Vademecum of civil protection in the European Union

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................05

II. COMMUNITY COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF CIVIL PROTECTION ........07

II.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................08II.2 The Objectives........................................................................................................08II.3 Overview: Civil protection in the European Union................................................09II.4 Management Committee & Permanent Network of National Correspondents.....09II.5 Main activities in Community co-operation...........................................................09II.6 Community Action programme.............................................................................10

II.6.1 Major projectsII.6.2 Other specific projectsII.6.3 Training workshopsII.6.4 Simulation exercises

II.7. Mutual assistance and operational instruments......................................................12II.7.1 Operational manualII.7.2 24h/24h Operational structureII.7.3 Secondment of experts

II.8. Other activities .......................................................................................................14II.8.1 International co-operation.II.9.2 Single European Emergency call number: 1-1-2

II.9. Conclusion .............................................................................................................15

III. TYPES, MAIN CHARACTERISTICS AND DISASTERSIN THE EUROPEAN UNION...........................................................................................16

III.1 Types of Major Disasters........................................................................................17III.2 Characteristics of Major Disasters..........................................................................17

A. Natural DisastersB. Civil Protection Aspects of Technological DisastersC. Environmental Aspects of Disasters

III.3 Disasters in the European Union since 1950 .........................................................22

IV. METHODOLOGY OF EMERGENCY PLANNING....................................................40

IV.1 Planning Principles ................................................................................................41IV.2 Types of Emergency Plan.......................................................................................43IV.3 Emergency Planning..............................................................................................44

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V. MULTILATERAL AND BILATERAL AGREEMENTS.............................................45

V.1 Multilateral Agreements ........................................................................................46V.2 Bilateral Agreements on General Hazards.............................................................46

VI. NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF CIVIL PROTECTIONIN THE EUROPEAN UNION...........................................................................................48

VI.1 Austria....................................................................................................................49VI.2 Belgium..................................................................................................................53VI.3 Denmark ................................................................................................................55VI.4 Germany.................................................................................................................58VI.5 Spain ......................................................................................................................61VI.6 Finland ...................................................................................................................65VI.7 France.....................................................................................................................68VI.8 Greece ....................................................................................................................71VI.9 Ireland ....................................................................................................................74VI.10 Italy ........................................................................................................................77VI.11 Luxembourg...........................................................................................................81VI.12 Netherlands ............................................................................................................84VI.13 Portugal..................................................................................................................88VI.14 Sweden...................................................................................................................91VI.15 United Kingdom.....................................................................................................94

VII. LEGAL FOUNDATIONS RELATING TO THE ORGANIZATIONOF INTERVENTION IN AN EMERGENCY ................................................................97

VIII. DOCUMENTATION CENTRES...................................................................................120

IX. LIST OF TEXTS CONCERNING COMMUNITY COOPERATION IN THEFIELD OF CIVIL PROTECTION.................................................................................122

X. ANNEX : NUCLEAR EMERGENCIES.....................................................................124

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PART I

INTRODUCTION

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I. INTRODUCTION

1. The purpose of this Vade-mecum is to give a general overview of the measures takenby the Member States as well as at Community level in order to deal with disasters.

It covers topics which are mainly of interest :

- to responsible officials working in the field of civil protection at the national,regional and local level, particularly in the area of preparedness foremergencies,

- to volunteers and non-governmental organizations,- to interested members of the general public.

This includes the description of disasters, the emergency plan anticipating disasters, aswell as the organization of intervention in the Member States and a summary of theagreements signed between Member States.

It also presents the progress achieved by the European Commission together with thenational services in setting up cooperation in the field of civil protection.

2. This Vade-mecum is not primarily concerned with:

- the management of nuclear accidents already covered by other Communityarrangements and by cooperation within the framework of the EuratomTreaty. A brief outline of the National Emergencies arrangements arepresented in an annex to the present document,

- the management of major marine pollution accidents, already covered bya specific Community Action Programme, including the CommunityInformation System, and by several bilateral and multilateral agreements(cf., inter alia, Council Resolution of 26 June 1978, OJ N° C 162 of 8/7/78,p. 1 concerning the setting up of an action programme of the EuropeanCommunities on the control and reduction of pollution caused byhydrocarbons discharged at sea).

PART II

COMMUNITY COOPERATION IN THE FIELD

OFCIVIL PROTECTION

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II.1 INTRODUCTION

In May 1985, a first ministerial meeting held in Rome, laid the foundations forCommunity co-operation in the field of Civil Protection. Between 1985 and 1994 sixresolutions were adopted. Implementation of these resolutions resulted in the creation ofseveral operational instruments covering both the preparedness of those involved in civilprotection and the response in the event of a disaster.

All Civil Protection initiatives at Community level are implemented on the basis of thesubsidiarity principle laid down in the Treaty. In fact the Commission’s aim has been tosupport and encourage efforts made at national, regional and local level.

At the end of 1997 the Council improved the foundations for co-operation still further,by adopting a Decision establishing a Community action programme in the field of civilprotection. The Action Programme's implementation is the main priority of theCommission in the field of Civil Protection from now on.

Finally, meetings of directors-general for civil protection in the Member States of theEuropean Union, the objective of which is to give the major policy orientation to this co-operation, are held annually. The directors-general from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norwayalso take part to these meetings.

II.2 THE OBJECTIVES

The objectives of Community co-operation in the field of Civil Protection are to helpensure better protection for people, the environment and property in the event of naturaland technological disasters.

More specifically, it has the following objectives:

• to support and supplement efforts at national, regional and local level with regard todisaster prevention, the preparedness of those responsible for civil protection andthe intervention in the event of disaster;

• to contribute to the information of the public with a view to increasing the level ofself-protection of the European citizens

• to establish a framework for effective and rapid co-operation between national civilprotection services when mutual assistance is needed;

• to enhance the coherence of actions undertaken at international level in the field ofcivil protection especially in the context of c-ooperation with the candidate Centraland Eastern European countries in view of enlargement and with the partners in theMediterranean region.

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II.3 OVERVIEW: CIVIL PROTECTION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union suffers regularly from major disasters. Examples in previousdecades include earthquakes, floods, landslides, forest fires in southern Europe,environmental emergencies etc.

EARTHQUAKES1980 Italy, 2739 dead1976 Italy, 977 dead1953 Greece, 455 dead

FLOODS1973 Spain, 350 dead1963 Spain, 500 dead1962 Germany, 400 dead

LANDSLIDES1998 Italy, 159 dead1976 United Kingdom, 144 dead1963 Italy 1759 dead

FOREST FIRESFrance, Italy, Spain, Portugal

TECHNOLOGICAL DISASTERS1994 Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Estonia shipwrecked, 865 dead

1988 U.K. North Sea oil platform Explosion, 167 dead1987 Belgium, Herald of Free Enterprise ferry disaster, 193 dead

II.4 THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND THE PERMANENTNETWORK OF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS

All initiatives taken in the field of civil protection at Community level are examined, discussedand co-ordinated by the Management Committee for Civil protection and the PermanentNetwork of National Correspondents (PNNC). These groups are composed of high-levelrepresentatives of the national administrations.

II.5 MAIN ACTIVITIES IN COMMUNITY CO-OPERATION

Commission action in the field of Civil Protection has been carried out under variousresolutions and the Council Decision of 1997 establishing a Community ActionProgramme. Below are details of the actions that have been carried out concerning:

• Major Projects• Other Specific Projects• Training• Simulation Exercises• Operational Instruments and Mutual Assistance. (Operational Manual, 24hr/24hr

Operational Structure, Secondment of Expertise).

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II.6 COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMMME

Under the Community action programme the scope of Community co-operation in thefield of Civil Protection has been widened to encompass the area of prevention ofdisasters and a greater emphasis is placed on public information. The programme alsoallows for the continuation of measures, namely training workshops and simulationexercises, proven to be particularly effective in the past. Working with clearly defined‘rules of the game’ has also facilitated the launch of major projects. It is hoped that thiswill serve to make co-operation in Civil Protection more effective as a whole. In additionto major projects other specific projects will be supported.

II.6.1 MAJOR PROJECTS

These are managed and co-financed by one or more Member States, assisted by acore group composed of a small number of experts form other Member States.All Member States take part in the projects as do EEA countries.

The five projects underway are in the following areas:

• Exchange of Experts• Prevention of Disasters• Crisis Management• Disaster Medicine• Information to the Public

EXCHANGE OF EXPERTSThis system permits those responsible for civil protection to gain directknowledge of methods and techniques used in other Member States’administrations, by those with similar responsibilities, but working within adifferent system. It could also permit them to follow or provide periods oftraining in the Civil Protection service of another Member State. It is throughthis system, in particular, that those responsible at a regional and local levelbenefit most. The duration of these exchanges will vary in length from a few daysto a few weeks depending on the type of exchange involved.

PREVENTION OF DISASTERSThe aim here is to establish common principles and guidelines in a number ofareas using the experiences of all the Member States. In addition to thepriorities listed below, other specific risks and issues will be addressed at a laterstage.• The best use of risk assessment techniques.• The prevention of flash floods and the mitigation of their effects.• The reduction of the risks of fires.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENTThis project will provide Member States with guidance in improving themanagement of crisis situations generated by natural and technologicaldisasters. In particular, areas aimed at, are:• The early identification of the evolution of a emergency situation into a crisis,• Providing recommendations for the optimisation of public information and

warning messages to the public,,• Communication during crisis

DISASTER MEDICINEThe objective of this project is to encourage efficient medical co-operation inemergency situations and the establishment of a network of EU disastermedicine specialists. In addition, a multi-media database will be created andcommon training programmes will be conducted.

INFORMATION TO THE PUBLICA global system of information will be established. It is intended to provide theEuropean citizens with information, which will help to increase their level ofself-protection. The concrete results to be achieved under this project will be theelaboration of common tools and methods as well as the convergence in the longterm of signals and warning messages to the public.

II.6.2 OTHER SPECIFIC PROJECTS

In addition to these major projects a number of other projects will be supported.The results from some of these will then feed back into the major projects.• Accidental Water Pollution,• Early Warning for Floods,• Civil Protection in Urban Areas,• Accidents involving Ferries carrying Passengers• Psychological SupportAs an example, findings from the project on early warning for floods and that ofCivil Protection in urban areas will contribute to aspects of the major project“Prevention of Disasters”.

II.6.3 TRAINING WORKSHOPS

It should be noted that, in the framework of the projects already mentioned,training workshops will be organised. These workshops are based on self-trainingand feedback, and are not academic in nature - it would be inappropriate to invitesenior officials from the Member States just to listen to lectures given bytheorists. Instead, the Commission's aim is to invite each one of these seniorofficials to explain their own methods, techniques, successes and failures tocolleagues from other Member States. It is worth noting that all such meetingsorganised to date, have produced undeniable synergy and the participants have

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learned important lessons from the experience of their colleagues in otherMember States.

Since December 1991, workshops have been organised on forest fires, accidentsinvolving chemicals, crisis management, communication in crisis situations,earthquakes, public information-awareness-education, training for crisismanagement and disaster prevention. Building on these successes, theCommunity action programme in the field of Civil Protection incorporatesofficially the system of self-training workshops, often by their integration into themajor projects.

Above and beyond the training aspects, these workshops also enable participantsto come up with proposals for further Community initiatives, such as pilotprojects or new activities in certain fields. The workshops thus provide theCommission with direct input from Civil Protection professionals, enabling it toinclude some of the requirements identified among its priorities.

II.6.4 SIMULATION EXERCISES

Simulation exercises supported at Community level are designed primarily as fieldtests of the efficiency of the emergency arrangements in place in the MemberStates. Workshops, attended by senior officials, are organised in parallel withthese exercises and serve as a forum for exchanging experiences on key issuesrelating to the simulated emergency.

Exercises organised to date have simulated, inter alia, forest fire fighting, anaviation accident, an accident involving chemicals, an accident in a nuclear powerstation involving evacuation of the local population, an accident in the Channeltunnel, the intervention of large numbers of volunteers and other emergencyactions

II.7 MUTUAL ASSISTANCE AND OPERATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

For the implementation of the resolution of 8 July 1991 on improving mutual aidbetween Member States in the event of natural or technological disasters, theCommission, in collaboration with the Civil Protection Authorities of Member States,has established a series of operational instruments. These include:

• the Operational Manual,• the 24h/24h Operational Structure.• Secondment of Expertise

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II.7.1 OPERATIONAL MANUAL

To assist the provision of mutual assistance, the Commission has, in closecollaboration with the national authorities, produced an operational manual ofcivil protection in the European Community. The manual gives details on:

• the various national contact points in each Member State (competent authorities,contact points on permanent standby, national correspondents) and the contact pointsat the Commission,

• the group of co-operation officers for forest fires,• the entry points for specialised expertise,• concise information on response resources available in the Member States.

The manual also lays down guidelines for experts and explains the conditionsunder which the Commission finances operations. The manual is aimed atnational decision-makers and provides information enabling them to deciderapidly when mutual assistance is required.

II.7.2 24H/24H OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE

An operational structure on 24-hour call has been set up at the Commission toprovide response back up for Member States during emergencies.This is a small structure within the Civil Protection Unit whose basic function isto collect and disseminate information and to mobilise expertise from the nationaladministrations. It is ready, at the request of a Member State for example, torelay a message to the other Member States; or, in response to a request, to seekout and mobilise expert advice.

II.7.3 SECONDMENT OF EXPERTS

Concerning this expert advice, the operational manual already contains aninventory of the expertise available in several areas of Civil Protection, namely:

• evaluation and liaison tasks,• chemicals expertise,• forest fires,• environmental emergencies.

This expertise - and any other which might prove necessary - can be mobilisedimmediately and made available to the authorities which request it. The totalcosts relating to secondment are borne by the Commission.

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II.8 OTHER ACTIVITIES

II.8.1 INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION

The most important areas of international co-operation in the field of CivilProtection are:

• The Euro-Med pilot project financed by the MEDA programme1. The broadobjective is to contribute to political and security confidence-building in theMediterranean. This pilot project, for the creation of a Euro-Med system ofdisaster prevention, mitigation and management of natural and man-madedisasters, has been established in the Civil Protection field on the initiative ofItaly and Egypt. Activities in training, exchange of experts and networking ofCivil Protection schools are planned

• Following on from a workshop initiated by the Commission, Sloveniavolunteered to take the role of lead country in a co-operation project in thefield of Civil Protection under the PHARE programme2. The aim is to bringthe Civil Protection policies and practices in the CEECs and the EU closertogether. Activities will include the networking of CEEC and EU experts andother initiatives -such as common workshops and training, etc- will also bedeveloped. It should be stressed that as far as Civil Protection is concernedthis project is a key element in the enlargement process.

II.8.2 SINGLE EUROPEAN EMERGENCY CALL NUMBER : 1-1-2

1-1-2 is the single European emergency call number for the European Union. Itwas established by Council Decision of 29 July 1991. This decision allows thatEuropean citizens in distress situations to call 1-1-2 and get rescue through to theemergency services in all Member States. Thus, anyone travelling within theUnion will have to remember only one number and this guarantees a quicker andmore efficient intervention

1 MEDA- Mesures d’accompagnement aux réformes des structures économiques et sociales dans les pays tiers Méditerranéens.Accompanying measures for economic and social structural reforms in Mediterranean countries.

2 PHARE (Poland, Hungary Aid for Reconstruction of the Economy) was initially established to help Poland and Hungary in theirtransition to market economies. It has now been extended to all Central and Eastern European countries applying for EU membership.

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II.9 CONCLUSION

The work carried out so far in the implementation of the action programme, in particularthe launch of the major projects, signals the initiation of a long-term process. Throughthis process a safer environment for the European citizen will be created and this willcontribute to ensuring their safer circulation throughout the EU.

In particular, better prevention of natural and technological disasters and theapproximation, in the long term, of signals and warnings messages for the public willcontribute to the reduction of loss of life and damage to both the environment property.

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PART III

TYPES,MAIN CHARACTERISTICS

AND DISASTERSIN THE

EUROPEAN UNION

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III.1 TYPES OF MAJOR DISASTERS

The following disasters are considered to be a risk to some or all of the Member States in the Union:

A. NATURAL DISASTERS

- Avalanches,- Dam bursts,- Drought, hot, humid, summer days- Earthquakes,- Floods,- Forest fires,- Landslides,- Tidal waves,- Tornadoes,- Volcanic eruptions

B. CIVIL PROTECTION ASPECTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL DISASTERS

- Chemical and industrial accidents,- Transportation and storage of chemicals,- Transport accidents,- Nuclear emergencies

C. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF DISASTERS

Those Member States which have been affected by a disaster on more than one occasionhave generally developed appropriate controls and set up specific emergency plans tocontain the consequences.

III.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF MAJOR DISASTERS

For contingency planning, it is useful to consider the following parameters and theirprobabilities:

- frequency,- magnitude,- nature,- location,- development dynamics,- power.

