ENDORSEMENTS

Sir Christopher Harper KBE

Director General Military Staff, NATO

“In the context of humanitarian operations and disaster response, Rescue Global bridges the gaps between NGOs, governments, the military, the private sector and academia. Through collaborative working practice and the application of expert capability, this outstanding organisation has the ability to successfully enable and problem-solve at all levels. Ably led by a very experienced management team and Board, operating to private sector standards of governance, Rescue Global is unquestionably delivering on its mission statement: ‘to save lives, by empowering others’. With all that is currently occurring in our troubled world, this is Rescue Global’s time to flourish. I am confident that this dynamic and forward-leaning organisation will rise to the challenge”.

Sir Christopher Harper’s comments on Operation Cognitus and Rescue Global’s response to the Nepal earthquake, May 2015:

“In response to the devastating 7.8 MT earthquake that struck Nepal on 25 April, some 81km from the capital Kathmandu, Rescue Global immediately activated their Crisis and Disaster Resilience Alliance (CaDRA). Drawing upon the diverse skills of their disaster management experts, Rescue Global personnel, academics, International Non-Governmental Organisations and industry to react swiftly and effectively in aligning with the intent and specific requests of the Nepalese Government.

Having watched this process from NATO HQ in Brussels, I saw that Rescue Global’s strategic leadership skills, and their dynamic and innovative management of their partners, appeared to perfectly match the needs of a very tricky operating situation. In a congested, contested and unwittingly over-crowded environment the organisation seemed able to operate with rapidity, wisely and with positive effect. I was particularly pleased to see Rescue Global standing firmly by its stated values of working directly to the nation impacted by a disaster by seeking to mentor and empower, rather than simply responding and delivering.

I also noted the organisation’s testing of a new approach to the use of people, computers and social media, to identify Search and Rescue targets of interest. This included a clever blending of imagery from Rescue Global CaDRA partners in theatre with stock library material to produce mapping and briefing products that were used by commanders in theatre to deploy Urban Search and Rescue, as well as Medical teams to best effect.

Once again, Rescue Global’s utilisation of state of the art technology coupled with their ceaseless pursuit of continuous performance improvement was usefully brought to the fore. Rescue Global’s efforts and achievements are remarkable. The organisation continues to stand out from the crowd. In this environment it is certainly an organisation that deserves to be closely watched and which can be trusted.”

Sir Christopher Harper is an Ambassador for Rescue Global, as well as a mentor for members of our leadership team in the area of civil-military interaction and relationship building worldwide.

Mo Hamza

Professor of Disaster Risk Management and Vulnerability Studies at The University of Copenhagen, Denmark

“What happens in the golden hours following a disaster or a crisis is crucial and determines any cascading effect or rising loss and damage. Rescue Global is a unique organisation in every sense and not just in the service it provides to the disaster community. It is exceptional in its ethos and the values that underpin its work. It upholds extremely high professional as well as ethical standards where it works. And most of all it fills a much needed gap in disaster intelligence and information in the immediate aftermath of an event when most could be in the shocked, dazed and confused phase. Equally as important, Rescue Global works in the full spectrum of Disaster Risk Reduction (as well as Response) phases, providing guidance and support to National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMAs), Governments, the Military, NGOs, Academia and the Private Sector, helping to assess risk, check and build capabilities to address these and nurture true resilience. Rescue Global brings a much-needed capacity that it is willing to impart and pass onto the governments and communities they work with and I am extremely supportive of their work and proud to be professionally associated with them as an advisor in all capacities”.

Mo Hamza is Professor of Disaster Risk Management and Vulnerability Studies at The University of Copenhagen, Denmark. An independent consultant and an advisor to a number of international aid and development agencies including: the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, UNISDR, USAID, DfID, IFRC, IUCN, Sida, ActionAid, Swedish Red Cross, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), and the Aga Khan Foundation. In his nearly 30 years of experience working in the field of disaster risk reduction he has led numerous projects and worked in: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Botswana, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sudan, UK, South Eastern Europe and the Balkan States.

Mo is an ambassador of Rescue Global in the disaster risk reduction academic community and international organisations.

Leah Dembitzer

Management Consultant, AECOM International Development

“Rescue Global is an exciting and dynamic organisation, applying forward thinking to their work on the ground. Rescue Global collaborates pro-actively with the private sector in order to encourage coordinated and effective joint endeavours that bring both humanitarian and business-added value”.

Leah and her team collaborate with Rescue Global on a diverse range of projects, ranging from joint bids for development grants with DfiD to providing engineers and seismic experts to governments in times of need, such as the immediate aftermath of natural disasters.

