In this second part of the series, John Holland and Mark Wilson-North of RAPID UK look at the requirements for a response mechanism, including equipment requirements and standards, disaster search dogs and operational support. John Holland is the Director of Operations for RAPID UK and a Fire Officer by profession, with 19 years' experience in search and rescue and project development overseas. John holds a diploma in disaster studies and has vast experience in disaster response and preparedness issues. Mark Wilson-North is a Station Fire Officer with Norfolk Fire and Rescue. He is also Equipment Co-ordinator for RAPID UK, with eight years' experience in disaster related work overseas. The full version of this article appears in Issue II of 'Crisis Response Journal', which is available by subscription only. Click here for further details