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A. NATURAL DISASTERS Characteristics Consequences

1. Avalanches • this phenomenon is observed inmountainous regions. In many cases,it can be forecast on the basis ofcharacteristics of the local climateand topography

• the avalanche totally destroys everythingin its path;

• the number of lives lost depends on thetime of day, the nature of the structures inthe path of the avalanche, the time thatpasses before help arrives and thedifficulty with which the disaster pointcan be reached.

2. Hot Humid Summer days • this phenomenon does not occur veryfrequently and only during thesummer season; it is essentiallyrestricted to the urban centres andregions with high population density.It can be forecast by themeteorological service;

• the hot humid summer days maycontinue for several days withtemperatures of between 40° and50°C in the shade.

• a large number of people become ill ordie as a result of heatstroke; there will benumerous cases of sunstroke, and thehealth of weak persons deteriorates;

• negative effect on agriculture and animalhusbandry. Crops are damaged.

3. Droughts • this phenomenon is a commonoccurrence in the Community'ssouthern countries, particularlyduring the summer season.

• crops and plantations are destroyed,animals become lethargic;

• greater risk of forest fires;• greater risk of aquatic pollution;• local population and animals may be

poisoned by drinking water of uncertainquality.

4. Dam bursts, floods & tidal waves • the most frequent type of naturaldisaster;

• two types of flood:a) slowly rising flood due to an

abnormal rise in river levels afterrain and/or due to melting snow;its magnitude can be forecast;

b) sudden flood due to heavy rainin certain regions or followinganother disaster (earthquake, tidalwave, dam burst, etc.);

• although the consequences areextensive, the areas at risk can beidentified in advance, such as riverbeds, deltas and other low-lyingareas.

• the number of victims may be very highdue to the population density in theseregions which is generally above averagedue to the fertility of the land;

• mass exodus from the region;• large number of people left homeless;• disruption of communications and traffic

both with the outside world and withinthe region concerned;

• crops and harvests are destroyed; majorloss of livestock;

• pollution of soil through polluted sludge.

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5. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions & landslides

The same characteristicsapply in general for volcaniceruptions and landslides.

• the disaster occurs suddenly and canrarely be forecast;

• the effects may be limited to an areaaround the epicentre or a largerregion may be affected, depending onthe size and intensity of theearthquake;

• high percentage of destruction.

• floods, landslides and fires may occur asa result of the initial disaster;

• the initial disaster may causetechnological accidents in chemical andnuclear facilities located within thedisaster zone;

• large number of people killed, injured ormissing;

• numerous people become homeless out offear of a recurrence;

• risk of epidemics due to polluted drinkingwater and decomposing bodies whichhave not been cleared away;

• people generally remain on the spot;• road, rail and air traffic is interrupted,

making it difficult to reach the victimsand bring in relief supplies;

• considerable resources are required forthe work of clearing up;

• crops remain virtually undamaged.

6. Forest fires • forest fires are a frequent occurrencein the Mediterranean region,particularly during the summerseason;

• three types of situation:a) fires affecting only a small area

(85%)b) major fires (13%)c) catastrophic fires (2%) .

• From an environmental point of view,destruction of the plant cover in thedisaster regions can lead to ecologicaldestabilizations like desertification,erosion, landslides and in some mountainregions, flash floods.

• Sometimes, due to peculiar situations,like high density of people in some touristareas, there is a major risk of seriousaccidents.

• The loss of forest and shrublandsgenerates considerable environmentalconcern among the public.

7. Tornadoes • this phenomenon moves at greatspeed; it can be forecast in somecases and mainly affects coastalregions;

• a tornado can wreak destruction overthousands of square kilometers.

• two-fold effect:a) flooding (due to rain or tidal

waves),b) very heavy storms;

• the water ebbing away in river beds anddrainage channels causes problems withregard to run-off and drainage;

• large number of people killed, injured ormissing;

• major loss of livestock;

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B. CIVIL PROTECTION ASPECTSOF TECHNOLOGICAL DISASTERS

Characteristics Consequences

1. Chemical and IndustrialAccidents

• the probability is high and themagnitude of the disaster is frequentlyconsiderable;

• the sources of danger in majorinstallations are numerous and varied;

• industrial complexes are frequentlylocated near residential areas;

• the sequence of events leading up to anaccident may proceed very rapidly, sothat emergency units rarely have time toorganize themselves. The dangeroussubstances released in the accident posean immediate threat;

• it is difficult to detect and analyze thesubstances released, as well as to assesstheir effects;

• external civil protection units,particularly fire brigades, can be calledin even if plants have their own securitysystems.

• high and widespread risk of poisoningfor people and animals; also high riskof aquatic and soil pollution;

• crops may be destroyed;• the disaster area may have to be

declared a "forbidden zone" for aperiod of time.

2. Transportation and Storage ofChemicals

• various possible locations;• the substances involved are difficult to

identify;• experts, manuals or databases must be

consulted in order to obtain informationabout the products;

• a mobile danger threatening port areas,roads, inland waterways and customsposts in particular.

• high and widespread risk of poisoningfor people and animals; also high riskof aquatic and soil pollution;

• the disaster area may have to bedeclared a "forbidden zone" for aperiod of time.

3. Transport accidents • major accidents usually involvingrailways and aircraft;

• little or no prior warning, so thatemergency units rarely have time toorganize themselves;

• specialized technical resources (eg.special lifting gear, sensing equipment)may be necessary;

• hazardous release of chemicals,including fuel, may result;

• a mobile danger which could strikeanywhere.

• possible secondary risk of fires andstructural damage;

• possible high number of fatalities andinjuries.

4. Nuclear emergencies Nuclear emergencies are not primarily dealt with in this Vade-mecum. An OperationalManual for the Emergencies arrangements has been established. A brief outline of theNational Emergencies arrangements are in annex 1.

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C. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTSOF DISASTERS

Characteristics Consequences

• these aspects are often additional toother "classical" aspects taken intoaccount in the emergencyplanning/response;

• environmental consequences appearto receive relatively low priorityrelative to civil protection;

• information on environmentconsequences of disasters is veryscarce.

• very often surface water and groundwater pollution;

• air pollution and health threat;• soil contamination.

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III.3 DISASTERS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION SINCE 1950

COUNTRIES DATES DISASTERS

AUSTRIA 1951 Train accident at Langenwang, Styria: 20 dead

1954 Flood in Upper Austria : 4 billion schilling damage

1954 Avalanche disaster in Vorarlberg: 125 dead, 53 million schillingdamage

1958 Flood in Mur- und Mürztal, Styria: 250 million schilling damage


1965 Flood in the Drau in Carinthia

1966 Flood in the Drau in Carinthia

1972 Storm disaster in the Styria: 9 dead, 700 million schilling damage

1979 Storm in Upper Austria : 2 billion schilling damage

1987 Oil pollution of the Danube over a length of 150 km

1990 Storm disaster in Upper Austria : 2 billion schilling damage


1992 Forest fire (12 days) in Carinthia, district Hermagor

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BELGIUM 1953 Tidal wave and flooding of the province of Western Flanders

1956 Mine disaster at Marcinelle (Charleroi): 262 dead

1967 Fire in the department store "L'Innovation" (Brussels): 325 dead

1983 Earthquake in Liège: 1 dead, 26 injured

1985 Hooliganism in the Heysel stadium: 39 dead, 400 injured

1987 Ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsize at Zeebrugge : 193 dead

1990 Major storms : 19 dead, dozens of people injured, hundreds ofhectares of woodland destroyed

1993 Floods in the Meuse, Scheldt and Yser basins : important damagesspread out over 193 communes in 9 provinces (on 10).

1995 Floods in the Scheldt and mainly in the Meuse basins :major damagespread over 127 communes in 9 provinces.

1995 Fire in the Switel Hotel (Antwerp) at New Year's eve: 15 dead

1998 Flash floods affecting 173 communes in 5 provinces, causing damagesestimated at several billions Belgian francs.

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DENMARK 1951 Explosion in a mine depot at Naval Base Copenhagen: 16 dead,approx. 50 injured

1959 Fire and explosion on a tourist boat at a lake near Haderslev(Southern Jutland): 53 dead

1964 Explosion in a chemical plant in Roenland (Western Jutland): 3 dead

1964 Explosion at a gasworks in Copenhagen: 4 dead, 200 injured andextensive damage

1967 Railway accident at Odense (Funen): 11 dead, 30 injured

1972 Tank lorry accident in Simmersted (Southern Jutland): Massivephenol pollution in the water supply system and environmentaldamage to the streams in the area

1973 Hotel fire in Copenhagen: 35 dead

1975 Fisher trawler loss in Hanstholm harbour (Northern Jutland) during ahurricane: 11 dead

1975 Several big forest fires in Jutland during weeks

1976 A 1,4 million acres moorland fire at Aabybro (Nothern Jutland): Fireaction during one month

1984 Major storms in Jutland: extensive damage to buildings

1984 Oil slick from the Ibn Rochd: pollution at numerous points on theJutland and Zeeland coasts

1985 Oil slick from the Jan of Bremen: 20 km of marsh polluted at theisland of Læsoe (Kattegat)

1988 Railway accident near Soroe (Zeeland): 8 dead, 72 injured

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FINLAND 1954 Fire in a children's home in Kangasala: 9 dead

1956 A bus drove off a raft and into lake in Konnevesi: 15 dead

1957 Collision of two passenger trains in Kuurila: 26 dead, 47 injured

1959 Fire in a prison in Köyliö: 16 dead

1959 Collision of motorboats in Pielinen: 15 dead

1960 Fire in an old people's home in Lapinlahti: 31 dead

1961 Air crash in Koivulahti: 25 dead

1963 Ammonium nitrate explosion in Oulu: 10 dead, 16 injured

1963 Air crash in Mariehamm: 19 dead, 2 injured

1964 Collision of a tug and a motorboat off Rauma: 22 dead

1965 Explosion in an ammunition depot in Uusikylä: 4 dead, 69 injured

1969 Explosion in a dynamite factory in Bromarv: 4 dead, 15 injured

1972 A dredger went down in Pietarsaari: 16 dead

1973 Large fire at an oil tank farm in Kokkola

1974 Collision of a lorry and a Dutch coach in Laukaa: 12 dead, 18 injured

1976 Explosion in a cartridge factory at Lapua: 40 dead

1976 A lorry drove off a bridge and into river in the district of Porvoo: 5dead, 11 injured

1978 A viking-boat went down off Hanko: 10 dead

1978 Air crash in Rissala: 18 dead

1978 LPG explosion in a hotel in Heinola: 3 dead, 3 injured

1979 Fire in an old people's home in Virrat: 27 dead

1979 Shipwreck of M/S Malmi in the Baltic: 14 dead

1981 Fire in a cotton mill in Porvoo

1982 Storm in Northern Finland: 2 dead

1983 Fire in a supermarket in Turku: 6 injured

1984 Helicopter crash in Ahvenisto: 5 dead, 26 injured

1986 Shipwreck of M/S Karelia near Gotska Sandö, 6 dead, 9 injured

1986 Railway accident in Lapua: 2 injured (classified as danger situation)

1986 Railway accident in Turenki: 2 injured (classified as danger situation)

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FINLAND 1987 Chemical leak in Kotka

1987 Chemical leak in Hamina

1988 Boating accident in Lempäälä Channel: 4 dead

1988 Air crash near Ilmajoki airport: 6 dead, 6 injured

1989 Air crash near Helsinki-Vantaa airport: 7 dead, 1 injured

1989 Fire in a 30 000 m³ storage tank for isohexane in Porvoo: 600 firemenresponded

1989 Fire in five chemical tank wagons at railway yard in Hamina: 60firemen responded

1989 Collision of M/T Tebostar and a Russian fishing boat south ofGotland: 15 dead (in Sweden)

1990 Fire in the engine-room of M/S Mariella in the Gulf of Finland(classified as danger situation)

1990 A barger combination capsized off Hanko: 8 dead, 2 injured

1991 Dangerous situation caused by a Turkish airplane near Helsinki-Malmi airport (classified as danger situation)

1991 A BTR-60 transportation tank went down in Taipalsaari: 7 dead, 2injured

1993 Explosion in a plastic explosives factory in Hanko: 2 injured(classified as danger situation)

1993 Dangerous situation in the airspace of Helsinki-Vantaa airport(classified as danger situation)

1993 Grounding of M/S Wasa Queen off Vaasa (classified as danger situation)

1994 Grounding of M/S Sally Albatross off Porkkala (classified as danger situation)

1994 (Shipwreck of M/S Estonia in Northern Baltic off Utö: 852 dead, 137injured) (Estonian ship, international sea area)

1994 Failure in landing of a Tunisian airplane in Kajaani airport: 3 injured(classified as danger situation)

1995 Grounding of M/S Silja Europa in the archipelago of Stockholm(classified as danger situation) (in Sweden)

1995 Grounding of M/S Tallink off Helsinki (classified as danger situation)

1995 Grounding of hydrofoil ship Laura off Helsinki (classified as danger situation)

1995 Fire in a hotel in Kuhmoinen: 1 dead, 8 injured (classified as danger situation)

1996 Collapse of high-density pulp mass tank in Valkeakoski, 1 dead(classified as danger situation)

1996 Railway accident in Jokela: 4 dead

1998 Railway accident in Jyväskylä: 10 dead

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GERMANY 1954 Flooding in Bavaria: damage estimated at more than 50 million ECU

1962 Tidal wave and flooding in Hamburg: 400 dead, more than 100.000people affected, 50 dyke bursts

1975 Forest fires in Lower Saxony: 2.000 homeless, 10.000 hectares ofagricultural and forest land destroyed

1979 Heavy snow fall in Schleswig-Holstein and in the provinces ofGroningen and Friesland: traffic paralysed completely(Germany/the Netherlands)

1986 Fire at Sandoz in Basel: heavy pollution of the Rhine river(Germany/Switzerland)

1987 Explosion of tanker holding 36,000 l of gasoline at Herborn: 5 dead,38 injured

1988 Aircraft crashes at Ramstein air display: 70 dead, more than 400injured

1997 Oder flood: damage 647 Millions DM, 2.300 evacuated

1998 ICE train accident in Eschede, 101 dead

28


GREECE 1953 Earthquake in the Ionian islands: 455 dead, 4,400 injured, 27,700buildings damaged or destroyed

1954 Earthquake in Karditsa: 25 dead, 157 injured, 6,600 buildingsdamaged or destroyed

1956 Earthquake in Amorgos: 53 dead, 100 injured, 530 buildingsdamaged or destroyed

1957 Earthquake in Rodos: 18 dead, 7,2 Richter

1965 Earthquake in Arkadia: 18 dead, 7,2 Richter

1968 Earthquake in Ag. Eustratios: 20 dead, 7,7 Richter

1976 Earthquake in Thessaloniki region: 45 dead, 220 injured, majordamage

1978 Earthquake in Thessaloniki region: 45 dead, 6,5 Richter

1981 Earthquake in the southern regions: 19 dead, 500 injured, 12,220buildings damaged or destroyed

1986 Earthquake in Kalamata: 20 dead, 300 injured, 2,000 buildingsdamaged or destroyed

1987 Hot humid summer days in Athens, Thessaloniki and Larisa: 1,500dead, several thousands of heatstroke victims

1994 Flash floods in Athens (N. Ionia): 14 dead

1995 Earthquake in Aigio: 16 dead, 6,1 Richter

1997 Ukrainian aircraft JAK 42 crashes on the territory of Pieria Mountain:71 dead (passengers and aircrew)

1999 Earthquake in Athens (5,9 Richter): 138 dead, 300 injured, 36 fullycollapsed houses, 4 industries fully collapsed, homeless over 70.000

29


SPAIN 1959 Dam burst and flooding at Ribadelago (Zamora): 144 dead

1962 Flooding in Barcelona: 500 dead

1973 Flooding at Murcia, Granada and Almería: 350 dead

1978 Explosion of a gas tank truck at San Carlos de la Rápida (Tarragona):216 dead, several hundreds injured

Every summersince 1980

Forest fires in Galicia, Andalucía, Cataluña and Valencia

1983 Drought

1985 Tanker explosion in Algeciras: 32 dead

30


FRANCE 1959 Malpasset dam burst at Fréjus: 421 dead

1967 Oil slick from the Torrey Canyon along the Breton and Englishcoasts: pollution at numerous points on both coasts(France/United Kingdom)

1970 Avalanches in Val d'Isère and St. Gervais: 120 dead

1976 Eruption of the Soufrière volcano (Guadeloupe): 70.000 peopleevacuated for 4 months

1978 Oil slick from the Amoco Cadiz on the Breton coast: coastlinepolluted with 230.000 tonnes of oil over a length of 230 km

1982-1986 Droughts and major forest fires on Corsica and in certain southerndepartments