AECOM Fast Facts:

• US $18 billion during the 12 months ended 30 September 2015

• One of Fortune magazine’s “2015 World’s Most Admired Companies”

• Ranked #1 in Engineering News Records’ “Top 500 Design Firms” for 6th

AECOM transforms communities, improves lives and powers growth by designing, building, financing and operating infrastructure assets around the world. They describe themselves as a global network of experts working with clients,communities and colleagues to develop and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most complex challenges.

Key areas of work:

• Delivery of clean water and energy

• Restoring damaged environments

• Connecting people and economies with roads, bridges, tunnels and transit systems

• Help governments maintain stability and security

• Planning new cities

General Romeo Poquiz

Country Manager, Rescue Global Philippines

“I am honoured to be associated with Rescue Global and to be appointed as their Country Manager in the Philippines. Also to be one of their strategic advisors in their international disaster risk reduction and response operations.

I first met the team when they volunteered their services here in the Philippines during the massive search and rescue, relief and recovery operations after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Haiyan (locally called Yolanda) in 2013.

Among others, they provided very timely, critical and valuable information not only to us in the Armed Forces but also to other government and non-government disaster response agencies.

Rescue Global are a cut above the rest. Military commanders like me listened to them and so did the leaders and managers of various disaster response agencies.

They returned to the Philippines many times after Yolanda – for disaster response, exercises, training and building up of the Crisis and Disaster Resilience Alliance (CaDRA), of which I am a proud member.

Rescue Global is an A-team – composed of highly skilled technicians and specialists (commanders, planners, pathfinders, aviators, communicators, etc.) as front-liners and headquarters staff including masters degree holders and PhDs.

These are all men and women who are committed to getting their mandate done - that of saving lives by empowering others.

Rescue Global exercises superb military–style leadership and combines this with very sound management principles befitting a top-notch corporation.

Rescue Global not only leads the pack but are game changers in the field of humanitarian assistance and disaster response. I foresee a big role for Rescue Global in the global arena in the years ahead”.

General Poquiz worked for thirty-three and a half years in the Philippine Air Force as an aviator and as an officer who occupied various levels of command, leadership and senior management positions, which culminated in October 2014 as Commander of the Air Force in the Central Philippines. Through his attachments to and command of specialist squadrons and groups including the special operations, search and rescue, as well as strategic planning communities, General Poquiz is a well respected and renowned leader in the Philippines.

Award from His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh

Rescue Global was delighted to receive notification from the President of the Air League Trust, Sir Brian Burridge KCB CBE FRAeS, that we had been selected by the Air League Council to be awarded an ‘Air League Framed Address’. This was in recognition of our deployment to the Philippines in response to Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 (Operation Phoenix), from His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.

The full citation reads:

“This award is in recognition of your exceptional support to the Philippines relief effort, in flying your King Air aircraft from Elstree to the Philippines to carry out essential airborne reconnaissance of the islands for the United Nations aid effort. The success of this demanding deployment required exceptional levels of tenacity, professionalism and skill”.

Ambassador Enrique A Manalo

Ambassador from the Philippines to the Court of St. James, London UK.

“On behalf of a grateful nation, from the Philippines Ambassador to the UK, I would like to extend our profound thanks to you and Rescue Global for coming to the aid of those affected by the devastation caused by Typhoon Yolanda.

We acknowledge with deepest gratitude your invaluable efforts to help out those most in need, including your reconnaissance operations, distribution of clean water, and provision of emergency medical assistance.

As the Rescue Global team begins its return journey to the UK, know that the courage and selflessness you displayed in the Philippines saved countless lives and provided comfort and assurance during a most difficult time.

We are in turn humbled by all the expressions of solidarity with the Filipino people by our friends in the UK.

From our grateful nation, thank you so much.”

David Alexander

Professor of Risk and Disaster Reduction at University College London

“Rescue Global is an outstanding organisation that produces impressive results in the field and has been of great help to governments, rescuers, survivors and others affected by major disasters. They have put together a team with superb expertise and rich experience of participating very positively in the response to crises and emergencies around the world.

Rescue Global can be proud of its achievement and its ability, with extreme rapidity, to deliver logistical help, field communications and other forms of aid under the most testing circumstances and in far away places.

I am impressed by how this organisation is always keen to learn more and are willing to collaborate. It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with them. They are enlightened emergency responders”.

David Alexander is Professor in the Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction at University College London. He was formerly Chief Senior Scientist at the Global Risk Forum in Davos, Switzerland (2011-12), Ministerial Contract Professor at the University of Florence in Italy (2005-11) and Professor of Geography at the University of Massachusetts (1981-2002). He is the author of several books, including “Natural Disasters”, “Confronting Catastrophe” and “Principles of Emergency Planning and Management”. He is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, co-editor of ‘Disasters’ and a Founding Fellow of the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management. David Alexander teaches emergency planning and management and has research interests in this eld and in earthquake epidemiology.

