Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
International Maritime Rescue Federation
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Donate Member Login
  • Twitter
Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Team
      • Staff
      • Trustees
      • Patron
      • Ambassadors
      • Asia Pacific Regional Centre
    • Our Funding
    • Our Governance
    • Our Strategy
    • Our Annual Report
    • Our Work
      • Sharing SAR Information
      • Advocacy
        • About Advocacy
        • Migration and Search & Rescue
  • News
    • Latest News
    • IMRF Blog
    • SAR HUB
  • Membership
    • Join the IMRF
    • Our Members
    • Members Assisting Members
    • Members Only
  • Resources
    • #SARyouOK?
    • #WomenInSAR
    • Mass Rescue Operations
    • COVID-19 & Pandemic Response
    • Basic Rescue Boat Operator Manual
    • Projects
      • Global SAR Development
      • European Lifeboat Crew Exchange
      • Panels Summary
    • IMO Documents
    • ChemSAR
  • Events
    • IMRF Awards
    • What's On
    • Public Webinar Recordings
  • Support Us
    • Become a Supporter of the IMRF
    • Donate
    • Fundraise
      • Fundraising Ideas
    • Trusts and Foundations
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • Join Our Mailing Lists
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)

Mass Rescue Operations

  • MRO Home
  • MRO Library
  • G5 Conference - Media Gallery
  • G5 Presentation Portal
  • MRO SME
  • News & Articles
  • MRO Home

MRO Home

Mass Rescue Operations Guidance for Maritime Search and Rescue Organisations

 

The IMRF has developed comprehensive guidance on the conduct of Mass Rescue Operations (MROs). 

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) defines an MRO as “characterised by the need for immediate response to large numbers of persons in distress, such that the capabilities normally available to the search and rescue authorities are inadequate”. 

The distress case may be of any type, but it is so complex that it is beyond normal capability. Due to such cases being so rare, SAR organisations are usually inexperienced at responding to them. For anyone involved in maritime SAR, this is the challenge. 

An MRO requires additional responders and equipment, enhanced coordination and communication structures, careful planning, specific training and testing, and learning from the experience of others. The IMRF seeks to share that experience. 

The IMRF’s Mass Rescue Operations project team has: 

  • Developed comprehensive guidance for maritime SAR operations preparing for MROs
  • Produced MRO Summary Guidance and an Example MRO Plan
  • Prepared an online MRO Library of useful information
  • Run a series of international MRO conferences
  • Developed an MRO Workshop format, to help with awareness-raising and local and regional planning
  • Developed an MRO Subject-Matter Expert course
  • Contributed extensively to a review of the MRO guidance in the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual (IAMSAR).
     

The guidance in the IMRF’s online MRO Library is intended for use by any SAR organisation who may find it helpful and is freely available. 

If you have any material that you would like to submit to our MRO library, please e-mail [email protected].

Published: 8th June, 2022

Updated: 20th January, 2023

Author: Wendy Webster

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • #SARyouOK? - David Jardine Smith, former IMRF MRO Project Manager

    #SARyouOK? - David Jardine Smith, former IMRF MRO Project Manager

    David Jardine-Smith talks from personal experience to the IMRF about the importance of mental health and safety awareness in SAR organisations, regardless of your role in the SAR ecosystem.

  • Blog: How the NSRI's Survival Swimming Centres are saving lives in South Africa

    Blog: How the NSRI's Survival Swimming Centres are saving lives in South Africa

    We speak to Andrew Ingram, the NSRI’s Drowning Prevention Manager, about how the organisation’s innovative swimming centres provides complimentary swimming lessons in remote settings.

  • New study looks at SAR sensemaking during mass rescue exercises

    New study looks at SAR sensemaking during mass rescue exercises

    A recent study undertaken by Germany’s DGzRS and Jönköping University studies the positioning of decision makers and their teams during mass-rescue exercises.

  • Cospas-Sarsat looking to boost SAR responsiveness and system knowledge

    Cospas-Sarsat looking to boost SAR responsiveness and system knowledge

    The international satellite distress programme is hoping to improve the response rate to distress alert communications of maritime SAR organisations around the world.

Related

  • IMRF’s latest MRO course tackles the challenge of being adequately prepared

    IMRF’s latest MRO course tackles the challenge of being adequately prepared

    The IMRF recently held its third Maritime MRO Subject-Matter Expert Course in a bid to improve the understanding of and planning for MROs for SAR organisations worldwide.

Most read

  • SAR Matters: Defining Distress Continued ...

    SAR Matters: Defining Distress Continued ...

    People known to be in distress need to be rescued, of course – and the SAR community knows that this concept must also be extended to those believed to be in distress, and to those who, while not yet in distress, will become so if help is not provided to them in the meantime.

  • Join the IMRF

    Join the IMRF

    The IMRF brings together and represents the world’s maritime search and rescue organisations, including voluntary and governmental organisations, as well as suppliers to the sector, to improve maritime SAR capabilities worldwide.

  • MRO Home

    MRO Home

  • The IMRF & Our Mission

    The IMRF & Our Mission

  • WMRC - 2023 - Registration Open and Abstract Submission

    WMRC - 2023 - Registration Open and Abstract Submission

    The fifth World Maritime Rescue Congress will be held from 18–20 June 2023 in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Congress theme is: "Towards Sustainable Maritime SAR – Building on our History to Secure our Future."

  • Staff

  • Dean Storey, Assistant Commissioner NSW State Emergency Service tells us a bit about his background and his career up to this point

    Dean Storey, Assistant Commissioner NSW State Emergency Service tells us a bit about his background and his career up to this point

    The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community. It is a volunteer-based organisation providing emergency assistance to the people of NSW 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

  • Join Our Mailing Lists

  • Contact Us

  • #WomenInSAR Report

    #WomenInSAR Report

    As part of  our #WomenInSAR Initiative, in October 2020 we launched our #WomenInSAR survey. We had over 1600 responses from across the globe.

Tag cloud

#WomenInSAR STEM Award Finalists 2016 COVID-19 Exchange Exchange - Dictionary Exchange - News IMRF Awards IMRF Awards - Home IMRF Blog Latest News Members News - English Past Awards 2016 Past Awards 2017 Past Awards 2018 What's On

Latest tweet

Join Our Mailing List

Sign up now
  • Governance
  • Members Login
  • Members Only Area
  • Members Logout
  • Contact Us
  • My Details
  • Sitemap
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Use of Cookies
  • How to Access the Members Only Area as a Member
  • How to view the G5 Conference - Presentations

Copyright © International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) 2023.
All Rights Reserved. 

Company Registration Number: 04852596 - Charity Registration Number: 1100883

Corporate Supporters

Manage Cookie Preferences