Emergency Response Team (ERT) Roster
The Emergency Response Team (ERT) Roster comprises a pool of some 30 internal staff members, drawn from various duty-stations and sections in Headquarters, who are on standby for emergency deployment. While ERT Roster members may be proficient in specific functional areas of UNHCR operations (protection, programme etc.) they are expected to function with as much versatility and flexibility as possible in order to cope with the demands of emergency situations. The roster is reviewed twice a year (January and July) with new rosters commencing at the beginning of April and October. The inclusion of staff members on the ERT Roster is cleared in advance with supervisors. Staff not deployed during one six month period may, with the agreement of the staff member and their supervisor, be included in the following roster. At the beginning of their term on the roster, staff members attend the Workshop on Emergency Management (WEM/ERT) [see section on Emergency Training] where they are prepared for deployment as members of an ERT.
Members of the ERT Roster can only be deployed to meet the critical needs of an emergency or a repatriation operation when existing resources are unable to cope or where UNHCR has no prior presence. While ERT Roster members are normally deployed with an EPRO, they may exceptionally be deployed to complement existing staff or to act as Team Leader depending on the nature of the emergency and on EPRS' resources at a given time. ERT Roster members are on standby for emergency deployment for a fixed period of six months during which they may be deployed for a maximum of two months. No extension of an ERT Roster member's deployment can be envisaged, as this could have adverse repercussions on the releasing office.
UNHCR staff who wish to be considered for inclusion on the ERT Roster should write to the Chief of EPRS through the Head of their Section/Branch/Field Office. Such communications should be copied to the Bureau Administrative Officer. Lastly, staff members already deployed in emergency duty stations are usually not considered for inclusion in the ERT.
How to request
Once emergency response has been approved at the Director level the overall staffing needs for the specific situation should be discussed between the Desk, DRM and EPRS, on the basis of which, the source of these staff will be determined. If ERT Roster members are required, EPRS will activate their deployment. As with all staff resources, clear terms of reference, duty station, anticipated duration of assignment and special skill requirements need to be specified from the outset by the Desk. Furthermore, it is important for the Desk, EPRS and DRM to work out a plan for the withdrawal of the ERT Roster members from the emergency deployment, and frequent joint meetings until the replacement arrangements are firm.
The mission costs of ERT Roster members will be charged to the respective country programme.
Field Staff Safety Section (FSS)
The Field Staff Safety Section comprises three Field Staff Safety Advisors (FSSAs) who are based in Geneva. Although the main occupation of those based in Geneva is the carrying out of regular security assessment missions, they also provide support to the field on request. They are also engaged in the formulation of policy, the training of UNHCR deployed staff members, and recruitment/deployment of FSSAs to hazardous areas around the world.
FSS can be requested to provide security assessments and to temporarily deploy FSSAs on missions to emergencies. An FSSA may be available to be deployed either from Geneva, or a temporary redeployment from another duty station, depending on the security situation in the various regions at the time of the request.
FSSAs can be requested to provide assessments on physical security of residences and offices, prepare and provide comments on various security plans (communications, movement control, evacuation, medevac, etc.), establish liaison with host country security authorities for the safety of staff members, provide security training for staff members, etc. Depending on the desires of the Head of Office, these services can also be made available to other UN organizations and NGO partners.
How to request
A written request should be addressed to the Head of Desk and copied to FSS, stating destination and proposed duration of mission, language requirements and other specific skills required.
The mission costs normally will be charged to the respective country programme.
