Slysavarnarfélagið Landsbjörg or the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR) is a national association of rescue units and accident prevention divisions. Its member organizations consist of 99 rescue units, 70 accident prevention and women's divisions and 50 youth sections. Altogether the association has about 10,000 volunteer members and are present in most towns. Although the rescue teams function as a kind of public service, they are not supported or paid for by the government but by donation.
History
Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg has roots going back to 1918 with the formation of a rescue team organized by women in the Westman Islands who sought to establish a lifeline for husbands working in the dangerous fishing industry. Search and rescue teams did not become widespread, however, until after a plane crash near Geysir in September 1950. Most of those on board managed to survive but were stranded in the wilderness. After a failed rescue attempt by American military forces, a civilian force formed to organize a rescue on foot and ski. The drama of the event helped start a network of local rescue teams that sought to help in cases of similar emergencies.
Rescue units
ICE-SAR has 99 rescue units, located throughout Iceland. They comprise over 3,000 volunteers who are always on standby 24/7 for emergencies. The rescue teams are specialized in search and rescue both on land and at sea. To be able to address the diverse tasks, the rescue teams are well educated in their fields and thoroughly trained. They strive to outfit their people to the highest standard, with both personal gear and expensive rescue equipment like cars, snowmobiles and boats. In recent years, specialization within rescue teams has increased, making the work more purposeful: land groups, sea groups, diving groups, advance groups, high-angle rescue groups, and search dog groups.
International urban search and rescue (USAR) unit
ICE-SAR operates an international urban rescue unit, staffed by volunteers from the various search and rescue units in Iceland. The team first responded to an international crisis in 1999 when it assisted in rescuing survivors of the 1999 İzmit earthquake in Turkey.
In September 2009, the unit received its INSARAG External Classification certification as a medium team. Only a few months later, the unit was put to the test during the 2010 Haiti earthquake where it was the first rescue team to arrive on the scene following, arriving within 24 hours of the earthquake.
Besides its international missions the unit has taken part in rescues following earthquakes and avalanches in its native Iceland.
International missions
1999 İzmit earthquake
2003 Boumerdès earthquake
2004 Al Hoceima earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake
Accident prevention
The Accident Prevention (AP) Department works to prevent all kinds of accidents. This is done in various ways with or without help of other organisations or companies that work in this field. Some tasks are done on a yearly basis like operating traffic wardens, conducting surveys on safety equipment in vehicles for children, safety education for children in home and farms, education forums for Accident Prevention Branches, as well as education in firework safety during the New Year.
Accident prevention branches
In ICE-SAR there are 70 AP Branches in the country. Of those about 40 are very active. The work of the AP Branches is to promote accident prevention in the local community and support the local rescue team. The AP branches work on different assignments depending on the needs of the local people. About 15 years ago the main mission was to raise funds for the local rescue teams.