1987 Torrential flood at Grand Bornand: 27 deadStorm in Brittany: 11 dead

1988 River flooding in Nîmes: 11 dead

1991 Explosion and fire on tanker Haven in the golf of Genova: 2 dead, 3 missing; 110.000 tonnes of crude lost, half of which burnt, the remainder polluting Italian and French coasts

1991 Fire in Barbotan hot springs at Cazaubon: 20 dead

1991 Explosion during take-in of petrol by tankers at Saint Merblain: 10.000 m³ of super, 5.000 m³ of Diesel spilled, 6 injured

1991 Train collision in Melun station: 16 dead, 51 injured

1992 Airbus plane crash: 87 dead

1992 Terrace collapse in Furiani stadium: 18 dead, 700 injured

1992 Forest fires in Corsica: 15.000 hectares destroyed, 1 dead

1992 Floods in Southern France: 42 dead, 10 missing

31


IRELAND 1979 Fire and explosion aboard a petrol tanker at Bantry Bay: 50 dead, portfacilities damaged

1981 Fire in a nightclub: 48 dead, 214 injured

32


ITALY 1951 Flooding of the Po delta

1962 Earthquake in Irpinia: 16 dead, 200 injured

1963 Landslide and flooding in Vaiont-Longarone: 1,759 dead

1966 Flooding in Florence: 29 dead; 1,500 works of art and 1,300,000volume damaged

1968 Earthquake in the valley of Belice (Sicily): 296 dead; 650 injured;30,000 homeless

1970 Flooding in the Po plains

1970 Flooding in Genova: 25 dead

1972 Fire and explosion of tank following sabotage in Trieste-SanDorligo; 18 injured

1976 Two earthquakes in Frioul: 977dead; 189,000 homeless; 2,400injured people

1976 Accident at a chemical factory in Seveso

1978 Leak of ammonia from brake valve during unloading of a ship inManfredonia; 1,000 evacuees

1978 Release of hydrogen sulphide and chromic sulphate during unloadingof tank lorry in Genoa, 4 dead and 74 wounded

1979 BLEVE and fireball of oil in Priolo; 1 dead and 5 wounded

1979 Earthquake in Umbria: 5 dead, numerous people injured, 2,000homeless

1980 Earthquake in Campania/Basilicata: 2,739 dead; 8,816 injured,334,000 homeless

1981 Release of chlorine following upsetting of tank lorry in Foggia, 1dead and 14 wounded

1982 Fireball from collision tank lorry in motorway Florence-sea; 6 deadand 30 wounded

1983-1985 Earth movements at Pozzuoli (Naples)

1984 Earthquake in Central Italy: 7,500 homeless

1985 Bursting of Cavalese-Stava dam with flooding of the village ofTesero: 269 dead or missing, destructive mud wave with a volume of250,000 m³

33


ITALY 1985 Release of oil during loading in the Port of Naples. UVCE and firewith 7 dead, 19 wounded and 2,300 evacuees

1986 Landslide at Palma Campania (Naples): 6 deadLandslide at Senise: 8 dead

1987 Flooding in Northern Italy and landslide in Valtellina: 53 dead

1987 Fire insulating material during maintenance operations in shipyard inthe Port of Ravenna; 13 dead

1989 Forest fires on Sardinia: 18 dead

1990 Earthquake in Southwestern Sicily: 12 dead, 99 injured, 14,596homeless

1991 Collision of ferry with tanker at Livorno: ferry gutted by fire, 147passengers dead

1991 River floodings in Sicily, in the provinces of Enna and Caltanissetta:15 dead

1992 Etna eruption: high volcanic activity for several months; for the firsttime in the history of volcanic events, successful diversion of stream oflava

1992 Landslide of Chies d'Alpago mountain in the province of Belluno:volume of landslide estimated at more than 1 million m³; majordamage

1994 Severe flooding and landslides in North West (Piemont):Damage caused to roads, bridges and buildings: 65 victims, 8 missing,87 injured, 5,309 homeless

1995 - 1996 Severe floodings in Versilia (Tuscany) damages caused to roads,bridges and buildings: 5 victims, 60 injured, 210 homeless

1997 Earthquakes in Umbria and Marche: 11 victims, 420 injured, 63.000homeless. Severe damages to historical buildings, churches and towers

1998 Severe flood in Crotone (Calabria): 7 victims, 120 injured, 250homeless

1998 Severe mudflood in Sarno and Quindici (Campania): 200 victims, 350injured, 1.000 homeless

1998 Flood in Friuli with heavy damages to roads and bridges

34


1990 Major storms: some people injured; dozens of hectares of woodlanddestroyed.

1993 Floods in the Alzette, Moselle and Sauer basins, important materialdamages in several villages.

1995 Floods in the Alzette, Moselle and Sauer basins, important materialdamages in several villages.

LUXEMBURG

1997 2 railway accidents near Luxembourg City, 1 dead, 125 injured.

35


THENETHERLANDS

1953 Tidal wave and flooding of the province of Zeeland: 2,000 dead, 300,000people affected

1960 Air crash near Franeker (Friesland): 7 dead

1961 Railway accident at Harmelen (province of Utrecht): 95 dead

1965 Tanker explosion in Rotterdam: 16 dead

1968 Fire in a chemical factory in Rotterdam

1971 Fire in a chemical factory in Amsterdam: 9 dead, 2 injured

1971 Hotel fire in Eindhoven (Northern Brabant): 11 dead, 12 injured

1971 Fire in a care centre in Rolde (Groningen province): 13 dead

1972 Road accident in Prinsenbeek (Northern Brabant): 13 dead, 30 injured

1975 Explosion in a chemical factory in Geleen (Limburg): 14 dead, 109injured

1976 Railway accident at Schiedam (Southern Holland): 24 dead

1976 Forest fires near Arnhem (Gelderlande)

1979 Heavy snowfall in the provinces of Groningen and Friesland, and inSchleswig-Holstein: traffic completely paralysed(The Netherlands/Germany)

1981 Air crash at Moerdijk (Northern Brabant): 17 dead

1990 Heavy gales during three days: severe damage

1991 Explosion in fireworks factory at Culemborg: 2 dead, extensive damage

1991 Fire at DSM chemical plant in Rotterdam: 6 dead, 7 missing

1992 Earthquake in Limburg province: extensive damage

1992 Explosion and fire at CINDU chemical plant in Uithoorn: 3 dead

1992 Whirlwind at Ameland: 1 dead, extensive damage

1992 Plane crash onto Amsterdam block of flats: more than 50 dead

1993 Floods further to high level waters in the Meuse river in the province ofLimburg: heavy material damages

1995 Floods further to high level waters in the Rhine and Meuse rivers:250.000 inhabitants and millions cattle evacuated.

1996 Airplane accident at Eindhoven Airport: 34 dead, 7 seriously injured

1996 Airplane accident on the Waddenzee: 32 dead

1998 Floods further to heavy rains in various provincies: extensive materialdamages

36


PORTUGAL 1957 Volcanic eruption in Azores : thousand of homeless

1963 Collapse of roofing of the Cais Sodré railway-station in Lisboa : 49dead

1964 Railway accident at Porto : 60 dead

1966 Forest fire in Serra de Sintra: 26 dead, 2,660 hectare of forestdestroyed

1967 Flood at Lisboa area due to rainstorm: 500 dead, landslides,buildings and other infrastructures destroyed

1975 Oil slick from Jacob Maersk near Porto : 80,000 ton.

1977 Aircraft crash at Funchal (Madeira) : 19 dead, 33 injured

1979 Flood in Satarém : 2 dead, 1,187 homeless

1980 Earthquake in Açores: 50 dead, 86 injured, 21,296 homeless; ports,buildings and communication systems destroyed

1980 Oil slick from the Capeon in Setúbal : 15 km of beach polluted

1983 Flood at Lisboa due to rainstorm: 10 dead, 5,000 homeless, damageestimated at 100 million ECU

1985 Forest fires north of the Tejo and south of Douro river: 14 dead,150,000 hectare destroyed, damage estimated 20 million ECU

1985 Railway accident near Viseu: 64 dead, 100 injured

1986 Forest fires in the central region: 13 dead, 100,000 hectaredestroyed, damage estimated 20 million ECU

1987 Major storms on Algarve coast: houses and crops seriously damaged

1987 Forest fires in the north/central region: 5 dead, 80,000 hectaredestroyed

1988 Fire in Chiado historical centre of Lisboa: 2 dead, 18 buildingsdestroyed

1989 Aircraft crash at Santa Maria in Açores: 145 dead

1989 Oil slick from the Marão: 20 km of beach polluted by 6,000 ton

1989 Flood in Tejo banks caused by severe climate: heavy damage mainlyat Ribatejo area

37


PORTUGAL 1989 Oil slick from the Aragon near the island of Porto Santo: coastlinepolluted by 25,000 ton

1989 Forest fires north of Tejo: 126,000 hectare destroyed

1989 Flood in Vila Real: 1,500 homeless


1990 Oil slick from the Cypriot tanker Ogennitor in Sines harbour: 500km² polluted by several tens of ton


1991 Aircraft crash at Funchal: 86 injured

1991 Aircraft crash at Funchal airport: 6 dead

1992 Aircraft crash at Faro airport: 58 dead, 238 injured

1995 Forest fires in the north/central region: 170,000 hectare destroyed

1995-1996 Floods in districts of Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Viseu, Satarém andLisboa: 12 dead, 1,340 homeless, damage estimated 80 million ECU

1997 Floods and mudslides in Açores: 29 dead, 60 homeless, damageestimated 15 million ECU

1997 Floods in Lisboa, Algarve and Alentejo: 11 dead, 44 injured, 300homeless, 95 collapsed/destroyed buildings, destruction ofagriculture assets and crops

1998 Earthquake in Açores: 8 dead, 110 injured, 1,600 homeless, 500collapsed/destroyed houses, damage estimated 60 million ECU

38


SWEDEN 1956 Train accident, Ställdalen: 20 dead, 8 injured

1964 Air crash, Ängelholm: 31 dead, 6 injured

1969 Storm, south and west Sweden: 10 dead, 200 injured, estimatedcost 1,900 million SEK

1977 Landslide, Tuve: 9 dead, 62 injured, estimated cost 670 millionSEK

1978 Hotel fire, Borås: 20 dead, 35 injured, estimated cost 35 millionSEK

1979 Oil pollution along the Swedish east coast

1979 Bridge collapse, Tjörn: 8 dead

1986 Radioactive fallout following the Chernobyl accident, primarily inthe north

1987 Train accident, Lerum: 9 dead, 130 injured

1990 Fire on the ship Sally Albatross under repair, estimated cost 660million SEK

1990 Fire on the ship Scandinavian Star at sea, 158 dead, 30 injured

1994 Estonia is shipwrecked, 865 dead. (The ship went down oninternational water, however the majority of the passengers werefrom Sweden which makes it a major Swedish disaster)

1998 Discotheque fire, Gothenburg: 63 dead, 223 injured

1999 Fire on Princess Ragnhild: all passengers, 1100, were rescued andevacuated to other ships by forces from Sweden, Norway andDenmark. There were no casualties.

39


UNITEDKINGDOM

1952 Smog in London: 12.000 dead due to the smog

1953 Surge tide and flooding on the East coast

1967 Oil slick from the Torrey Canyon along the Breton and Englishcoasts: pollution at numerous points on both coasts(France/United Kingdom)

1976 Landslide at a colliery: 144 dead

1976 Explosion and fire in a large chemical factory in Flixboro: 28dead

1985 Stadium fire at Bradford City FC: 50 dead, 300 injured

1985 Fire on aircraft at Manchester Airport: 54 dead

1987 Ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsize at Zeebrugge: 193 dead(Belgium/United Kingdom)

1987 Underground station fire at Kings Cross: 31 dead

1987 Severe storms: 21 dead

1988 North Sea Piper Alpha oil platform explosion: 167 dead

1988 Rail crash at Clapham: 32 dead, 120 injured

1988 Terrorist attack on Pan Am Jumbo over Lockerbie: 259 passengersand crew died along with 11 people on the ground

1989 Civil aircraft crash at Kegworth: 47 dead, 79 injured

1989 Football stadium disaster at Hillsborough: 95 crushed to death,more than 700 injured

1989 "Marchioness" pleasure boat disaster on the Thames: 51 drowned

1990 Towyn surge tide flooding on the Welsh coast

1990 Storms in Southern England: 45 dead

PART IV

METHODOLOGYOF

EMERGENCY PLANNING

41

IV.1 PLANNING PRINCIPLES

The responsibilities of the public authorities in an emergency are generally the same as innormal situations: protecting and safeguarding people and property, public health andenvironment. A disaster merely imposes additional responsibilities without changing theirnature.

a) When an emergency plan anticipating disasters is considered desirable it should beimplemented by persons representing the public authorities and guaranteeing its correctimplementation. At the local level, it should be drawn up by persons capable of judgingthe effect of the measures advocated.

b) An emergency plan anticipating disasters which has been drawn up by governments maycover three phases:

1. Emergency phase,2. Transitional reaction phase,3. Reconstruction phase.

c) An emergency plan anticipating disasters could examine the effects, some of which arecommon to the majority of disasters. These effects essentially concern the following:

- population: The effect of a disaster is frequently expressed in terms of the number ofpeople killed, injured and sick. Homelessness, dismembered families and missingpersons are also frequent consequences. The loss of personal possessions isimportant.

- institutions and social services: Public buildings are partly or completely destroyed;Transport is disorganized. Communications and other public services are disrupted.Finally, the accumulation of debris interferes with all the community's normalactivities. Nevertheless, the needs of the people must be seen to. These needs areessentially the same in every disaster, coinciding with man's four basic requirements:food, clothing, accommodation and medical care;

- environment: water, soil and air can be affected by dangerous substances.Agricultural areas are for some time not usable as well as drinking water facilitiesand in some cases even housing areas.

The authorities will take action as soon as possible in order to fulfil their duties, namelymaintaining order, clearing the debris, restoring public services, especially the supply ofelectricity and water, sewage systems, telephone and mail services. They should alsoprovide information as to the assistance available and ensure that the social servicesoperate smoothly. Roads, bridges, railways, ports and airports must be repaired or rebuilt.

d) An emergency plan anticipating disasters may be based on a legal regulation in the form ofa law or decree setting up a central organization in a Member State or a region chargedwith planning and executing all rescue activities. However, such a legal basis is not aprerequisite in every Member State. Within such a central organization, the authority andresponsibility could rest with the ministry, service or administration whose daily activities

42

correspond most closely with the needs created by disasters. Their central structures willmake it possible to set up appropriate administrative links on other levels throughout theentire disaster area. The head of this organization and a representative of each authorityinvolved could form a coordination committee to prepare decisions and transmit them tothe various executive levels, thus assisting the person with national responsibility inmaking his decisions.

This committee may, for instance, be made up of representatives of the following officesand services:

- civil protection,- police,- fire services,- Red Cross,- environmental services,- meteorological service (including the hydrological and seismological services),- national planning office,- public works and buildings,- public utilities (electricity, water, gas, sanitary services),

- food and agriculture,- trade and industry,- finance,- telecommunications,- transport,- education and information,- rescue and reconstruction,- public health,- armed forces, etc.

The tasks of a national coordination committee should be as follows:

During the disaster:

- to set up a centre or headquarters responsible for the coordination of the rescueoperations,

- to set up and maintain contact with the representatives of international institutionswith programmes of action in the State concerned (in case of multilateralagreements),

- to coordinate the aid and rescue operations of all public and private organizations onlocal, national and international level,

- to allocate the available emergency resources to the regions affected,- to verify, control and coordinate use of the means of transport and communications,- to coordinate the dissemination of information concerning the disaster.

43

After the disaster:

- to implement reconstruction programmes,- to evaluate the efficiency of rescue operations,- to keep up-to-date records of all activities during the disaster and compile reports

for the competent organizations and the public,- to ensure that lessons learnt from the disaster are taken into account in future

national development plans.

IV.2 TYPES OF EMERGENCY PLAN

There are two types of emergency plan:

- those dealing with general hazards,- those dealing with specific hazards.

Where appropriate, an outline plan may be drawn up at all administrative levels for dealingwith general hazards. This can then be supplemented by specific plans for dealing with knownhazards in a given area. The information to be given in operational emergency plans includes:

- a precise description of the area or region and its infrastructure,- the most important danger indicators,- the resources available: specialist rescue teams, experts, special equipment, food

supplies,- plan of action and appropriate organization of rescue operations,- organization of specific responsibilities.

To assist management, checklists indicating who is responsible for specific operations couldbe helpful, such as:

- a checklist for the period during and after the disaster management stage,- a list of measures to be taken in specific emergencies and of the bodies which must

be informed and/or convened by law, in particular.

44

IV.3 EMERGENCY PLANNING

A general structure of a disaster plan is indicated below:

INTRODUCTION Legislative authorityRelated documents

THE AIMDEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONSTHE COUNTRY (REGION, STATE) Topography

ClimateEnvironmentDemographyIndustryGovernmental Organization

THE THREAT HistoryNatural events (by type)Industrial etc. accidents (by type)

COMMAND AND COORDINATION Powers and responsibilities at each levelCommand authorities and postsDescription and role of emergency services

PLANNING GROUPS Arrangements for sectoral planning(medical, transport, communications, environmentalconsequences, etc.)

EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE Arrangements and authority for requesting assistance fromoutside the planning area

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRESACTIVATION OF ORGANIZATION Warning systems

Receipt and dissemination of warningsOPERATIONAL INFORMATIONCOUNTER-DISASTER Government departmentsORGANIZATIONS Department of home affairs

Local governmentVoluntary organizationsArrangements for liaison

ADMINISTRATIONFINANCIAL PROCEDURESSUPPLY Emergency purchasing procedures

International assistancePowers for requisitioning

PUBLIC INFORMATION Announcements (requiring action)Information releasesEmergency broadcastingMulti-language broadcasts

SUB-PLANS Communications; police; fire + rescue services; medicalenvironment; welfare; housing; public works; transport;power; registration and tracing service

PART V

MULTILATERAL &

BILATERAL AGREEMENTS

46

V.1 MULTILATERAL AGREEMENTS

Member States are party to several kinds of multilateral agreements, among them agreementson cooperation in the field of nuclear events, inland water pollution, and agreements onaircraft accidents. Also the Member States of NATO have an agreement on support indisastrous events.

V.2 BILATERAL AGREEMENTS ON GENERAL HAZARDS

Many of the Member States have general bilateral agreements for mutual assistance inresponding to disasters covered by this Vade-mecum. A summary of the usual provisions isshown below.

Area of application Mutual assistance in emergencies

Main provisions -Mutual information on hazards-Easing of formalities for passing across common borders-No financial reimbursement-Arrangements for providing external assistance

Mobilization/command Identification of competent authorities with, whereappropriate, different administrative levels

Definition of disaster covered by the agreement Emergencies which cannot be dealt with by normalmeans

Priority measures covered by the agreement Responsibility of requesting parties

Maintenance of public order Responsibility of requesting parties

Communication between contracting parties Communication channels usually ministries of interioror ministries responsible for civil protection

Preparatory consultation Scientific and joint training of rescue workers

Official information Between the authorities responsible for disastermanagement

Training of rescue workers National standards; cooperation on training

Insurance Responsibility of offering parties

Liability of rescue workers Towards requesting party: exemption.Towards third parties: responsibility of requesting party

Reimbursement No financial compensation: responsibility of requestingparty for supplies, accommodation, etc.

47

The following Member States have general agreements on a bilateral basis for the provision of emergency assistance:

B DK D GR E F I IRL L NL P

B X X X X

DK X

D X X X X X

GR

E X X

F X X X X X X

I X X

IRL

L X X X

NL X X

P X X

UK

A X

FIN

S X

PART VI

NATIONALORGANIZATION

OFCIVIL PROTECTION

IN THEEUROPEAN UNION

49

updating 12.1995

VI.1 CIVIL PROTECTION IN AUSTRIA

General tasks

Austria is a Federal Republic with a population of slightly more than 7.8 million people and an area of about 83,000 square kilometres. The nine federal provinces are Burgenland,Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna.

Civil protection is defined as the sum total of all precautionary measures and activitiesdesigned to enable the population to survive in any type of crisis situation .

Civil protection thus includes all humanitarian activities to manage disasters and other majorcatastrophes. It includes precautionary action against natural or technical accidents, accidentsin the chemical industry as well as accidents during the transport of hazardous goods ornuclear accidents.

Civil protection in Austria must be seen as a pluralist system to prevent disasters and provideaid, embedded in the hexagonal responsibility borne by the authorities at the federal,provincial, district and local level, by relief organizations and by the population. Civilprotection means safety for the population by preparatory measures taken by the:

- authorities,- relief organizations, and

- individual citizens.

That means, civil protection in Austria is subdivided into three sections:

• Precautions taken by the authoritiesBesides providing the legal framework and the platform for international cooperation,the authorities are responsible for warning and informing the population in case ofimminent danger and for the coordination of relief and rescue operations.

• Precautions taken by the relief and rescue organizationsThe work and activities of these organizations are of great importance for civilprotection in Austria. Since these voluntary organizations are highly motivated,well-trained and optimally equipped, there is no need for Austria to have a separate civilprotection force as instituted in other countries.

• Precautions taken by the general public; individual self-protectionAll precautions taken by the authorities and the rescue organizations would not beeffective if the public did not accept them and was not prepared to cooperate. Specialattention must thus be given to thorough information and training of the public on self-protection.

50

Information and communication systems

Crucial prerequisites for effective crisis management are ensuring prompt communicationwith a minimum of delay and harmonising of all activities.For this purpose, a Federal Alarm Centre has been installed in the Federal Ministry of theInterior, and Provincial Alarm Centres in the provinces.The Federal Alarm Centre serves as a permanently staffed headquarters for supraregional andinternational disaster control.

The Federal Alarm Centre has clearly defined tasks within the warning and alerting system tobe operated jointly by the Federal and provincial governments, ie. :- to recognize hazardous situations,- to give out warnings, and- to give out alerts,- to coordinate tasks in disaster prevention, and- to become active within supraregional and international disaster relief.

The Federal Alarm Centre acts as contact point as defined in bilateral and multilateral disasterrelief and radiation protection agreements for:- reporting on incidents and accidents,- reporting on occurrences that may generate anxiety in the population,- ways of cooperation, and- possible assistance in the case of a disaster.

Should a supraregional or international disaster or crisis occur, the Federal Alarm Centreserves as a:- reporting, coordinating and liaison point for the provincial alarm centres,- central information exchange between all bodies concerned in Austria and abroad, and- message relay center for the National Crisis Management Board in case of crises.

The Provincial Alarm Centres are civil protection centres at the provincial level. Their task isto warn and alert the public in case of imminent danger and to coordinate rescue and reliefforces during major disasters or catastrophes.

Warning and alerting system

A central concern of civil protection is to warn and alert the population as quickly as possible.

This is done by sirens which in their final implementation stage will be controlled centrally andregionally, by districts and locally. The currently available 7000 sirens - which can be triggeredby the Federal Alarm Centre, too - reach about 60 % of the population.

In addition to its other communication networks, the Federal Ministry of the Interior hasinstalled a "dedicated telephone line" which is an independent, fixed telephone network forsingle and conference calls to relay messages from the Federal Alarm Centre to its provincialcounterparts and other relevant bodies.

51

The Austrian Radio and Television Corporation has been recruited to broadcast information ina crisis situation. Around-the-clock operation with central and regional broadcasting stationshas been ensured.

Precautions taken by the relief organizations

In contrast to other States, Austria has no special civil protection units.Civil protection in Austria is provided by existing relief organizations, in particular the firefighting squads, the Austrian Red Cross, the Workers's Ambulance Service, the Knights ofSt.John Ambulance Service, the Knights of Malta Hospital Service and the Mountain RescueService. In these organizations, some 300,000 well-trained and equipped men and women(about 4 % of the population) are available - mostly on a voluntary basis - to assume civilprotection tasks.

Efficient civil protection would, of course, be impossible without the assistance of the lawenforcement units and the Federal Army who play a key role in civil protection.

Precautions taken by individual citizens - information of the population

A civil protection concept cannot be implemented effectively without the acceptance andcooperation of the population. Only if we are all prepared to take personal precautions in ourimmediate environment in addition to official preparations and support by the relieforganizations do we stand a fair chance of surviving disasters with the least possible damage.

For this reason, the Federal Ministry of the Interior has developed the Self-protectionInformation Centres concept in conjunction with the provinces, the Austrian CivilProtection-Association and the relief organizations.

The Self-protection Information Centres aim to:- inform and advise the population on all aspects of self-protection,- promote neighbourhood help,- organize courses, and- generally improve the information level concerning civil protection and self-protection.

By learning how to protect themselves and make provision in the individual households,people are put in a position to survive the isolation phase with a minimum of harm untilorganized relief sets in or official measures are taken.

So far, Self-protection Information Centres have been established in 1,080 Austrianmunicipalities.

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53

updating 11.1998

VI. 2 CIVIL PROTECTION IN BELGIUM

General mission

To help individuals and protect assets at all times in the case of calamities, catastrophes anddisasters.

The Minister for the Interior and the Secretary of State for Security, by means of theDirectorate-General for Civil Protection, organize the means and measures for the civilprotection of the nation, the former in the case of nuclear emergencies and the latter in theevent of all other kinds of risk. They coordinate the preparation and application of thesemeasures within government departments and public bodies. They are responsible fordesigning emergency plans and providing information to members of the public on the risks towhich they can be exposed.

They also establish general standards of organization for the fire services and for fire brigadetraining.

Organization and coordination of aid

The Directorate-General for Civil Protection is an office of the Ministry of the Interior.Since 1988, a governmental coordination and crisis centre (CGCCR) has been availablearound-the-clock. This centre is responsible in particular for collecting information on majoraccidents and informing the Minister for the Interior and the Secretary of State for Security,and if necessary, the other relevant authorities.Where a crisis is managed at federal level, these authorities organize coordination through thecrisis centre.

Training

. A Royal School of Civil Protection organizes training courses for operational andvoluntary civil protection staff. Staff also carries out part of their training in permanentunits.

. In each region of the country there is a regional training centre for the fire services.

National intervention resources

Civil protection personnel comprises staff assigned to administrative tasks in centraladministration and approximately 600 staff in 5 permanent operational units which areavailable 24 hours a day to come to the scene of an accident.

In addition, some 2,000 voluntary staff can support permanent staff where required.

Local resources

There are currently 250 communal and regional fire services, which comprise approximately16,000 firemen, 5,000 of whom have professional status and approximately 11,000 of whomare volunteers.

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National Defence Director General Other MinistriesMinister For Civil Protection

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Mayors Data banks

Permanent unitsof the Civil Protection Belgian Individuals

Corps Fire services Red Cross (requisitioned)

LEGEND :

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Command

Information

Request for assistance

Granting of assistance

Minister of theInterior

GovernmentalCentre for

Coordination andCrisis Management

55

updating 11.1998

VI.3 CIVIL PROTECTION IN DENMARK

General Task

According to the Danish Preparedness Act, the task of the rescue preparedness is to prevent,reduce and remedy any damage inflicted on people, property and environment by accidentsand disasters including war actions or imminent danger of war.

The first response to an emergency is carried out by the municipal rescue preparedness (anamalgamation of the municipal civil defence and the municipal fire preparedness), whileoperations against rarely occurring or very complex accidents usually are carried out with theassistance of the National Rescue Corps.

Organization

At national central level the Ministry of the Interior, and the Emergency ManagementAgency, manages the supreme administrative guidance of the national rescue preparednessand the supervision of the municipal rescue preparedness. The agency includes the NuclearSafety Division and a chemical laboratory.

The national regional preparedness system consists - in peacetime - of six regional Centres forthe National Rescue Corps.

Preparedness commissions appointed by the local councils administrate the rescuepreparedness in the 275 Danish municipalities.

The municipal rescue preparedness is capable of fire and rescue operations and of receiving,billeting and feeding evacuees and other distressed persons including e.g. victims of floodsand other natural disasters.

40 major municipalities are able to provide an instant and more extensive turnout against theconsequences of acts of war.

Training

Every year the Emergency Management Agency implements a number of training sessionsand courses in the field of emergency management fire fighting, rescue services, technicaloperations, etc.

The target groups for these activities are employees and volunteers from the rescuepreparedness and the civil preparedness.

There are three training and educational establishments under the responsibility of theEmergency Management Agency. These are the Officers Academy, the Staff College and theTechnical School.

56

National Resources

The Danish system of conscription allows the national rescue preparedness to establish andtrain a preparedness reserve in peacetime. By calling up this reserve and bringing thestockpiles of equipment and vehicles into operation, the national rescue preparedness can besubstantially increased in event of a crisis or war.

In peacetime the national rescue preparedness has 650 employees including 200 officers and100 non-commisssioned officers. Every year 1,400 conscripts receive a three or six monthstraining at the Regional Centres for the National Rescue Corps, which means that each centreconstantly has approx. 80 conscripts at its disposal.

The National Rescue Corps possesses 800 motor vehicles, i.e. tank lorries, hose-tenders, fireengines, pioneer vehicles, radio communication vans etc. In addition, a number of privatevehicles have been earmarked for requisition in case of mobilization.

The annual (1998) budget of the national rescue preparedness is 397 mill. DKK(approx. 52 mill. ECU).

Local Resources

The local councils are responsible for the build-up and maintenance of the municipal rescuepreparedness in accordance with detailed standards laid by the Minister of the Interior.

The Council may enter into agreement with private rescue companies to carry out taskswithin the municipal rescue preparedness. The agreement shall be approved by theEmergency Management Agency.

In Denmark there are 72 municipal rescue preparedness stations, 108 Falck*) stations and 39stations with volunteer personnel. The personnel consists of 1,700 employed full-time, 3,300part-time and 1,600 volunteers.

The total number of turnouts are approx. 25,000 per year.

*) Falck Redningskorps Ltd. is a large private Danish rescue and fire company.

________________________________________________________________________For more information about the Emergency Management Agency, please see the Internetwww.beredskabsstyrelsen.dk or www.brs.dk

57

Updating 1998

DISASTER RELIEF IN DENMARK

Other Ministries Minister of Minister of Minister ofJustice Defence the Interior

EmergencyManagement

AgencyNational Police

General Plan

SYSTEM FOR MANAGINGRELIEF IN DENMARK

Mayor

Local Police Municipal RescuePreparedness

ArmyOwn Plan

Rescue Preparedness The National

of another Rescue CorpsMunicipality (Mobile squads

located in Private the various

Rescources Rescue regions)of the various Organizationsnational government Individuals Ambulancesministries (volunteers)

LEGEND :

Planning



Communication and cooperation

MULTI - AND BILATERAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENTS

58

updating 10.1999

VI.4 CIVIL PROTECTION IN GERMANY

How assistance is organized

Under the Basic Law, assistance in the event of civil disasters in peacetime is a matter for theLänder, while the protection of the civil population in a military conflict is the responsibility ofthe Federal Government. Thus, the Federal Government complements the civil protectionorganized by the Länder. Within the Länder, the local or district authorities are in principleresponsible for assistance. In this connection, assistance can be requested throughout theFederal Republic by dialling 112. Similarly, the nearest police station can be reached bydialling the emergency number 110 anywhere in the Federal Republic.

Public institutions and private bodies in the Länder/municipalities

The main institutions available to the local authorities as public bodies to provide assistanceare the fire services (professional and voluntary fire services). These are responsible for fireprotection, technical assistance and in some aid services.

The professional fire services have over 28.800 and voluntary fire services some 1.4 millionactive members. Added to these are industrial fire services with around 36.000 activemembers. The following private bodies are also engaged in civil protection:

- Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund around 7 200 active members- Deutsche Lebensrettungsgesellschaft around 145 000 active members- Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (Red Cross) around 305 000 active members- Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe around 24 000 active members- Malteser Hilfsdienst around 31 000 active members

They are particularly involved in medical and care services. Volunteers are active in all areasof the system for providing assistance; they form the basis of civil protection, which could notfunction without them. Helpers committing themselves to service in civil protection for astatutory period may be exempted from military service.

Training

Training for those engaged in civil protection is carried out in training centres run by the relieforganizations and the fire services of the Länder. In addition the civil protection trainingschool of the Federal Office for Civil Protection is available as a central training centre.

59

Federal resources

The Federal Government complements the resources of the Länder in the areas of fireprotection, health and welfare and NBC protection by financing additional equipment(operational vehicles and equipment), personal equipment for a specific number of helpers andcivil protection training. The number of vehicles funded by the Federal Government is 9 460. For rescue services there is the Federal Institution for Technical Assistance (THW), which isavailable on request to the competent Länder authorities. In future the THW will operate 810technical teams with around 6 000 vehicles. It has some 61 500 helpers.

Helicopters have also been acquired for civil protection/disaster relief purposes and areoperated by the airborne unit of the Federal Border Police (BGS). These form part ofGermany's air rescue system. At present 24 of the 50 stations have civil protection helicoptercover. In accordance with the principle of administrative assistance, the local authorities mayalso request the help of the federal armed forces in peacetime.

60

Updating 10.1999

DISASTER RELIEF IN THE FEDERALREPUBLIC OF GERMANY

Overall responsible

Head of district/City

administration

Emergency staff

LEGEND :

Command

Information


Inter-ministerial coordination group in the Federal Ministry of

the Interior

Land government

Federal Border Police

Requisitioned individuals

Federal Army

Federal Agency for technical assistance

(THW)

Specialized private rescue services

Fire services

Rescueservices

61

updating 06.1995

VI.5 CIVIL PROTECTION IN SPAIN

Law 2/1985 on civil protection is the basis and starting point for the current system of civilprotection. This law has subsequently been developed via several regulatory provisions,among which we must highlight, because of its importance in the configuration of the nationalsystem of civil protection, the Basic Civil Protection Standard which was approved by RoyalDecree 407/1992 of 24 April 1992.

