CRISIS SUPPORT FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

A key FCO priority is to protect our people including at times of crisis through effective and swift crisis response.

Crises can include terrorist attacks, natural disasters, civil unrest, and large-scale accidents, all can leave large numbers of British nationals in need of urgent help.

If British nationals are involved in a large-scale crisis overseas, an FCO RDT (Rapid Deployment Team) may be deployed to the affected area.

Each week 30 volunteers are on standby globally (London, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Americas), to deploy within 2 hours to assist the local Diplomatic Post in a consular emergency.

RDTs were first introduced by the FCO after the Bali bombings that took place in 2002, which killed 202 people including 27 British nationals.

The role of an RDT includes providing help to British nationals affected by the incident, and to the families of victims; establishing links with the local authorities and emergency services; and ensuring co-operation with other British agencies who are responding.

RDT's consist of FCO personnel and supplier provided Pyscho-Social Support Teams (PST) The PST deploy with, and are considered part of, the RDTs.

When PST deploy, they do so in pairs e.g.

2 PST members per RDT.

Over the past 5 years, the PST has deployed 91 staff to 11 separate overseas incidents.

Crisis Management Department (CMD) delivers RDT training in London three times per year.

The PST provider is required to present on the RDT training course.

They will run a session covering the theory of PST and how they will work with an RDT on deployment.

The Pyscho-Social Support Teams (PST) are highly trained individuals who deploy overseas with Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Rapid Deployment Teams (RDT) during crises to locations where there has been significant trauma and/or loss of life to British nationals.

Past deployments have included Tunisia, Thailand, and Algeria.

PST members are able to assess the requirement for and provide emotional support to British nationals overseas in any given situation e.g. the tsunami in Thailand in 2004, the Sousse terrorism incident in 2015.

They also provide support to RDT members as necessary.

In addition to overseas deployments, the PST supplier deliver training three times per year, together with the FCO, to new members of the RDT.