
• Flooding events are becoming increasingly frequent and severe and this investment in flood rescue is part of the FCDO’s effort to strengthen disaster preparedness and is used to train national teams in high-risk countries to be better prepared to respond themselves in future.
• The team is drawn from 14 UK fire and rescue services and are trained to operate in complex and high-risk environments overseas, providing specialist search and rescue capability in response to major international emergencies.
• Alongside the permanent International Search and Rescue Capability team, comprised of officers seconded to Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, the UK ISAR team deployed to Mozambique has been drawn from the following fire and rescue services:
  • Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
  • Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
  • Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service
  • Kent Fire and Rescue Service
  • Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
  • Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service
  • London Fire Brigade
  • Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
  • South Wales Fire & Rescue Service
  • West Midlands Fire Service
• The deployment also includes members of the UMT medical team.
• Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is the lead authority for UK ISAR.
• Any UK ISAR team deployed is self-sufficient upon arrival and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations for up to 14 days. This is to ensure no additional burden is placed on a country already suffering demands on its resources following a sudden onset disaster.
• Previous deployments include Morocco, Turkey, Algeria, Pakistan, India, Iran, Mozambique, Indonesia, Haiti, New Zealand, Japan, Bosnia, Nepal, and Malawi.
• The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is a charity and an independent membership association and the professional voice of the UK Fire and Rescue Service. UK ISAR is part of NFCC’s National Resilience function.
• Further information about Baroness Chapman’s work at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office can be found here.
• Information about the number of people impacted can be found via the INGD – Instituto Nacional de Gestão de Desastres (National Institute of Disaster Management) website, here, and from the United Nations, here.
• UNICEF warnings of a double crisis brought about by Mozambique entering its cyclone season can be found here.
• Images from UK ISAR can be provided on request.