United Kingdom Safety and Rescue Team - Case Study Example

Executive Summary The increase in the number of casualties and accidents taking place is making economies lay importance to safety and rescue operations. UK safety and rescue team is one that has been in function in UK and is looking forward to work as an International search and rescue team. Their experience and hunger to protect human lives is one of the prime reasons which are making them follow suit. The report tries to identify the manner in which the Fire & Rescue Service Act, 2004 which the safety team is adhering to will help it in becoming a part of the international search team. Also, the work carried out by the UK safety and rescue team presents a strong point in that direction. The report also highlights the manner in which the legal, ethical and global issues will be integrated in their working and the manner in which it will affect their working on the global arena. On the whole this report presents a strong case for UK safety and rescue team to work as an international search and rescue team. Contents Introduction 3 Purpose of the report 3 Background about the country 4 UK Search & Rescue Team operation during Haiti Earthquake 4 Fire & Rescue Service Act, 2004 6 Legal Obligations 7 Ethical Obligations 9 Global Obligations 10 Conclusion 11 References 12 Introduction The world has witnessed many accidents and catastrophe which has affected mankind. UK has also been a part of it and has seen rise in accidents be it fire, rail or road. This has increased the role played by fire and rescue service departments as their efforts need to be coordinated in a definite direction. This gives an opportunity to look for newer ways and methods to tap this sector and save lives of more people. The report looks into the manner in which the UK rescue and search team being operational in UK will adhere to the legal, ethical and global obligations and bring about a changing in their working pattern so as to be a part of International search and rescue operations. Purpose of the report To determine the manner in which the England and Wales law will help the UK safety and rescue team to meet the international search and rescue team demand To determine the role of changing environment for UK search and rescue team To determine the manner in which the legal, ethical, and global issues will shape the working of the UK search and rescue team to work on the international arena To determine the manner in which globalization is bringing a change in the manner search and rescue team performs Background about the country UK has seen a lot of accidents and catastrophe due to the situation of the country on the globe which has made it more prone to those. With a growing population the casualties due to accidents are on a rise. This has increased the role of fire and safety team to ensure that minimal harm is inflicted on human lives. The country has a huge number of fire and safety team working to ensure that casualties are reduced as the country is prone to various accidents. Fire & Rescue Team operation during Haiti Earthquake The Haiti earthquake is one example which highlights the manner in which the UK safety and rescue team worked to ensure that victims and survivors of the earthquake were looked after. The workers had worked tirelessly during the Haiti earthquake which signifies the liking of the departments to save people on the global level. This refutes a strong case for UK search and rescue team to be part of the international search & rescue team. The team saved lives of thousands of people by removing the debris and ensuring that any person that was buried under the debris and was alive was saved. The mechanism followed by them ensured that care was taken so that due to negligence on their part people who were alive and buried under the debris don’t die. (Mills, 2010) The following photo shows the manner in which UK safety and rescue operation was working to rescue a women buried in debris Figure 1: UK safety and rescue team working in Haiti The fact that the UK service and rescue team continued its operation and built places of dwelling so that the aftermaths of the earthquake minimizes highlights the work carried out by the team. It shows their perseverance towards mankind and their desire to save lives on a global front which doesn’t involve their countrymen. The following photo also shows the manner in which construction work was provided to the victims to ensure that they were able to cope up with the pressure that was surrounding them. Figure 2: Construction Work being carried out in Haiti This working in the Haiti earthquake presents a strong case for the search and rescue team to be part of the international search and rescue team as they have have the desire and fire in them to save human lives and look for ways that will help to reduce casualties and save mankind. Fire & Rescue Service Act, 2004 The UK safety and rescue team has been following the Fire and Rescue Act of 2004 which matches with the law prevalent with on the international standard thereby also presenting a case where the transformation for the UK search and rescue team will be easy. The team has been performing in UK and compliance to the regulation in relation to fire fighting, fire safety, road accidents, emergencies and other operations put forward a strong case for the team to perform at the international level as a safety and rescue team. The fire and rescue service act of 2004 which requires that “special provisions being followed for promoting fire safety, ways to prevent fire from spreading in the adjoining buildings, ways of escape in case a building gets engulfed in fire, the manner in which fire will be extinguished, protecting lives and ensuring reduction in casualties” (Fire & Rescue Service Act, 2004) will help the UK safety and rescue team match global requirements. The UK safety and rescue team has been a part of this which will make it easy for the team to take care of the laws prevalent on the global arena and will make it easy for them to be a part of the international search and rescue team. The manner in which UK safety and rescue team worked during the Haiti operation also puts forward a strong case that the agency adheres to the international requirements and based on it it will be easy for the agency to deliver on the promises. This thus refutes a case where UK search and rescue team should be given the onus to work as an international search and rescue team but looking forward at the legal, ethical