What we do

We are a humanitarian organisation dedicated to helping communities to prepare for, respond to and rebuild after attacks in our beloved Syria.

We are best known for our search and rescue services following bombings but we provide a range of services inline with the internationally recognised activities of civil defense.

We work according to the guidelines for civil defence organisations across the world, as well as in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. As defined in Protocol I (Article 61) of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, we pledge to provide the services listed at paragraph 5:

1. Warning the civilian population of attacks and dangers
2. Urban Search and Rescue
3. Evacuation of the civilian population from areas into which fighting is encroaching
4. The provision of medical services – including first aid – at the point of injury
5. Fire-fighting
6. Management of emergency shelters
7. Detection and marking of danger areas (such as areas with unexploded ordnance)
8. Provision of emergency accommodation and supplies
9. Emergency repair of indispensable public utilities
10. Decontamination and similar protective measures
11. Assistance in the preservation of objects essential for survival
12. Emergency assistance in the restoration and maintenance of order in distressed areas
13. Emergency disposal of the dead
14. Management of blackout measures
15. Complementary activities needed to carry out any of the tasks mentioned above.

As outlined in the Protocol I (Article 61) of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 we provide these services for the following purposes:

• To protect the civilian population against the dangers arising from hostilities or other disasters
• To speed recovery from the immediate effects of such events To provide the conditions necessary for survival of the civilian population.

While civil defence organizations are protected under the international humanitarian law applicable to all civilians and civilian objects in general, the Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, adopted in 1977, makes protection specific for civil defence.

If you want to read more details about certain aspects of our work you can do so here:

• Search and rescue
• Removal of unexploded weapons
• Community services

A look at our work