Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Ident.-Nr./Version (Aus DMS kopieren)
Swiss UNECE exercise
UNECE Fourth Consultations of Point of ContactsZagreb, 25 and 26 March 2010
Dr. Dominique Rauber, National Emergency Operations Centre
2Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre Referent oder Herausgeber
Bez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
• Introduction
• Scenario
• Main results
• Lessons identified and challenges
Outline
3Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Switzerland
Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
FRANCE
GERMANY
AUSTRIA
ITALY
26 cantons, each responsible for emergency management in case of an chemical accident
4Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Structure of the organisation
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UNECE Competent authority
UNECE Competent authority
UNECE National Point of Contact
UNECE National Point of Contact
Scene of AccidentScene of Accident
Local Emergency Management
Agency
Local Emergency Management
Agency
On-site Command Post
On-site Command Post
Local competent Authority
Local competent Authority
UNECE National Point of Contact GER and FRA
UNECE National Point of Contact GER and FRA
Special federal team
Special federal team
Notification
Special cantonal team
Special cantonal team
Support
Consultation
5Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Scenario
Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
6Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Scenario
Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
Start of the hypothetical event:Collision between a delivery van and a fork lift truck
on the premises of the Swiss harbour of “AU”Batch spread on the street, glass flask brokenPersons involved in the incident lying on the street
near the vehicles and some with odd symptomsPersons observing the scene call in the fire
brigadesDue to odd symptoms of the incident’s involved
persons rescue actions are stopped and special forces are called in
7Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Scenario
Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
Background of the scenario:• Terrorist were planning an attack with Sarin in
a Swiss city.• Sarin was transported on a Ship from
Rotterdam to Basel• The incident happens when the car of the
terrorists is leaving the harbour with the chemical agents to be transport it to the targeted city
• The wind is blowing in direction of Germany
8Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Scenario
Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
According to the scenario • first responders have to face an
unclear and unknown situation• The chemical substance is highly
toxic• German territory can be affected
very quickly
Switzerland
Germany
Accident place
9Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Main events during the exercise
Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
Time (local) Event
18:00 Start of exercise
18:35 First message with little information (telephone call)
18:37 NEOC staff summoned up
18:45 First assessment by NEOC
18:54 First written message from LEMA
19:02 Additional information
19:10 Notification to Germany and France
20:52 Second IAN-Message
21:37 Third IAN-Message
21:45 Telephone call to French Point of Contact
21:57 End of exercise
10Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Main Results
• Very quick notification of the National Emergency Operations Centre by the canton
• Very limited information not only at the beginning of the event• Follow-up information only given by the local authorities at
additional request• Difficult decision when to notify neighbouring countries (soft
criteria in this case)• Immediate acknowledgment (through the IAN-System) of the
German Point of Contact• Message not read by the French Point of Contact • No interaction between Point of Contacts
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11Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Lessons indentified
• Do not rely on the IAN-system only – get in touch with your partners in your neighbouring countries if necessary
• Regular communication tests with neighbouring countries necessary
• Every local exercise should be used to train the IAN procedures with or without participation of neighbouring countries
• Regular training of staff in translating “raw information” into IAN messages
• Take advantage of every opportunity to rise awareness on the local level regarding national and international needs
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12Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Challenges
• Rise awareness – local authorities have to face their own problems
• 26 cantons with different solutions• Get the right information at the right time• Knowledge of the organisation on the local level of each canton• Translate the received information into English - special
vocabulary• Criteria when to notify neighbouring countries if threat not clear• Deal with an emergency situation with international media
coverage
Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
13Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Lessons indentified regarding exercise preparation
• Use local full scale exercises but make sure that:o the international information exchange is clearly stated as
an objective of the exerciseo scenario meets the objectiveso the master event list contains the necessary injectso the time frame of the exercise allows for an international
notification and information exchange• Realistic situation which reflects the real challenges is difficult
to simulate (media pressure, request from abroad?)
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Straight forward part of information exchange
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15Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre Referent oder Herausgeber
Bez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
Challenging part of information exchange
16Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Consequences and further steps
Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)
Preparedness activities Agree with neighbouring countries to regularly test the communication
channels of Points of Contact (IAN-System, phone and fax) Rise awareness on the local level for national needs Knowledge of structures, means and procedures Intensifying the training with the NOEC staff
For exercises Seek participation of NEOC in local exercises if scenario allows for
international information exchange Close collaboration in the preparation, conduct and evaluation of such
exercises Address international aspects (together with impact of the media on
emergency management) during preparation of exercises
17Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre
Further challenges
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National levelNational level
Neighbouring countries under
UNECE
Neighbouring countries under
UNECE
Local levelLocal level World Health Organisatoin
World Health Organisatoin
Others?Others?
How to avoid duplication and inconsistencies?
IHR*
IAN
???
*International Health Regulation