and global issues will help to understand and strengthen the case for the same. Legal Obligations The UK search and rescue team has already being following the Fire and Rescue Act which matches with the international standards which will help the team to mould in certain areas so that the legal aspect of working as the international search and rescue team is adhered to. The fire and rescue service team operating in UK will ensure that while working on the international frame measures are taken like “having safety precautionary measures in place so that acting in case of emergencies become easy” (Fire & Rescue Services, 2010) for the fire team. The safety and rescue team looking towards international search operations needs to ensure that they adhere to the requirements of different legislative laws. The fire and safety rescue team will adhere to the requirements of different authority as shown below Table 1: Different Legal Authority in UK The UK fire and service team will ensure that “in case of emergencies the team will ensure operation under the concerned authority in a day’s time”. (Fire & Rescue Services, 2010) The safety and rescue team will ensure that any untoward incidents are brought to the notice of the “notice of the local authorities and steps taken in those directions are also made aware of”. (Fire & Rescue Services, 2010) Also recommendations, consultation and decision to act on matters which are sensitive and have widespread repercussions are dealt with the authorities so the decision based on it are better and involves people with higher knowledge and power. This will help the UK search and rescue team to be able to adhere to the legal requirements on the international level and the Fire and Rescue Service Act will come to their rescue here as the expertise and knowledge of the law will give a boost to the agency to function in a manner which will make it easy for them to work as an international search and rescue team. Ethical Obligations The UK search and rescue team has been ethical in its operation while functioning in UK and this has helped it win the hearts of public. Bring ethical for the fire and rescue service team important. The importance of this multiplies in safety and rescue team as it involves the lives of public and to win their trust it is important to be ethical. (Goodhead, 2010) The fire and service rescue team will ensure that they are ethical in their working and win the confidence of the public which will facilitate in their operation while working as an international search and rescue team. The fire safety and rescue team will “adopt the Code of Ethics that has been prescribed by the concerned department” (Goodhead, 2010) and look towards ways which will help the department to adhere to those. The fire and service rescue department will have a training programme which will match with international standards so that the fire fighters understand the situation better. This can be seen from the Haiti earthquake where the fire team worked and ensured that all practices used by them were ethical and no such steps were taken which would tarnish the image. The safety and rescue service team will work and ensure that all ethical requirements of the law are adhered to and steps are taken to ensure that they match the standards required in the world. The following photo highlights the fire fighter working and ensuring that his efforts look after the goodwill of the people highlighting the fact that the safety and rescue team will take all steps to adhere to the ethical requirements. Figure 3: Fire Fighter Working Tirelessly The UK search and rescue team will use all its endeavour and efforts to ensure that they are ethical in their practices and this will help them to function better in their own country as well as also on the global scale thereby improving their image and performance to match global standards. Global Obligations The UK search and rescue team while functioning as an international search and rescue team will have a much bigger role as they will have to ensure that they adhere to the global obligations which other team performing on the same level faces. The manner in which the safety and rescue team has worked and their endeavour in the Haiti earthquake which has been provided later highlights the fact that it will help to ensure that they address the global issue well. This is a strong case and will help the team deal with issues on a global level. The UK safety and rescue team to ensure that global issues of safety are addressed will have “nine control centres which will allow cross regional operations and proper resource management”. (Wagner, 2010) This will help to ensure that the UK safety team is able to work under international pressure and their working will help to reduce casualties. Also the usage of computer aid technology will help the UK safety team to visualize the magnitude and size of an accident and based on it the regional teams at different location can take steps. This will ensure that the teams also adhere to the UK requirements and steps are taken by the agency in the direction which solves the global issue in hand. The UK search and rescue team will thus be able to address the global issues in a better way and this will create a space where they can work as an international search and rescue team adhering to the requirements of functioning at that level. Conclusion UK search and rescue team thus refutes a strong case to perform as an international search and rescue team. The team will be able to adhere to the requirements of the international level. This is on the backdrop that they follow the Fire and Rescue Service Act which matches international requirements. Also their working in Haiti earthquake solidifies their position and the manner in which the team is integrating the legal, ethical and global issues presents a strong case for the team to work as an international safety and rescue team. References Fire & Rescue Service Act, 2004, “Fire & Rescue Service Act”, UK Fire & Rescue Services, 2010, “Fire & Rescue Services”, Cheshire, UK Goodhead L, 2010, “West Midland Regional Management Board (Fire & Rescue Services): Development of operational assurance methodology”, Showcasing good practices, Shropshire Fire & Rescue Services. UK Mills T, 2010, “Haiti earthquake rescue of Kiki brings a hope of vision”, The Sunday Times, Times Newspaper Ltd Wagner R, 2010, “England Nationwide Fire & Rescue Emergency Response System”, Corporate Communication, Intergraph Corporation Read More