The Basic Standard lays down the requirements for civil protection plans. It sets out thecriteria for coordination between the plans of various administrations and the generalframework for developing the competencies of these administrations. Cooperation betweenthe three administrations (central, autonomous, local) made it possible to develop standardsderived from the Basic Standard. It is in particular within the framework of the NationalCommission on Civil Protection that this cooperation has developed.

Each administration can organize and manage its civil protection systems with completeautonomy but must respect the principles of inter-territorial complementarity, subsidiarity andsolidarity. The first two principles mean that it is the local administration which initially copeswith an emergency. The autonomous community level takes over if the local administration isunable to cope with the extent of the problem. The central level plays a similar role for theautonomous community. The principle of inter-territorial solidarity guarantees that theresources available outside the territory where the emergency occurred can be used, and thisis the case with the intervention of resources available in the autonomous community planoutside the local territory, and intervention with resources provided for in the State plan forresources outside the territory of the autonomous community.

Following these principles, the Basic Standard stipulates that management and coordinationof situations can be exercised through State authority, by means of a statement "of nationalinterest" from the Minister for Justice and the Interior. In other cases, the general Stateadministration with its own resources or those of other administrations will have a supportfunction for measures envisaged in the autonomous community plan.

The Basic Standard establishes two types of plan; the territorial plan and the special plan. Thefirst, intended to cope with general cases, can be a guideline plan, which defines the generalframework for allowing access to territorial plans at a local level.

The special plan involves the implementation of methodologies and technical and scientificresources specific to each type of risk. This plan can relate to:

- Nuclear power- Situations of war- Floods- Seismic activity- Chemicals- Transport of dangerous substances

62

- Forest fires- Volcanic activity

The first two are of national interest, but the other administrations can be involved, both onthe level of resources (sanitary installation, logistics etc.) and on the level of planning(emergency municipal plans in the event of a nuclear accident).

The autonomy of the various administrations in management and organization does notexclude homogeneity as regards the content and objectivity of planning. Indeed, the territorialand special plans of the autonomous communities are approved by the National Commissionfor Civil Protection, made up of representatives of the various ministries involved in themanagement of emergencies, of the autonomous communities and of the local administration.The National Commission, a consultative body, expresses opinions on the basic guidelineswhich define the criteria and the minimal requirements that are need to unite the plans of thethree levels of Spanish administration (central, autonomous and local) must to assemble. Allsubsequent legislation is the subject of a consensus between the three administrative levelsinvolved.

On the level of the autonomous communities there are autonomous community civilprotection commissions where the representatives of the three levels of the communityintegrate. It is these commissions, which approve the territorial and special plans of lowerlevels; provincial, city, communal grouping, etc.

The Spanish system is therefore based on preliminary planning and cooperation betweenthose who have at their disposal the various resources, which can be implemented to copewith emergencies. Its characteristic features are the use of existing resources and not thoseown resources allocated to civil protection, and preliminary consensus between all thepossible participants and those who have resources at their disposal. The system isdecentralized and allows widespread intervention of all the resources of the country in orderto cope with an emergency. It is through the Directorate-General for Civil Protection thatrequests for international assistance or the intervention of Spanish assistance outside Spanishborders are organized.

Human and material resources

It is difficult to give precise figures on the resources available for civil protection becausethere are no special resources allocated to the various civil protection systems.The Directorate-General for Civil Protection has more than 500 persons divided between theMadrid head office and the various units of civil protection in the civil governments of theprovinces and the government's delegations in the autonomous Communities. These civilservants and agents basically work on planning and coordination. We can envisage a similarfigure in the Autonomous Communities and in the local administrations.

The number of persons available for the interventions and the resources depend on the needsconsidered in planning. Fourteen thousand professional firemen supported by volunteers forman important core in these operations. The health services, the police force (national,autonomous and local) the civil guard, the Red Cross or the national aerial means for forest

63

fire-fighting dependent on ICONA (almost 20 planes in property and rented planes andhelicopters) also are elements which provide intervening parties in case of emergencies.

Exceptional operations (Olympic Games 92, Universal Exhibition) involved majorcontingency and organizational activities, which exceeded by far the above-mentioned figures.An annual operation such as the passage of North African immigrants in the Straits ofGibraltar mobilizes more than 2000 persons.

64

Updating 1994

DISASTER RELIEF IN SPAIN

Government of the Basic Norms on theCountry National Civil

Protection System

Ministry of Justice andHome Affairs

General Directorate of State PlanCivil protection

Civil Governor . Police and Security Forces. Army. Other State Resources. Other public and private resources from outside the Autonomous Community affected

Autonomous Communities Autonomous Community'sAgency in charge of Plan

civil protection

. Resources of the Autonomous Community. Resources assigned by other Administrations. Private resources

Local authority Local Plan . Fire fightersAgency in charge of . Local Police

civil protection . Other local resources

LEGEND :

Direction

Plan approval

Support

Direction in case of emergency of national interest

Direction in case of emergency of autonomous community interest

65

updating 03.1999

VI.6 CIVIL PROTECTION IN FINLAND

An integrated system

In Finland, fire fighting and emergency operations, fire and accident prevention, rescueservice and civil defence form an integrated unit under the jurisdiction of the authorities. Theorganization is ready to cope with the entire spectrum of accidents, ranging from everydayaccidents to catastrophes and even danger of war.

Rescue administration

The nation's rescue administration aims at improving general safety by preventing fires andother accidents and by limiting damage when accidents occur. The primary function of rescueadministration is to protect and save human lives.

The Ministry of the Interior's Rescue Department is responsible for supreme command ofrescue administration. Provincial State Offices are responsible for fire and rescue activities inthe provinces, whereas the municipalities are responsible for rescue operations in theirrespective areas. In practice, a municipal fire brigade takes care of fire, rescue and civildefence operations.

Many authorities and organizations work together as an integral part of rescue services. Thepolice, Frontier Guard, defence forces, health, aviation and radiation authorities are majorpartners.

Multi-skilled municipal fire brigades

Fire Brigades operate as wide-ranging rescue institutions whose activities include fireextinguishing and rescue, transportation of patients, prevention of environmental damage andrescue operations on inland waters.

Each municipality must have either a full-time, a part-time or a contractual fire brigade.

Municipalities can also work together in carrying out their obligations concerning fire andrescue activities, in which case the quality and scope of these operations are agreed upon withthe Provincial State Office.

Civil defence

The civil authorities are also responsible for civil defence. As preparations for civil defencemunicipalities must have plan to protect the population and to safeguard property.

Under normal conditions, rescue squads are responsible for operations. In situations ofemergency, these crews are complemented by staff with civil defence training.

66

During peacetime civil defence includes the construction and maintenance of bomb shelters,procurement of warning systems and special equipment, training, information and drawing upplans. Under normal conditions bomb shelters can be used for other purposes provided thatthey are ready for use as bomb shelters within 24 hours.

Emergency areas

The country is divided into 42 emergency areas. The dispatching centres in these areas receiveall emergency calls and alarm the fire brigades and the ambulance services.

Emergency services in numbers

- There are over 4,600 persons working full time in rescue services.- There are more than 4,300 part-time workers and- over 10,000 fire fighters in the contract fire brigades.- The fire brigades have a total of 1,100 fire engines, nearly 500 tank trucks, 130 special

rescue trucks and over 60 vehicles for the prevention of oil damages, and some 200ambulances.

- The expenses amount to a total of some 1.5 billion Finnmarks.- Some 90,000 persons are reserved for wartime civil defence.- There are shelter places for over three million people.

Rescue training

The Emergency Services College in Kuopio gives basic and advanced training to rescueprofessionals. Those organizations involved in rescue work take part in training.

Finnrescueforce (FRF)

FINNRESCUEFORCE (FRF) (200 persons) is the Finnish rapid task force for internationalsearch and rescue operations as well as medical treatment combating of oil pollution andresponding to chemical accidents.

FRF is run by the authorities and is on continuous standby.

FRF is listed in the UN's OCHA/MCDA catalogue and is also in standby to take part in theUN's disaster assessment and coordination teams (UNDAC STAND-BY TEAM) sent todisaster areas.

67

Updating 03.1999

DISASTER RELIEF IN FINLAND

Ministry ofOther the Interior

Ministries Rescue Department Director General ofRescue Services

Mr Pentti Partanen

The Central Organizationof Rescue Services in Finland Emergency

The Finnish Association Services Collegeof Fire Chiefs

The Finnish Red Cross ProvincialState Offices

Dispatching centers(=alarming andemergency centers)

MunicipalityFire Brigades

Municipal, State andVoluntary Rescue

Organizations

and co-operation areas

Governmental Agencies and

Institutes

Emergency Control

68

updating 06.1995

VI.7 CIVIL PROTECTION IN FRANCE

General assignment

According to the 22nd of July 1987 law, the aim of the Directorate of Public Safety (DSC) isto ensure protection of persons, assets and environment, to prevent the risk of accidents,disaster or catastrophes of all natures. The Directorate manages the national emergencyservice and coordinates the action of the local rescue services responsible for aid operations.It contributes to the prevention of natural and technological accidents, drafts texts onprevention, aid plans and fire services, helps in the training of firemen and develops theinternational dimension of public safety through cooperation projects and aid operations forforeign States.

Organization of aid and rescue

The DSC is attached to the Ministry of the Interior. Its operational centre (CODISC), ensuresround-the-clock monitoring of large-scale rescue operations at national level, in France andabroad. It is responsible for informing the Minister of the Interior and the State authorities asregards accidents and catastrophes.

Inter-regional centres of operational coordination on public safety (CIRCOSC) areestablished in Marseilles, Lyon, Rennes, Bordeaux, Metz and Paris. Inside each DefenceArea, the CIRCOSC ensures the coordination of the aid and rescue operations under theauthority of the area prefect.

The training of agents

A national institute of public safety studies (INESC) is established at Nainville-Les-Roches,including the High Fire Officer National School.

National intervention resources

Personnel of the Directorate of Public Safety:2,871 agents including 1,688 soldiers in Civil Safety Instruction and Intervention Units, 71fire-officers and NCO, 494 administratives. 194 people work at helicopter bases, 151 atMarignane aviation base, 84 at CIRCOSC, 127 at INESC and 389 at Directorate of publicsafety central building in Levallois-Perret.

Aerial resources: 35 helicopters distributed among 20 bases for emergency medical aid andvarious rescue operations (26 Lark IIIs, 4 Dolphins, 6 Squirrels); 28 water bombers located inMarignane for fighting forest fires (11 Canadairs, 13 Trackers, 2 Fokkers 27 and 2 C 130Hercules rented for the forest fire season).

69

Demining: 138 Persons, 19 centres spread over the national territory, including overseas (525tonnes of ammunition coming from the last 2 world wars were recovered in 1994).

4 Civil Safety Instruction and Intervention Units (UIISC) including 1,688 soldiers make upDICA. These detachments can be sent by air throughout the world in case of naturaldisasters. Since they were created at the beginning of the 1980s, the DICA have rescuedpeople in more than 10 countries (Italy, Mexico, Armenia, Iran, Turkey, Japan, Greece ...).

4 operational logistics establishments (ESOL) where 126 persons work are responsible forthe support of the public safety directorate's resources.

Local resources

Public safety is a competency shared between the local authorities and the State. The mayorin each commune and the department prefect are responsible for ensuring the prevention ofrisks and the distribution of aid and rescue. The prefect adopts the departmental ORSEC plan(general organization of public and private aid) or any other aid and rescue plan (for examplethe red plan implementing the medical aid chain in the event of numerous victims). Theprefects have the interdepartmental service for economic and civil defence and civil protection(SIDPC) at their disposal.

On a day-to-day basis, the public safety activities are led by the 238,000 professional andvoluntary firemen (including the 8,400 men of the Paris Fire Brigade (BSPP) and of theMarseilles Fire Battalion (BMPM), raised for historical reasons, from Army and Navy.

Firemen belong to communal, inter-communal or departmental bodies. In each department(except Paris and the three departments around it, where the BSPP operates) thedepartmental fire and rescue services (SDIS), a public departmental establishment, arefinanced by the local authorities and chaired by the president of the general council, butinvolving the prefect's authority for the operational implementation of the means of aid.

70

Updating 06.1995

DISASTER RELIEF IN FRANCE

Minister of the Interior(Cabinet)

Directorate of Civil SafetyCODISC

(Operational centre of theDirectorate of Civil Safety

Prefect of the defence areaCIRCOSC

Department ORSEC Plan

ArmyPrefect

Related Departments Crisis Staff Means of Civil Safety

Means of the relatedDepartments

Means of aid:Firemen

Gendarmerie, Police Force, Health, Equipment, ...

LEGEND :

Planning

Command

Information



Other Ministries

71

updating 10.1999

VI.8 CIVIL PROTECTION IN GREECE

The new law-decree 2344/95 and the Act of Ministerial Council no. 288 of 23 December1996 govern planning of prevention, response and relief efforts in case of natural,technological and other disasters.

The competent bodies for the implementation of civil protection measures are thefollowing:

- The Inter–ministerial coordination body (S.D.O.)- The General Secretariat for Civil Protection- Many authorities, organizations and institutions which work together as an integral

part of planning and rescue operations. (Ministries, the Fire Brigade, Police, DefenceForces, Health, Aviation and Radiation Authorities are major partners).

- The General Secretariat of the Region- The Prefecture as well

A. Inter-Ministerial coordination body (S.D.O)

The Inter – ministerial coordination body (S.D.O.) was established to coordinategovernmental action in case of major disasters. The role and the objective of SDO is toreinforce, within a defined Government framework, the coordination activities of theGeneral Secretariat for Civil protection in implementing the national policy during anemergency situation.

B. The General Secretariat for Civil Protection

The General Secretariat for Civil protection was established within the Ministry ofInterior, Public Administration and Decentralization. The new institution deals with theprevention and the mitigation of natural, technological and other disasters within anintegral political framework. The General Secretariat for Civil protection is the mostcompetent body to deal with the prevention, the relief and the consequences managementof any disaster implementing measures in order to identify and mitigate any type ofhazard and to protect the population, the infrastructure, the environment and properties.

General Secretariat for Civil protection is going to establish an emergency scientific teamconsisting of seismologists, meteorologists, geologists, structural engineers as well asother scientists and experts responsible to give consultance in case of disasters and topresent new proposals on relative subjects.

The 24/24 hours Operational Center is located at the same premises as generalSecretariat for Civil protection.

72

C. Each concerned Ministry draw up its own respective general plans for thevarious types of disasters

The general guidelines are provided by the framework of the overall national plan namely“XENOKRATES” (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? S) issued by the General Secretariat for Civilprotection.

• Ministry of Public Works and Environment (PE.HO.DE.)(10 specific plans concerning: earthquakes flash floods, snowfalls, landslides, pollutionof the environment, technological accident, etc)

• Ministry of Development: (3 specific plans concerning: radioactivity, chemical and industrial accidents,

explosions, nuclear emergencies, transportation and storage of chemicals, etc)• Ministry of Health and Welfare: (3 specific plans concerning: drought, hot, humid, summer days, epidemic situations,

etc)• Ministry of Public Order:

(2 specific plans concerning: fire fighting and rescues both in urban areas and forestfires, etc)

• Ministry of Merchandise Marine:(2 specific plans concerning: search and rescue in the sea, marine pollution, etc)

• Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications:(2 specific plans concerning: telecommunication problems, major transport accidents,etc)

D. The General Secretariat of the region

The 13 Regions of Greece draw up their respective regional plans and are responsible forplanning and coordination of their prefectures or countries.

E. The prefecture

The 54 Prefectures of Greece draw up their respective prefectural plans. At theprefectural level the coordinating body (S.N.O), chaired by the prefect, is the responsibledecision-making body to handle emergency situations..

Updating 11.1998

1. Public Works and Environment (PE.XO.DE.) (10 plans)2. Development (3 plans)3. Public Order (2 plans)4. Transportantions and Communications (2 plans)5. Health and Welfare (3 plans)6. Merchandise Marine (2 plans)

13 REGIONS

(Specific regionalplans)

54 PREFECTURESprefectural coordinationbody (S.N.O.)(specific prefectural plans)

brigade

Relief Units

Armed ForcesFire Fighting

Brigade Service

etc)

Local armedforces

Local fire

local services(health andprevention,

technical, police

Municipalservices (watersupply, sewagetreatment, etc)

Specialized localunits

(engineers,doctors, etc)

FOR CIVIL PROTECTIONGeneral Plans

"XENOCRATES"

Specific National Plans for "XENOCRATES"

GENERAL SECRETARIATDecentralization

Ministry of Interior PublicAdministrtion and

DISASTER RELIEF IN GREECE

M I N I S T R I E S

Inter-ministerial

Generalfor Civil Protection

coordination bodyS.D.O.

chaired by the Secretary

73

74

updating 11.1998

VI.9 CIVIL PROTECTION IN IRELAND

Objectives

The objectives of civil protection or emergency planning in Ireland are: to implement, within adefined Government framework, measures to identify and mitigate natural and technologicalhazards; to plan for, to respond to, and to lead recovery from major emergencies whichthreaten persons, infrastructure, the environment and property.

