Pathfinder Group

Rescue Global Pathfinder Group is the team which Rescue Global sends to a disaster area to conduct operations. Activated immediately in the event of a verified call for assistance to a disaster area.

Rescue Global Pathfinder Group is made up of:

• A full time professional team of Rescue Global professional Agents, located in strategic positions around the world, who engage in regular training and exercises when not on deployment to disaster areas
• Emergency service professionals from all over the world, who volunteer for Rescue Global missions. These professionals are united and trained by Rescue Global on a rolling program in established regions. These volunteers are released by their main employers for the duration of a deployment. Employers such as Fire and Rescue Services, Hospitals, Paramedic Teams and Emergency Relief Agencies worldwide, benefit hugely by having their staff train with and subsequently deploy with Rescue Global

The training received by Rescue Global Group Agents ranks amongst the very best in the world. Training alongside the likes of national fire service academy’s, coast guards, rescue swimmers, paramedics, A&E, ER and trauma specialists, mountain rescue teams, smoke jumper and specialist military rescue teams from all over the world.

In addition to being the core deliverable service of Rescue Global, providing reconnaissance, mapping and risk assessments of the disaster area, Pathfinder Group are experts at rapid deployment into hard to reach areas where the following conditions exist:

• Lack of obvious landing areas, runways or serviceable ports
• Disruption to local roads and normal transport arteries
• Lack of local power, electricity, communications and critical local / regional / national infrastructure
• Continuing disruption due to extreme weather (floods, winds etc), critical events (natural such as aftershocks, man made such as conflict or localized terrorist action)
• Lack of, or restricted attendance and resources of local emergency services
• Lack or, delay in attendance of international rescue organizations, due to various factors

Pathfinder Group Overview:

Deployment timings

• Rendezvous of the assigned Pathfinder Group within 4 hours of the call for assistance being confirmed and a response approved by Gold Command (Rescue Global HQ),  with members of the Group ready to deploy from pre planned departure points (Los Angeles, New York, London, Malta, Dubai, Delhi, Hong Kong for example)
• Departure of the Pathfinder Group, within 4 hours of the rendezvous, on route to the deployment area
• Arrival at the deployment area, within 20 hours or less from the approved and confirmed time of call for assistance

Deployment methods

• Land, from the most viable entry point, close to or remote from the deployment area
• Sea, from the most viable port or landing point, close to or remote from the deployment area
• Air, either by use of small fixed wing aircraft or helicopter to the most viable airfield or landing point, close to or remote from the deployment area
• Unconventional. In extreme cases where no safe or viable land, sea or air landing point exists to enable “craft” borne personnel to arrive, Pathfinder Group are trained to deploy by Parachute, landing at the most suitable drop zone (DZ), close to or remote from the deployment area

Operational ethos:

Rescue Global Pathfinder Group is totally self sustaining, placing no demands on the local area. Rescue Global Pathfinder Agents are highly trained and experienced emergency response experts. Rescue Global Pathfinder Group deploys with the ability to self sustain for up to 2 weeks from initial deployment, carrying their own:

• Personal clothing, uniform designed  for operating is hazardous environments
• Food, water and the ability to feed the whole team, ensuring a minimum of 3’000 calories a day are available for each team member
• Water purification equipment, to enable the team to purify water at the disaster site in the event of a prolonged stay, or if others require water for a limited period
• Medical equipment and supplies. Sufficient to cater for the needs of the whole team in the event of minor injury and severe traumatic injuries. Additional medical supplies are carried for use in the event of rescue operations being carried out by the team, on a limited basis
• Communications to enable effective relaying of information at the local, and international level
• Power generators, sufficient to provide power for communications and I.T based systems, and emergency lighting at the base camp

Upon Arrival at the disaster area, Rescue Global Pathfinder Group:

• Sets up an initial base of operations, including marshaling and rally area for local, regional and international Search and Rescue (SAR) groups to stage from.
• Establishes an immediate satellite communications link in order to send situational and reconnaissance reports to Gold Command (Rescue Global HQ), as well as other international agencies as required.
• Conducts reconnaissance of the disaster area, to assess damage, gauge the resource needs in order to enable local, regional and any international response. Rescue Global Pathfinders also identify landing areas and routes to the disaster area for other agencies to use. In extreme cases, Rescue Global may assist in the creation of emergency landing areas, or assist in the clearance of existing areas in order to facilitate the wider response. Reconnaissance is conducted on foot, with rigid inflatable boats, also unmanned aerial drones (fixed wing and rotary types) providing live video feed to the Rescue Global Agents at Bronze Command (at the disaster site), enabling rapid and accurate mapping of the disaster area
• Conduct limited (snatch) rescues of persons, where a delay to rescue operations would likely result in certain death
• Can provide Advisors, Coordinators and Team Leaders / or guidance and support to local and national groups (emergency services, military and civil groups) to make best use of local resources in the response efforts following the disaster
• Can provide Advisors, Coordinators and Team Leaders to local, regional and international SAR Teams and other other agencies, once they arrive

Rescue Global Pathfinder Group skill sets and specialist training includes:

• Deployment by sea, including light craft and kayak
• Deployment by air, including helicopter and parachute
• Deployment by land, including long range walk in
• Power set up, including the use of generators
• Emergency camp set up and management
• Control of UAV for reconnaissance tasks
• Navigation skills, including use of GPS
• Water filtration and storeage
• Satellite communications
• Survival skills, all regions
• Helicopter operations
• Maritime operations
• Vehicle maintenance

Pathfinder Team Leaders – Bronze Command

• Advanced Communication skills
• Leadership in extreme situations
• Planning and command in disaster area operations
• Briefing and debriefing for small to large groups in hazardous environment
• Recognition of warning signs in team members such as physical, emotional, medial and other impact factors