Professor David Alexander is an ambassador for Rescue Global, as well as a mentor for members of our leadership team, in promoting Resilience Global to the international disaster risk reduction community and academia.

About the UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction (UCL IRDR):

Reducing the impact of disasters globally presents a colossal challenge that requires coordinated and collaborative action. The UCL IRDR brings together the wealth of knowledge and expertise across the university, and through research, teaching, public engagement and knowledge exchange aims to improve the understanding of risk and overcome the barriers to increasing resilience to disasters.

David Dalziel QFSM MA FICPEM FInstLM

Associate Lecturer at the Emergency Planning College and Chair of UK Blue Light Special Interests Group ICPEM

“Rescue Global and the fabulous team there have a broad skill set, knowledge, experience and professionalism that bring order to chaos. Rescue Global have built practical on-site expertise in disaster and crisis zones all over the world and are exceptionally well placed to assist organisations and governments mitigate the effects of disaster and aid the recovery process”.

David Dalziel is an ambassador for Rescue Global, as well as a mentor for members of our leadership team, in the area of promoting Rescue Global to international emergency services.

Air Marshal Philip Sturley CB, MBE

Specialist Advisor to the UK House of Commons Defence Committee and a Lead Senior Mentor at the Defence Academy of the UK

“Through dynamic and inspirational leadership, Rescue Global has quickly established itself as a world class international crisis response and disaster management agency. I strongly commend their work.In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, there is a critical need for timely and accurate information, robust communications and effective command and control support; but those in the middle of the crisis, and those remote from it are often poorly placed to gather these essentials.

Rescue Global has been formed precisely to meet these needs, using highly experienced personnel combined with state of the art reconnaissance, surveillance and communications equipment, and rapid deployability to a crisis area.

I am proud to be an Ambassador for Rescue Global – a team that will make a real difference in a crisis and who will save lives. Their mantra of ‘we will risk our lives in a highly controlled manner to save saveable life’ is a commendable one, especially when viewed alongside the rigorous governance and risk management standards of this organisation”

Air Marshal Sturley RAF (retired) is the former Assistant Chief of the Air Sta , UK. He is a Specialist Advisor to the UK House of Commons Defence Committee and a Lead Senior Mentor at the Defence Academy of the UK. Air Marshal Sturley also served as the President of the Royal Air Forces Association from May 2005–11.

Air Marshal Sturley is an ambassador for Rescue Global, as well as a mentor for members of our leadership team, in the area of building a strategic board and holistic service delivery strategy.

Brett Hartnett

ANGEL THUNDER Exercise Director / Technical Manager

“Rescue Global was the first ever Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to be integrated into Exercise ANGEL THUNDER, at my request and under the permission of Air Combat Command, United States Air Force. We found Rescue Global’s participation in the exercise to be extremely valuable. They demonstrated a high degree of expertise in the analysis of incorporating the new NGO initiative into our emerging tactics techniques and procedures. Their expert feedback from operations in the field was clear and immediately actionable. They were sensitive to the personnel recovery subject matter experts inputs into the field operations. In addition, their style was open and inviting to questions (and expressed appreciation for them) and willingly gave their time to responding to questions thoroughly. The Rescue Global command team are extremely enthusiastic, capable and professional in the execution of their work and duties. This is infectious. I recommend Rescue Global for any emergency management leadership position and activity. Rescue Global has been invited again to attend Exercise ANGEL THUNDER, where they will again represent and no doubt demonstrate best practice for NGOs working with cutting edge military formations in disaster and crisis response”.

Brett Hartnett is the founder and director of Exercise ANGEL THUNDER (Ex AT), a Joint National Training Capability (JNTC) accredited and certi ed exercise and the only Department of Defence (DoD) Exercise covering Personnel Recovery (PR) / Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) and Catastrophic Incident Search and Rescue (CISR) for the whole of government. Ex AT is designed to help prepare Joint military, federal, state, local inter-agency and international partners to go anywhere, anytime, in support of major deployments including search and rescue. Rescue Global is an annual NGO participant in Ex AT.

Brett is a US Air Force command pilot and distinguished combat rescue pilot with more than 4,000 flight hours, credited with 91 lives saved. He managed the highest sustained level of rescue operations tempo since Vietnam as a “Pedro” (CSAR) Commander in Afghanistan.

He designed, planned and produced the largest Partnership for Peace (PfP) Air Operations Exercise “OPERATION COOPERATIVE KEY” for NATO.

Brett was key in the creation of the Rescue Operations Centre (ROC) concept and served as ROC Chief for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. He is a FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) 100-900 Qualified Manager.

Brett is an ambassador for Rescue Global in the area of civil-military and corporate relationship building worldwide, and enables our annual testing and exercising to US federal and whole of government standards.