Organization

Emergency management is undertaken as an integral function of the relief agencies i.e. thelocal authorities, police, and regional medical services (health boards). Each agency (police,local authority and health board) develops its plans and strategy for dealing with majoremergencies. These are developed in accordance with a central government planningframework which recommends, inter alia, the organization of the responsibilities of thevarious services and the tasks to be undertaken at local level.

The general outlines of the emergency plans are identical, particularly with regard to theallocation of functions and responsibilities between the various services, launching of theplans, operational control, communications, etc. However, there are special plans for certaintypes of disaster.

In the event of a disaster, management of the relief effort is coordinated by the administrativedirectors of the emergency services. If required by the magnitude of the disaster, they can alsocall on the support of civil defence reservists and other voluntary organizations, e.g. RedCross, the Order of Malta, St. John's Ambulance, etc.

An Inter-Departmental Advisory Committee on major emergencies chaired by theDepartment of Environment and Local Government and comprising representatives of theDepartments of Health and Children; Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Defencemonitors emergency planning and response arrangements and provides advice and guidelinesto the main response agencies on local arrangements to facilitate the co-ordination and testingof emergency plans.

Liaison officers in each Government Department ensure that requests for support are dealtwith rapidly and appropriately. Lists of contact officers and experts in the public services arekept up to date on a central level. Finally, there are certain arrangements for requesting thesupport of the army.

75

Training of emergency personnel

Training of Emergency Personnel is carried out locally by the local authorities and nationallyby the Fire Services Council in the form of seminars, workshops and emergency exercises.The Fire Services Council continually reviews and improves its training programme to ensurethat courses are updated and remain relevant to changing and developing needs. For examplethe Council currently provides courses which deal with transport accidents, hazardousmaterials and command and control functions, all of which are relevant to emergencypreparedness.

Resources of primary response agencies

The following is a summary of the organization and resources of the primary responseagencies for emergencies in Ireland:

Agency Organization Employees Responses bases

Police National Force 11,000 24 DivisionsHealth 8 health boards 62,000Local Authorities 37 30,000 220 Fire Stations(including Fire Brigades)

76

Updating 11.1998

DISASTER RELIEF IN IRELAND1

Ministries

2

LEGEND :

Provision of advice and support

Support from the voluntary sector

Services provided

Co-ordination of information and advice

IDC Inter-Departmental Advisory Committee

1) Ministries responsible for the 3 main emergency response services i.e. Fire Brigade, Police, Ambulance

2) Certain other Ministries have respnsibility for emergency planning in their own areas e.g. Public Enterprise - Nuclear Emergencies, OPW - Flooding etc.

Other Ministries e.g. DefencePublic Enterprise Marine & Natural Resources, OPW

IDC

34 LocalAuthoritiesincludingfire brigades Own Emergency Plans

Medical Services

8 HealthBoards Own Emergency Plans

Medical Services

8 HealthBoards Own Emergency Plans

Other Services Civil Defence Red Cross etc.

Fire/Rescue Service/Sanitary/Water/Roads/Accomadtion/food/rest facilites

Ambulance Service/Pre HospitalCare/Hospital Care/Community Care

Law and OrderSearch and RescueSite Security

Environment& Local Government

Health& Children

Justice,Equality & Law

Reform

77

updating 06.1995

VI.10 CIVIL PROTECTION IN ITALY1

General Task

Civil defence in Italy is organized as a coordinated resources system where national, regional,provincial and local authorities work together in conjunction with local and public institutions,the scientific community, private institutions and organizations, voluntary organizations, andprofessional associations.

Each of these authorities, community institutions and organizations has developed its ownpart of the National Civil Defence Service and makes its own contribution to the achievementof the aims of civil defence.

This involves a series of practical measures in the various sectors involved in civil defenceand, as a consequence, makes it necessary to place responsibility for managing andcoordinating with a central unit According to Act 225/02, this is the President of the Councilof Ministers (Prime Minister) and he can delegate this function to a Minister or Under-Secretary of State.

The current Prime Minister has decided to delegate an Under-Secretary of State.To carry out central coordination of these various activities, the political authorities use theDepartment of Civil Defence.

The guidelines for the implementation of the main activities are established through a specialorganization - the National Council for Civil Defence - made up of representatives of thevarious sections of the Civil Defence Service.

Civil defence activity

The Department of Civil Defence is managed by a Head of Department and backs up thePresident of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister), or his delegate in the responsibility ofmanagement, coordination and implementation of the various activities in the specific sectors.According to the law under which the National Civil Defence Service was created, thefollowing are regarded as civil defence activities.

Forecasting and prevention

This essentially involves the promotion and coordination of various structures, as well ascollecting and divulging data and information relevant to the forecasting and prevention ofvarious types of danger. This is in order to ensure that dangers pertaining to the nationalterritory are known about and to favour activity aimed at attenuating such dangers.

1 Presently under revision due to the establishment of a new Agency for Civil Protection which will replace

the Department

78

To this end, the Department of Civil Defence makes use of the scientific community, which isrepresented at the highest level on the National Commission for the prediction and preventionof major disasters.

The best tools for the tasks of forecasting and prevention are special programmes.

The Department of Civil Defence is in the process of finalizing national programmes for theforecasting and prevention of seismic, volcanic, nuclear, industrial, hydrogeological andsanitary dangers.

On a local level, programmes are entrusted to the regional and provincial authorities. Theymust carry out programmes relative to the specific type of danger present in the area forwhich they are responsible.

Emergency management

The responsibility for emergency management lies with:

- the Mayor in the event of matters that can be dealt with by the means at the disposalof the local authority;

- the Prefect in the event of matters affecting the province that require the coordinationof different competent organizations and authorities;

- the Department of Civil Defence in the event of natural disasters, catastrophes andother events that by their very intensity and size can only be dealt with by specialmeans and emergency powers.

In the event of exceptional cases of this type, the Council of Ministers can make use of aspecial ordinance, prior to a declaration of a state of emergency (of limited duration andscope), with the consequent assumption of shared responsibility at the highest level ofgovernment.

Emergency powers can also be used in order to prevent dangerous situations or seriousdamage to persons or property. Emergency management activity is based either onemergency plans drawn up on a national level by the Department for Civil Defence and on alocal level by the Prefecture, or else on national emergency programmes.

The special organization that is required to ensure the central management and coordinationof emergency assistance is the Operations Committee of Civil Defence on which theauthorities participating in emergency operations are represented at the highest level.

79

Overcoming the emergency

According to current law concerning civil defence, civil defence activities also include thoseaimed at overcoming an emergency. This consists solely of the implementation, incoordination with the relevant institutional organizations, of those measures which cannot bedelayed and which are necessary to removing obstacles to the resumption of normal life.

To this end, the Department of Civil Defence monitors the evolution of calamitous events andcarries out any actions necessary to guarantee socio-economic recovery in the affected areas,and the gradual and "painless" passage from the acute phase of the emergency to the totalresumption of responsibility by the authorities normally in charge.

Updating 06.1995 (1)

DISASTER RELIEF IN ITALY

PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERSCIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT

CENTRAL BODIES NATIONAL CIVILPROTECTION COUNCIL

MAJOR OPERATIONAL HAZARDS COMMITTEE Commission

PREVENTION AND RELIEF BEYOND THEPREPARATION COORDINATION EMERGENCY PHASE

National Emergency Initiatives to suppressprogramme plans the obstacles to the

reestablishment of thenormal situation

PERIPHERAL BODIESMAYOR . Municipal administration Carries out relief activities within

. Municipal police the municipality, if necessary requests,

. Technicians from the prefect, the intervention

. Local resources of other forces.PREFECT Draws and implements emergency plans

at the provincial level. Coordinates relief activities

PROVINCE Provincial Data collection andCivil Protection processing -Committee Provincial

programmes forprevention andpreparedness

REGION Regional Regional programmesCivil Protection for prevention andCommittee preparedness

. Structures andmeans

OPERATIONALSTRUCTURE

National Operational Structureof the

National civil protection service

Art. 11 paragraph 2, law 225/92The national operational structure will carry out, up on the civil protectionDepartment request, the activities prescribed by this law,,,

(1) presently under revision due to the establishment of a new Agency for Civil Protection which will replace the Department

80

81

updating 10.1999

VI.11 CIVIL PROTECTION IN LUXEMBOURG

General assignment

Civil protection includes all the measures and the means intended to protect and supply aid tothe population, to safeguard the national inheritance and assets from calamitous catastropheand disasters whether or not ascribable to an international armed conflict. The CivilProtection Authority ensures the management of the national intervention funds, sets upgeneral and particular emergency plans and organizes first aid training for the public asregards first aid. It is qualified to recruit and train the instructors (volunteers) of the assistanceunits and supervises the instruction of volunteers in the various fields of protection; itmanages the National School (ENPC - Ecole Nationale de la Protection Civile) and theNational Civil Protection Support Base (BNSPC: Base Nationale de Support de la ProtectionCivile - heavy intervention equipment). It develops links with the first-aid organizations ofneighbouring countries and helps to implement plans and directives arising from the mutualassistance agreements concluded with the 3 neighbouring countries.

Organization of aid

The Civil Protection Authority (SNPC - Service National de la Protection Civile) reports tothe Ministry of the Interior. The emergency assistance centre (CSU - Central des Secoursd'Urgence) “112” the only emergency telephone number for the whole country coordinatesassistance operations 24 hours a day. In the event of a catastrophe, the civil protectionauthority directs operations and informs the Minister of the Interior.

The training of participants

The national school of civil protection (ENPC) is located at Schimpach. Voluntaryinstructors who, after a one-year training course, are appointed by the Minister for theInterior carry out the all-round and continuous instruction of volunteers either at the ENPC,or in the assistance centres.

Regional and national intervention resources

The Civil Protection Authority is made up of a total of 14 officials and employees, theemergency assistance centre (CSU) “112” is served in turn by 16 operators; the brigade offirst-aid workers, ambulance personnel and rescuers which is composed of 2300 volunteersgrouped in 25 regional centres (dense ambulance and rescue service network, since all areasof the country are 10km or less from assistance).

82

The national civil protection service also includes:

* Team of frogmen: 18 volunteers* N.B.C. aid team: 34 members* Warning and detection team: 28 members* Rescue dog-team: 10 members* Road and waterway transport: 143 vehicles, 43 trailers and 12 rescue boats* Aircraft: 2 helicopters integrated into the emergency

medical aid service (SAMU), based near thehospital on call and in the north of the country.

Local resources

Firemen belonging to communal bodies are made up of volunteers (except for theprofessional fire-service of the capital). They report to the Ministry of the Interior (FireService = independent of Civil Protection). Local authorities are required by law to create ormaintain a fire and rescue service including at least a body of voluntary or professionalfireman having buildings and appropriate equipment. The law governs the relationshipbetween the communal fire and rescue services and the civil protection services.

83

Updating 10.1998

DISASTER RELIEF IN LUXEMBOURG

LEGEND :

Information

Command


Planning

Prime minister

Minister forPublic Service

Minister ofPublic Works

Aid Plan

Gendarmerie, Police, Army

Firemen Local MajorsCivil Protection

Intervention Units

Public Works Units

Hospitals

Minister of Health

Minister of the Interior

National CivilProtection Service

Emergency staff

84

updating 10.1999

VI.12 CIVIL PROTECTION IN THE NETHERLANDS

Tasks

The various aspects of the task of protecting public safety are shared between the national,provincial and local authorities. Responsibility for coordination of the efforts to protect publicsafety lies with the Fire Services, Disaster and Crisis Management Directorate in theDirectorate-General for Public Order and Safety in the Ministry of the Interior and KingdomRelations.

Organization of relief

In practice, the law places responsibility for fire services and disaster relief on the localauthorities. These two areas are closely linked by virtue of the fact that the fire service formsthe core of the disaster relief service in the Netherlands.

However, since incidents rapidly spread beyond municipal borders, the law also places anobligation on local authorities to organize their facilities on a regional basis. The law delegatesvarious tasks to these regions, including provision of assistance and preparation for andcoordination during regional disaster relief operations. To this end, they receive financialsupport, the extra equipment needed and any additional infrastructure required from thenational authorities (see "National relief resources").

In the event of a disaster or incident, if insufficient relief capacity is available at local level,assistance can be requested from other local authorities, regions, provinces or countries (inthat order). As soon as assistance is requested from other provinces or countries, the NationalCoordination Centre for Public Order and Safety in the Ministry of the Interior and KingdomRelations assumes a coordinating role. Conversely, requests for assistance from othercountries are likewise handled via the National Coordination Centre.

The National Coordination Centre is manned 24 hours a day and, in addition to operationalcoordinating tasks, is responsible for keeping the Minister and leading partners up to date withrelevant developments in the event of disasters and incidents.

Education and training

The Netherlands Institute for Fire Service and Disaster Management (NIBRA) based inArnhem provides training for fire officers and specialized advanced training courses in disastermanagement for all disciplines involved in disaster relief.All other training (by far the majority) is provided by the regional training centres.

85

National relief resources

- Staff of the Fire Services, Disaster and Crisis Management Directorate:155 persons, of whom 28 work part time.

- Staff of the NIBRA:24 staff, of whom one works part time.

The majority of the government equipment is placed at the disposal of the regional fireservices so that they can perform their disaster relief tasks. Inter alia, each of the regional fireservices (there are 39 at the moment) is capable of forming one or more complete"brandweercompagnieën" (fire service companies). Their task is to extinguish fires and saveand release victims during a disaster. There are a total of 61 fire service companies which,together, form the backbone of the total national capacity. The staff for these companies aresupplied by the regions themselves, often by the local authorities cooperating. The followingnational resources are shared between the 61 fire service companies:- 122 swap body vehicles- 183 submersible hydraulic pumps- 183 demountables for carrying a total of 345 km of six inch hose- 183 demountables for technical disaster relief- approximately 500 oscillating monitors- infrastructure: 39 regional operational centres

national emergency network, with approximately 1 500 linescommunications networks, e.g. mobile communications.

Local relief resources

As mentioned earlier under "Organization of relief", the fire service forms the core of thedisaster relief system. The relief system is built around services which already provideassistance day after day - the fire service, the police force, the ambulance service and traumateams. Beyond this, in the event of, for instance, large-scale incidents rapid expansion of therelief capacity is possible, for example by calling on the national Red Cross.

Fire service:There are a total of over 26 000 firemen in the Netherlands, of whom around 3 500are professional and 22 500 volunteers. By far the majority work for a localauthority. Only 400 or so work for a regional fire brigade, of whom just five arevolunteers and the rest professional.

Police force:In the event of a disaster the police force continues to perform its normal duties withthe objective of enabling the fire service, ambulances, etc. to perform their disasterrelief tasks.

86

Medical services:Many recent and still ongoing enhancements in the organization of medical assistanceoriginate from the Project for Medical Assistance in Accidents and Disasters(GHOR). This project was the result of a survey of bottlenecks in administrative,organizational, operational and financial fields.

The Medical CombinationOne of the outcomes of this project is an operational partnership of medicalemergency organizations: the Medical Combination. In total there are 43 of theseCombinations in the NetherlandsMedical Combinations are made up of:• A mobile medical team (a specialized doctor and a specialized nurse);• Two ambulance team-members (driver and nurse) who do not participate in the

transportation of victims to hospital, but who provide first aid on site;• A Rapid Deployment Group for Medical Assistance (SIGMA), comprising eight

volunteers (usually from the Dutch Red Cross), whose task it is to support themobile medical team and the ambulance team; and

• An executive from the medical region, who coordinates all medical activities atthe site and is assisted by a coordinator for the transportation of the injured,coming from the Central Station for Ambulance Transportation.

Ambulance ServicesOver 600 ambulances with specially trained staff are available in the Netherlands.

Trauma centres:Ten hospitals in the Netherlands function as a trauma centre and can be called upon24 hours a day to dispatch a mobile medical team (see under Medical Combination).

87

Updating 10.1999

DISASTER RELIEF IN THE NETHERLANDS

Minister of the Interior & Kingdom Relations Other MinistersNational Coordination Centre Departmental

CoordinationCentres

Provincial Queen's CommissionerCoordination Provincial Coordination CentrePlan

Disaster plan

Mayor(s)/ Disaster ReliefLocal or regional PlanCoordination CenterOperational leader/operational team

Fire Service Police Force Medical assistance Public and privateservices bodies from which

support can berequested, for example the army

LEGEND :

Planning

Chain of Command

Flow of information



Coordination

88

updating 06.1995

VI.13 CIVIL PROTECTION IN PORTUGAL

General assignment

To prevent natural or man-made hazards related to major accidents, disaster or calamity, tomitigate losses and damages upon population, material resources and environment, and torelieve population every time emergency situations strike.

