On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) Guidelines 2018 [EN/AR/ES/ZH]

Introduction

The On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) is a rapid response tool that provides a platform for the coordination of international response activities in the immediate aftermath of a sudden-onset emergency or a rapid change in a complex emergency. It is at the same time both a methodology and a physical location for on-site emergency response coordination. The OSOCC is designed to work in support of the Government of the affected country and is a tool promoted and supported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to carry out its mandate of coordination and information management in emergency response, particularly at the field level.

The nature of the OSOCC enables the concept to be utilized by other organizations when responding to emergencies, including Governments, international and regional response organizations. It is a concept that can be internalized entirely by national emergency management structures who are in the lead of coordinating the assistance to populations affected by emergencies in their countries. These OSOCC Guidelines are intended for use by Governments through their Local Emergency Management Authority (LEMA)1 , organizations or response teams who may be establishing and managing an OSOCC, e.g., United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams, organizations or teams who may work within an OSOCC, such as regional organizations, sector/cluster coordinators, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams, and Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs).

The OSOCC Guidelines are designed to provide direction on establishing, managing, working within and interacting with an OSOCC. The Guidelines are comprised of three parts.Part I provides the foundation on which the OSOCC concept is built and the humanitarian context in which it operates. Part II presents guidance on how to implement the OSOCC system components, i.e., the Virtual OSOCC (VOSOCC), the Reception Departure Centre (RDC), the OSOCC facility, sub-OSOCCs and other coordination cells, and provides links to other more detailed guidance notes and resources. Part III is an annex of tools for practical use during OSOCC operations.

The OSOCC Guidelines will be maintained electronically to allow for periodic changes to Part II and regular changes to Part III as the supporting tools are improved with experience. It is recommended that Parts II and III are considered field-based tools and taken by staff in hard copy during response operations.

The Guidelines have been developed by OCHA Geneva, which serves as the custodian for future revisions and developments. Content is drawn from the expertise and experience of a broad spectrum of international and regional organizations, response teams and Governments. The OSOCC Guidelines are grounded in the humanitarian context in which they are employed and reflective of the current state of the international response community.