Multi Active Rescue

Multi Active Rescue (MAR) (先進状況救助隊) in the Toaru Majutsu no Index universe is an emergency response organization based in Academy City. Their primary duty is to prevent or control the involvement of civilians in dangerous situations, or if possible to prevent dangerous events from occuring, rescue victims and to control the escalation of causalties in high-risk situations. They are also deployed to cleanup an area too dangerous or too diffucult for other groups to do.

The security force of Academy City, Anti-Skill often work together with Multi Active Rescue, especially during large-scale emergencies.

Organization
The main organization is controlled by the captain, while the leader of it's research subsidiary and of the MAR Base Research Laboratory is the head of research. Both of these positions were controlled by Therestina for some time before the events of episode 24 of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime.

During operations, under the control of the captain of MAR, units are mobilized into groups with a leader for each group; this allows MAR to perform different tasks at the same time, and to coordinate their operation.

During high-risk situations that are in a wide-enough scale such as the Poltergeist Incidents, MAR can opt to join forces with other peace-and-order keeping organizations, such as Judgment and Anti-Skill. In which case all the organizations are given tasks to follow, and assist each other if help is needed.

Abilities
Many members of MAR are trained in piloting mechanical mobile suits as well basic firearms use. Members are also probably versed in first-aid, as well as handling civilians and crowds during emergency situations.

Weapons
Rifles are a standard for MAR, though this is only if one is not wearing a mobile suit, in which case heavier artillery such as a grenade launcher are allowed to be used. There are also large gatling guns, which are used for assault purposes.

There are also other weapons, such as a large lance-like object, used by Therestina in episode 24 of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime, which is used as bludgeoning object and can also be used as a facsimile of Misaka Mikoto's railgun. There is also the Capacity Down, developed in the MAR Base Research Laboratory, which can be used against powerful espers.

Mechanical Suits
MAR is often recognized for their mechanical suit, the Large Weapon, a large armored bipedal mechanical unit, used for carrying large objects and for high-risk situations. These units often come in varying colors used for camouflage, the most egregious is Therestina's piink colored unit.

There is also a form-fitting mechanical suit used by Therestina, where it increased her overall strength and speed.

MAR also has in it's possession a large mechanical unit, several feet in height and is heavily armored. The unit moves around using legs, which can either use mechanical feet or rollers for faster mobility. The unit possess no weapon, though it can be used against attacks using it's brute force alone. Finally, the mechanical unit also has 4 large clamp-like things that can be fired several meters away as projectile, and can be a subsitute for weapons and arms.

Vehicles
Other than the mobile mechanical units, MAR also has large trucks to store and easily deploy the mechanical units, as well as other large objects. MAR also has ambulances that are used for transporting victims to the nearest medical facility. MAR also has access to helicopters, which are used for rescue and for transfer of victims; helicopters (Sikorsky S-70 Variant, more likely a SH-60 Seahawk used by the US Navy for Search and Rescue) are also outfitted with gatling guns. All of these vehicles have the MAR (grey over orange) color scheme applied to them, along with it's logo.

Level Upper Arc
MAR and Therestina first appeared in episode 12 of the anime, where they are seen cleaning up the debris from the nuclear facility that was attacked by the AIM Burst.

Poltergeist Arc
MAR is formally introduced during the height of the Poltergeist Incidents, during episode 20 of the anime MAR, Anti-Skill and Judgment form a coalition meeting about the recent earthquakes happening around the city.Here, Therestina is revealed as the leader of MAR, and explains to Anti-Skill and Judgment members present in the meeting, the true nature of the earthquakes and the RSPK Syndrome. MAR units are later stationed during the Fireworks Festival, as a precaution as it has a large gathering of people. A poltergeist occurs and with the efforts of MAR, prevented fatalities.

MAR is later seen after a large scale Poltergeist occurence happens in Nature Park. Delivering many victims of the disaster to the 5th Emergency Treatment Center, and Haruue Erii to the MAR Base Research Laboratory, as a suspect to the Poltergeist incidents.

MAR is later deployed to track down Kiyama Harumi, after successfully trailing her and Misaka Mikoto. Under the orders of Therestina, MAR takes custody of her students and are later sent to the MAR Base Research Laboratory.

After Therestina's true nature is revealed, MAR is shown to be highly loyal to their commanding officer, and are used by her to transport Harumi's children to a abandoned propulsion laboratory. Several MAR units including a couple of gatling gun equipped helicopters are taken down by Misaka Mikoto, Shirai Kuroko and Kongou Mitsuko during the rescue attempt on the children. After initial hesitation, Anti-Skill is able to assist the rescue attempt by slowing down a group of MAR units that were to be used to intercept Mikoto.

Therestina is eventually defeated and taken into custody after the incident. It is unknown what fate has befallen to MAR after the incident.

Trivia

 * Currently, MAR has only appeared in the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime adaptation.
 * MAR was referenced by Mugino Shizuri in Volume 22 as "something or other Rescue".