Relief organization

The civil protection system integrates the National Service for Civil Protection (SNPC), theRegional Services for Civil Protection (SRPC), and the Municipal Services for CivilProtection (SMPC). Delegations of the SNPC are based on each of the 18 districts that arepart of the Portuguese administrative organization.

The Prime Minister is responsible for directing the civil protection policy and emergencyresponse in case of disaster at national level. He may delegate his responsibilities to theMinister of Interior. At regional level, responsibility lies with the Presidents of Government ofAzores and Madeira Autonomous Regions and to the Governors of District on the mainland.At local level, responsibility lies with the Mayors. The National Emergency Operations Centre(CNOEPC) is activated by the SNPC soon after a major disaster cannot be solved either bythe means assigned to the Municipality or the District where it takes place, for coordinationand control of the relief operations and logistics support at national level. A National DisasterEmergency Response Office works out 24 hours a day in the SNPC to control and managethe current situation. At regional and local levels, Emergency Operations Centres in Districts(CDOEPC) and Municipalities (CMOEPC) are activated every time a major accident ordisaster takes place in their respective administrative areas.

Training of civil protection agents

The SNPC is a body for development of plans and policies, and coordination and control ofemergency response. Thus, there are no organic disaster response units nor schools for civilprotection in its organization. The training of civil protection agents lies down under theircommands/directions that have schools and training centres for such purpose.

However, the SNPC is responsible for a systemic public awareness, information andeducation campaign, through the dissemination of security and self-protective measures to beadopted by the population in case of a situation of risk.

89

Civil protection agents

The main civil protection agents are the Fire National Service (SNB), the security forces(Police and National Guards), the Armed Forces, the Maritime and Aeronautics Authorities,and the National Institute for Medical Emergency (INEM).

The leagues of volunteer firemen, health services, social security institutions, NGOs and othervolunteer organizations, public services responsible for forest and natural reserves, industryand energy, transport, communications, water resources and environment, security and reliefservices belonging to private and public companies, seaports and airports, have the duty tocooperate with civil protection agents already mentioned.

Several scientific and technological institutions and organizations are particularly assigned forcooperation with SNPC and are important contributors into the civil protection system,namely those related to meteorology and geophysics, engineering, industrial technology,geology, forestry, nuclear protection and natural resources.

Updating 03.1999

DISASTER RELIEF IN PORTUGAL

LEGEND :

PLANNING

OPERATIONAL CO-ORDINATION

INFORMATION

REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE

GRANTING OF ASSISTANCE

EMERGENCYPLANS

MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

(CMOEPC)

GOVERNOR

MAYOR

DISTRICT EMERGENCYOPERATIONS CENTER

(CDOEPC)

PRIME MINISTER

MINISTER OFDEFENCE

MINISTER OF INTERIOR

NATIONAL EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

(CNOEPC)

NATIONAL SERVICE FOR CIVIL PROTECTION (SNPC)

OTHER MINISTERS

OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES

NGO's

SECURITY FORCES FIRE SERVICES MEDICAL SERVICES

ARMED FORCES

90

91

updating 10.1999

VI.14 CIVIL PROTECTION IN SWEDEN

The Role of the Municipalities

In every municipality there shall be one or more committees in charge of the rescue servicework. The way that this municipal committee shall operate is regulated in the Municipal Act.The rescue brigade shall carry out the rescue operations, which the municipality is responsiblefor according to the law. Every municipality shall have a rescue service plan, passed by theelected assembly. The plan shall contain information on the rescue brigade's generalorganization and on several issues of la technical nature. As of July 1, 1995 it shall alsocontain information on the complementary measures that are necessary for the rescue servicein times of increased preparedness. The Government may decide to change a municipality'srescue service plan on the initiative of the Swedish Rescue Services Agency if the plan isconsidered to be inappropriate.

If a County Administrative Board or the Swedish Government takes over responsibility formunicipal rescue service, the actual rescue operations shall be carried out under the commandof an appointed rescue commander having the required competence for being head or deputyhead of the municipal rescue brigade.

If required by the commander, all national and municipal authorities have an obligation toparticipate as needed with personnel and equipment provided that the authority hasappropriate resources and that the participation does not seriously hinder the authority'snormal responsibility. Any private resources in Sweden can be made us of. Anyone who isover the age of 18 and not older than 65 can be ordered to participate in rescue work by thecommander, in so far as knowledge, health and fitness allow it.

The role of the Regional and National Authorities

The County Administrative Board, at the regional level, and the Swedish Rescue ServicesAgency, at the national level, shall on behalf of the Swedish Government supervise themunicipalities activities for the rescue service in peacetime as well as in wartime. The SwedishRescue Services Agency serves within the Government under the Ministry of Defence.

The Agency plays an overall coordinating role in the field of rescue services and carries outfollow-ups and evaluations of accidents that have occurred in Sweden and abroad. Itconducts research and development for the purpose of developing methods and equipment tobe used at the municipal level. It is also responsible for the training of all personnel in the areaof fire and rescue service and chimney-sweeping. The Agency, furthermore, has beenassigned the task of issuing safety regulations concerning the transport of dangerous goods byroad and rail.

In case of accidents involving chemicals and oil, equipment stored in the Agency's five oilprotection depots can be utilized. Through the Agency, the State has also concluded anagreement with six municipalities that they will assist the National Maritime Administration

92

and the Coast Guard in rescue operations at sea, ROS. The necessary basic training isprovided by The Swedish Rescue Services Agency. The Agency moreover maintainspreparedness for assisting various UN bodies in relief missions, when so decided by theSwedish Government. The personnel for these operations are mainly recruited from themunicipal fire and rescue service.

Emergency Services in Figures

The number of municipalities in Sweden is 288. In total the municipalities employ some 6 000full-time and some 12 000 part-time firemen. Several municipalities cooperate in the area offire and rescue service in so called "municipal unions" with the aim of using the combinedresources as efficiently as possible. The "typical" municipal union consists of twomunicipalities, but there are larger unions where 4-5 municipalities cooperate. Thecooperation municipalities share the cost, on the basis of different parameters, for instancepopulation figures.

The Swedish Rescue Services Agency has some 800 persons in its staff, of which some 300work in the central administration in Karlstad and the rest at the Agency's four RescueServices Colleges.

Updating 10.1999

DISASTER RELIEF IN SWEDEN

OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Government

The Government may always, undercertain conditions, instruct a certain

County Administrative Board or anothergovernment authority to take

responsibility for the rescue services

Municipal Rescue Service

Rescue Commander in charge of operations.

The Commander has the authority to request personnel and resources from all national and municipal authorities, including the Armed Forces, as well as private resources.

The County Administrative Board shall take over responsibility when large scale operations are required.

Environmental Protection at Sea

Coast Guard

Search and Rescue

National Maritime Board (accidents at sea)

Civil Aviation Administration (mission/crashed planes)

The Police (missing people)

Protection of the Public in case of Radioactive Releases

County Administrative Board

93

94

VI.15 CIVIL PROTECTION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Introduction

The United Kingdom rarely experiences natural catastrophes of a scale to necessitateintervention by the central authorities. There is, therefore, no one national organizationcharged with formulating rescue plans. Local authorities have for a long time assumedresponsibility for emergency plans for dealing with catastrophes. The legal aspect is restrictedand only covers the use of civil defence resources in the event of catastrophes in peacetimeand industrial accidents.

Responding organizations

In the event of a catastrophe, as far as the immediate reactions are concerned, reliance isplaced on the emergency plans made by the emergency services (police, fire and ambulance),local government, public and health services, those responsible for industrial installations andothers including the voluntary sector. The preparation of these plans - which are based on theguidance and instructions given by government or other services - are often coordinated by oflocal authorities, although it is the police who coordinate the response.

If a catastrophe reaches a scale which the resources available on the spot cannot manage,supplementary resources might be called from neighbouring authorities and organizations aswell as from central government.

It should be noted that only an exceptionally massive catastrophe would justify coordinationat (central) government level.

Additional resources might also be requested, if necessary, from neighbouring countries, frommember States of the EC or from NATO.

Training

Training in a wide range of civil protection issues is provided for the emergency services,local authorities, industry and voluntary organizations by the Emergency Planning College.

The central government role

The evolution of a massive or prolonged catastrophe is tracked by a nominal governmentdepartment so that additional resources can, if needed, be rapidly supplied and ministers caninform Parliament of the progress made in combating the effects of the catastrophe. In such acase, the central government department must ensure that the central government response iscoordinated with the steps taken to combat the disaster and, in particular, inform the public ofcentral government action and advice.

95

There are also arrangements for interdepartmental discussions at official or ministerial level totackle problems, which cannot be resoled under one department's authority. There are welldefined arrangements under which the authorities may seek assistance from the militaryauthorities.

The local response

The local response will provide details of the priority tasks of each relief service as well as thecreation of a local emergency centre. The local authority will provide a general plan, whichwill be backed up by plans specific to each relief organization.

Updating 03.1995

DISASTER RELIEF IN THE UNITED KINGDOMCabinet OfficeLead government Fire Ambulancedepartment

PoliceGovernment departments and Media Media Other agencies * Local their constituent briefing Authoritiesauthorities

RegionalEmergencyCommittees

Fire Ambulanceand incident96 medical officers

Police

Other agencies *

Media

Other agencies* other agencies include military,industrial, coroner, voluntary Policeservices as required.

Fire Ambulance

Str

ateg

ic le

vel

Tac

tical

leve

lO

pera

tiona

l le

vel

Local authorities

Localauthorities

PART VII

LEGAL FOUNDATIONSRELATING TO THEORGANIZATION OF

INTERVENTIONIN AN EMERGENCY

98

updating 12.1995

VII.1 AUSTRIA

Austria is a Federal State consisting of nine provinces. The federal provinces are subdividedinto 2304 local government units.

The provinces are vested with important responsibilities with regard to legislative andexecutive powers, also in the area of civil protection.

Under the constitutional division of responsibilities, laws on disaster prevention and controlmay be passed by the Federal Government and/or the provinces. Numerous laws regulatingspecific fields already exist at the federal and provincial levels (e.g. laws to regulate radiationprotection, water rights, operation of the fire prevention board and rescue service).

Under the act regulating the responsibilities of the federal ministries, the Federal Ministry ofthe Interior is in charge of matters concerning the safety and security of the population to theextent that they are not regulated by any other federal ministry.

The provinces have enacted comprehensive disaster relief acts, which regulate the scope ofaction assigned to the individual relief organizations, identify the action managementhierarchy and define performance requirement profiles.

Disaster relief and alerting plans have been drawn up for the federal, provincial, district andlocal authorities.

Training of relief workers is provided by Provincial Civil Protection Schools, schools run byrelief organizations themselves, and by the Civil Protection School of the Federal Ministry ofthe Interior.

99

updating 1998

VII.2 BELGIUM

The essential legal foundations concerning planification and intervention in anemergency are set forth in the following documents:

- the royal decree dated 11 March 1954 concerning the "Civil Protection Corps";

- the law of 31 December 1963 concerning Civil Protection, the first chapter of whichdefines duties of civil protection and which assigns various organizational and executivepowers to the King and to the Minister of the Interior. The second chapter of this Lawdescribes the basis organization of the fire services;

- the royal decree dated 8 November 1967 setting out in peace time the organization andduties of the fire services;

- the royal decree dated 23 June 1971 which defines the duties of civil protection and thecoordination of the relief work following calamitous events, disasters and catastrophes;

- the law concerning emergency medical aid dated 8 July 1964 and its implementing orderswhich essentially form the basis for the so-called "services 100";

- the law of 29 March 1958 relative to the protection of people against ionizing radiationand its implementing orders :

- the Royal decree dated 28 February 1963 setting forth the "General rules for civilprotection of the people and workers against ionizing radiation", which form the basis forall regulations on the subject

- the Royal decree of 27 September 1991 settling emergency plan for nuclear risks for theBelgian territory.

- the law of 21 January 1987 concerning the risk of major hazards in conjunction withcertain industrial activities (known as the "Seveso" law), its amendments and itsimplementing orders.

- the royal decree dated 10 June 1990 and the ministerial instructions of 11 July 1990giving directors for drawing up emergency and intervention plans.

100

updating 11.1998

VII.3 DENMARK

Emergency intervention by the rescue preparedness - including the National Rescue Corps(formerly The Civil Defence Corps) - is regulated by The Danish Preparedness Act of 23December 1992 (law no. 1054) and decree no. 219 of 21 May 1982.

The Danish Preparedness Act has replaced the Civil Defence Act, the Fire Services Act andthe Civil Preparedness Act and formed the legal basis for the development of a single-strand,integrated preparedness system - which is defined as follows:

"Single-strand": a system where there is only one preparedness authority at the municipallevel, one at the national regional level, and one at the national central level.

"Integrated": a system where the performance of all preparedness duties is based on theexisting peacetime factors. The carrying-out of wartime duties is consequently seen as anintervention against the most serious of all disasters.

The fundamental principle is that the first response to a disaster shall be through the municipalrescue preparedness (an amalgamation of the municipal civil defence and the municipal firepreparedness).

Operations against rarely occurring or very complex accidents are usually carried out with theassistance of teams from the Regional Centres of the National Rescue Corps.

Besides the municipalities, other preparedness - and rescue - responsible public authoritiesmay call in assistance from the National Rescue Corps. It is also possible to receive assistancefrom the National Rescue Corps by contract and local agreements with the EmergencyManagement Agency and the Regional Centres respectively.

The local policechief authority co-ordinates large-scale rescue operations.

The Danish system of conscription allows the national rescue preparedness to establish andtrain a preparedness reserve in peacetime. By calling up this reserve the operational units ofthe national rescue preparedness can be substantially increased in event of a crisis or war. Inaddition to this, 40 of the 275 municipalities are bound to provide a more instant andextensive turnout against the consequences of acts of war.

The Minister of the Interior is entitled to bring the rescue preparedness in action abroad in theevent of peacetime disasters, which cause serious damage on or constitute an imminentdanger to people, property or environment.

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updating 1999

VII.4 GERMANY

Disaster management is largely governed by the 1949 Basic Law which essentially assignsresponsibility for civil protection to the Länder authorities in peacetime, and by the variouslaws on civil protection and prevention enacted by the sixteen Länder (Federal States).

In preparedness for wartime there is a Federal law of 9 July 1968 in its last amendment of 25March 1997 that rules the competences of the Federal government and the duty to supportthe sixteen Länder with special equipment and education.

Under the terms of the above law of the Länder, the head of the district (Kreis) administrationis responsible for management in the event of a crisis. He is assisted by an emergency staffmade up of officials from the regional administration, the Federal Technical Support Service,the municipal, regional and volunteer fire brigades, as well as special relief organizationsoperating on a national scale, such as the Red Cross, the Maltese Order and St. John'sAmbulance Services, the Good Samaritans and the German rescue service, all of whom haveundertaken to provide assistance whenever required, and meet the official qualifyingrequirements, as well as any other organizations or persons whose aid might prove useful.The head of the district administration acts on behalf of the Land government.

If the scale of the disaster so warrants, responsibility is transferred, in principle, not to theLand government itself but to the administration at the level in the intermediate betweendistrict and Land.

An inter-ministerial coordination group can be set up by the Federal Minister of the Interiorfor those cases in which the effects of a disaster are not confined within the borders of aparticular Land; in such cases, the Federal Minister of the Interior coordinates the decisionswithout overstepping the other Federal Ministers' prerogatives.

The person responsible for disaster management may requisition individuals and theirequipment. As a last resort, he can also request the assistance of the Border Guards from theFederal Minister of the Interior or of the Armed Forces from the Federal Minister of Defence.In this case, the support units are placed under his command. Only the Border Guard canexercise the functions of an auxiliary police force.

The district administrative authorities are also required to draw up emergency plans fordisaster control in their region, which are constantly updated in accordance with the latestfindings.

102

The law of 9 July 1968 is complemented by the following ordinances, all of which are dated27 February 1972:

– ordinance concerning the organization of civil protection,– ordinance concerning complementary equipment for the civil protection units,– ordinance concerning complementary training for the civil protection units,– ordinance concerning the costs of extending civil protection.

Moreover, Article 1 (2) of the law on civil defence dated 9 August 1976 states that the civildefence units, equipment and installations may also be used in peacetime provided there is noconflict with their intended function.

103

updating 1994

VII.5 SPAIN

The legislation concerning civil protection is fairly elaborated. The most important laws on anational level are listed below:

– Royal decree No. 1547 dated 24 July 1980 concerning the reorganization of civilprotection,

– Royal decree No. 3117 dated 22 December 1980 concerning the status of civilgovernors,

– Royal decree No. 692 dated 27 March 1981 concerning coordination of the assistancedestined to repair the damage or to relieve the areas affected by an emergency ornatural disaster,

– Royal decree No. 1801 dated 24 July 1981 concerning reform of the peripheraladministration of the State,

– Ordinances dated 2 November 1981, 30 November 1984 and 23 October 1985, as wellas Royal decree No. 881 dated 5 March 1982, concerning the planning and rescueservices in the event of a road or rail accident involving dangerous substances,

– Ordinance dated 17 June 1982 for the basic plan to fight forest fires,

– Law No. 2 dated 21 January 1985 defining the functions and general organization ofcivil protection,

– Royal decree No. 1378 dated 1 August 1985 concerning the resources to be providedfor controlling cases of serious risk, disaster or public calamity,

– Royal decree No. 888 dated 21 March 1986 setting out the composition, organizationand functioning of the National Commission for Civil Protection,

– Royal decree No. 886 dated 15 July 1988 concerning the prevention of major accidentsin certain industrial activities,

– Royal decree No. 952 dated 29 June 1990 amending and complementing thearrangements concerning the prevention of major accidents in certain industrialactivities,

– Royal decree dated 26 October 1990 establishing the Special Committee of theInternational Decade for Reducing Natural Disasters,

– Resolution of the Council of Ministers dated 30 January 1991 approving the BasicStandards for setting up Special Plans for the chemical sector in a harmonized way,

– Royal decree No. 407 dated 24 April 1992 approving the Basic Standards of CivilProtection.

The Basic Standards of Civil Protection set the framework for the integration of CivilProtection Plans in an operative environment, ready for rapid application; they define theplanning range and establish the general criteria to be met by planning in order to ensure thenecessary coordination of the various authorities at the national, regional and local levels; in

104

cases of national emergency, the national government may assume the general direction ofrelief operations.

National emergencies are:– situations in which it is necessary to declare a state of alarm, of emergency or of siege,

in agreement with the Basic Law of 1981, to ensure the security of persons and ofgoods,

– situations in which the coordination of several administrations must be taken intoaccount, the disaster extending beyond one single autonomous community, and which require the mobilization of resources at a level beyond the community level,

– finally, situations which, by their actual or forecast size, require national direction of theaffected public administrations.

The Basic Standards provide for two types of emergency plan, namely territorial plans andspecific plans. The former are for general emergency situations in a certain territory and areset up by the autonomous communities or lower-level authorities; they define the organizationof relief services and resources provided by the authority setting up the plan and by otherpublic authorities according to their function and the needs of the plan.

Specific plans are set up to meet specific risks requiring specific treatment. They will cover atleast the following hazards: nuclear, war, flooding, seismic, chemical production andtransport, forest fire, volcanic.

Specific plans related to nuclear and war hazards will always have to be elaborated inagreement with the Basic Plans, national interest being regularly affected. In these BasicPlans, the State is responsible and competent for all planning phases. The other specific planswill have to take into account the Basic Directions for each hazard.

National government, being responsible for the coordination and direction of civil protection,approves the Basic Plans and specific plans of national interest as well as the Basic Directions,after these have been examined by the National Commission for Civil Protection. Theautonomous communities, on the other hand, approve those territorial and specific plansrelated to their own territories. The direction and coordination of such plans are theresponsibility of the autonomous communities if they are not declared to be of nationalinterest. The local entities set up and approve those territorial plans that refer to theirrespective territories.

National interest can be declared by the Minister of the Interior on his own initiative, onrequest by the President of an autonomous community or by a Representative of theGovernment of an autonomous community.

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updating 03.1999VII.6 FINLAND

Civil protection in Finland is an integrated system consisting of peacetime fire and rescueservices and civil defence measures under exceptional conditions.

Fire services include fire prevention, fire fighting and other necessary measures in case of fire.Rescue services include measures necessary to rescue people and to prevent, mitigate orreduce damage or danger in other types of natural or technological emergencies, such asexplosions, oil damages or pollution, cave-ins or construction collapses, traffic accidents, gasescapes or liquid leaks, floods, heavy rains or storms. Civil defence means protection ofpeople and property from dangers of war or other crisis situations.

As in Finland there is a very strong municipal self-government, municipalities are responsiblefor providing fire and rescue services in their own areas. Neighbouring municipalities maytake joint measures to handle these responsibilities. Fire fighting and rescue operations areunder the command of the fire chief of the municipality where the fire broke out or theaccident happened. If the emergency impends to expand to a major-accident or haveextensive impacts, Ministry of the Interior, or another authority by its appointment, may takethe lead.

Municipal fire and rescue services are administered and controlled by Provincial State Offices,while Ministry of the Interior is responsible for supreme command and supervision.

The main acts governing response measures are

- Fire and Rescue Services Act of 4 July 1975 (No 559), as last amended in 1989- Fire and Rescue Services Decree of 31 December 1975 (No 1089), as last amended

in 1991- Civil Defence Act of 31 October 1958 (No 438) and- Civil Defence Decree of 22 May 1959 (No 237).

The Finnish Parliament has adopted a new law, where Fire and Rescue Services Act and CivilDefence Act are integrated with each other as a new Rescue Act.

For the implementation of these laws, Ministry of the Interior has the powers to give detailedregulations or general guidelines.

Other important acts in relation to response measures are for example- Public Health Act of 1965 (No 469)- Labour Protection Act of 1958 (No 299)- Constructions Act of 1989 (No 557)- Chemicals Act of 1989 (No 744)- Act on Explosive Substances of 1953 (No 263) and- Act on Combating Oil Pollution on Land of 1974 (No 378).

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updating 1994VII.7 FRANCE

The French system of disaster control and overall legal responsibility for civil protection -mayor in the municipality, State representative in the department, State representative in thecentral department of the defence zone, Minister of the Interior and Prime Minister - is setforth in the Municipal Code and Law No. 87-565 dated 22 July 1987 concerning theorganization of civil protection, protection of the forests against fire and prevention of majorrisks. The operational tool is essentially made up of the fire and rescue services comprisingcivilian and military fire brigades answerable to their respective authorities with regard to thepractical and technical side of operations.

The Municipal Code and the Law of 1987 assign responsibility for accident control to themayors for all events at a municipal level and to the State representatives (prefects) fordisasters occurring at an intermunicipal or departmental level. If the resources available arenot sufficient to control a serious disaster, the persons responsible can request additional aidfrom higher authorities. In particular, the State representative can request aid from militaryunits known as "Intervention and guidance units for civil protection" which are answerable tothe Minister of the Interior, as well as from airborne civil protection forces, mine clearingunits of the ministry of the interior, etc., and other resources answerable to other ministries(Red Cross, amateur radio operators, etc.). Budgets for management of emergency situationsare drawn up at the municipal, departmental and national levels. The resources of the centraldepartment or national resources move into action if the municipal or departmental resourcesare exhausted.

Preparation of the safety measures and implementation of the resources necessary to combatmajor risks and disasters are determined within the framework of relief organization plansknown as the ORSEC plans and emergency planning.

The ORSEC plans list the public and private resources available for use in the event of adisaster and define the conditions for their use by the authority responsible for managing therelief effort.

Depending on the nature and significance of the resources to be used, these plans encompassthe following:

– the national ORSEC plan drawn up by the minister responsible for civil protection andset in motion by the Prime Minister,

– the zonal ORSEC plans which are drawn up and set in motion for each defence zone bythe State representative in the central department of the defence zone,

– the departmental ORSEC plans which are drawn up and set in motion by the prefectsas representatives of the State in the departments.

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The emergency plans drawn up and set in motion by the departmental prefects set out themeasures to be taken and the means of relief to be employed in order to combat risks of aparticular nature or linked to the existence and operation of specific works. These plansinclude the following:

– specific intervention plans defining the measures to be taken around installations orworks posing a special risk, - plans which are intended to bring relief to large numbersof victims,

– special relief plans for defined risks (railway accident, air crash, etc.).

Whenever an ORSEC or emergency plan is set in motion, the relief operations arecommanded by the prefect as the State representative in the department.

The resources available in the department are inventoried for each individual district. The dataon manpower and personnel include names, addresses, telephone numbers, times ofavailability, function in the event of a crisis, etc. Data concerning equipment include preciseindication of the equipment's location, condition and mode of operation.

The relief effort is essentially based on the fire and local relief services with approximately230,000 firemen (20,000 professionals, 10,000 military and 200,000 non-professionals). Inorder to deal with crisis situations, the resources available from local communities may alsobe called out as "mobile reinforcement columns". The fire brigade is increasingly active in themedical or sanitary field, currently employing 5,000 doctors, pharmacists and veterinarysurgeons. In addition to the fire brigade, the civil protection forces also include guidance andintervention units, mine clearing units, and airborne forces.

Police tasks are never assigned to the military forces who are responsible for technical andsupport tasks. Individuals may be requisitioned by the mayor or representative of the State.Refusals to provide assistance are prosecuted in accordance with the penal code.

In order to manage emergency situations, the State representative is aided by an assistantcharged with handling information, coordinating activities, and with the distribution ofpersonnel and equipment. He can draw, among others, on special services forcommunications, police, rescue and relief, medical aid, transport, public works and publicrelations. These services can draw on civil and military forces in the department in order toperform their duties. The State representative in the department concerned also has directaccess to all the forces in other departments and to those under government control.

When an ORSEC or emergency plan is set in motion by the State representative to place thedepartment or groups on alert, he simultaneously informs the State representative in thecentral department of the defence zone, as well as the cabinet and the civil protection office ofthe Minister of the Interior which includes an Operational Centre for Civil Protection(CODISC).

The CODISC receives all the information on the evolution of the disaster and the needs of thedepartments involved. It helps to provide the State representative with the necessaryassistance, coordinating national resources in the event of a catastrophe and answering allquestions from the departments concerning civil protection. For this purpose, the CODISC

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can draw on experts, hardware and communications equipment, special documentscomprising the ORSEC plans, plans setting out the relief operations, national andinternational directories, organigrams, maps, and lists of experts and institutions to contact inthe event of a disaster. The CODISC represents the Minister of the Interior's command centrewithin his responsibility for civil protection.

The State representative in the central department of the defence zone assists the Staterepresentative in the department concerned with regard to rapid deployment of the logisticalresources required and also organizes resources from the neighbouring departments. In orderto fulfill his duties, the State representative in the central department of the defence zone isassisted by a civil protection staff and by an interregional civil protection coordination centre,CIRCOSC.

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updating 1999

VII.8 GREECE

The new law-decree 2344/95 and the Act of Ministerial Council no 288 of 23 December1996 govern planning of prevention, response and relief efforts in case of natural,technological and other disasters.

The competent bodies for the implementation of civil protection measures are thefollowing:

- The Inter – ministerial coordination body (S.D.O.)- The General Secretariat for Civil Protection- Many authorities, organizations and institutions which work together as an integral

part of planning and rescue operations. (Ministries, the Fire Brigade, Police, DefenceForces, Health, Aviation and Radiation Authorities are major partners).

- The General Secretariat of the Region- The Prefecture as well

A. Inter-Ministerial coordination body (s.d.o.)

The Inter – ministerial coordination body (S.D.O.) is a restricted institution set up tolook after exceptional needs in peacetime and to coordinate governmental action in caseof major disasters. The role and the objective of SDO is to reinforce, within a definedGovernment framework, the coordination activities of the General Secretariat for Civilprotection in implementing the national policy during an emergency situation.

SDO is chaired by the Secretary General of the General Secretariat for Civil Protectionwhich is the most competent body to deal with the prevention, management or relief ofthe consequences of any disaster. Its members include the Secretary-Generals of theMinistries of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization, Development,Public Works, Forests and Environment, Health and Welfare, Merchandise Marine,Public Order, Transportations and Communications, Media and Public Information andthe Deputy Chief National Defence General Staff.

In cases of disasters in the Regions of Macedonia, Thrace and Aigaio are present and theSecretary-Generals of the relating Ministries.

The Secretary-Generals of other ministries are also included, depending on the type ofdisaster concerned.

B. The General Secretariat for Civil Protection

The General Secretariat for Civil protection was established within the Ministry ofInterior, Public Administration and Decentralization. The institution deals with theprevention and the mitigation of natural, technological and other disasters within anintegral political framework. The General Secretariat for Civil Protection is the most

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competent body to deal with the prevention, the relief and the consequences managementof any disaster implementing measures in order to identify and mitigate any type ofhazard and to protect the population, the infrastructure, the environment and properties.

General Secretariat for Civil protection is going to establish an emergency scientific teamconsisting of seismologists, meteorologists, geologists, structural engineers as well asother scientists and experts responsible to give consultance in case of disasters and topresent new proposals on relative subjects.

The 24/24 hours Operational Center is located at the same premises as generalSecretariat for Civil protection.

When a disaster occurs, the Secretary General for Civil Protection is informed of theconsequences both by the prefect and the Secretary General of the Region. TheSecretary General for Civil Protection sends his orders and places the requiredintervention forces at their disposal.

C. Each concerned Ministry draw up its own respective general plans for thevarious types of disasters.

The general guidelines are provided by the framework of the overall national plan namely“XENOKRATES” (? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? S) issued by the General Secretariat for Civilprotection.

Apart from the Armed Forces, the following provides the main intervention forces:

• Ministry of Public Works and Environment (PE.HO.DE.)

(10 specific plans concerning: earthquakes, flash floods, snowfalls, landslides,pollution of the environment, technological accident, etc)The Ministry of Public Works and Environment (PE.XO.DE.) is responsible forfloods, landslides, snowfalls and with the Earthquake Planning and ProtectionOrganization (EPPO) for seismic prevention and protection (plans for prevention,education – information and civil protection following an earthquake).

• Ministry of Development:

(3 specific plans concerning: radioactivity, chemical and industrial accidents,explosions, nuclear emergencies, transportation and storage of chemicals, etc)The Ministry of Development is responsible for safety regulations and measures in theindustrial sector.

• Ministry of Health and Welfare:

(3 specific plans concerning: drought, hot, humid, summer days, epidemic situations,etc)The Ministry of Health and Welfare provides social care.The National Center for Emergency Medical Care (EKAV) is mobilized to provideemergency health care and participates in the national search and rescue teams.

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• Ministry of Public Order: Fire Fighting Brigade Service, State Police.

(2 specific plans concerning: fire fighting and rescues both in urban areas and forestfires etc)The Body of Fire Fighting Brigade, under the Ministry of Public Order, is responsibleat central and local level both for fire fighting and rescue in urban areas and forest firefighting. This body nowadays has under its command 6,500 men fire fighting, 125 fireStations (all over Greece), 74 fire elements and 1,250 fire vehicles.

• Ministry of Merchandise Marine:

(2 specific plans concerning: search and rescue in the sea, marine pollution, etc)Search and Rescue in the sea is responsibility of Ministry of Merchandise Marine.

• Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications:

(2 specific plans concerning: telecommunication problems, major transport accidents,etc)

D. The General Secretariat of the region

The 13 Regions of Greece draw up their respective regional plans and are responsible forplanning and coordination of their prefectures or countries.

E. The prefecture

The 54 Prefectures of Greece draw up their respective prefectural plans.

The prefect, as the local government representative grants assistance, if the magnitude ofthe disaster is limited. The prefect is assisted by the Prefecture Coordination body(SNO), which is made up of the directors of the prefectural Services (militarycommandant, head of the State Police, directors of the interior and technical services,local fire brigade station etc.). At the prefectural level S.N.O. is the responsible decision– making body to handle emergency situations.

The prefect is entitled to requisition individuals and equipment.

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updating 11.1998

VII.9 IRELAND

There is no specific legislation concerning the organization of relief efforts. The localauthorities, police and regional medical services are generally responsible for organizing therelief work in the event of a disaster. They draw up the relief plans taking into account thecentral government guidelines which recommend, inter alia, the organization of theresponsibilities of the various services and the tasks to be undertaken at the local level.

The general outlines of the relief plans are identical, particularly with regard to the allocationof functions and responsibilities between the various services, launching of the plans,operational control, communications, etc. However, there are also special plans for certaintypes of disaster. An Inter-Departmental Committee on major emergencies monitors andadvises on local arrangements to facilitate the coordination and testing of emergency plans.

In the event of a disaster, management of the relief effort is coordinated by the administrativedirectors of the emergency services. If required by the magnitude of the disaster, they can alsocall on the support of civil defence reservists and other voluntary organizations, such as theRed Cross, the Order of Malta, St. John's Ambulance, etc.

Liaison officers in each ministry ensure that every request for support is dealt with rapidly andappropriately. Lists of contact officers and experts in the public services are kept up to dateon a central level. There are also certain arrangements for requesting the support of theDefence Forces.

Depending on the magnitude of the disaster, the government can set up a national committeeto monitor and advise on the crisis at central level. Such a Committee was set up during the1995 flooding in Ireland.

Specific legislation governing the organization and functions of fire authorities is found inLocal Government Legislation and in particular in the Fire Services Act, 1981.

The EEC Directive on Major Accident Hazards of Certain Industrial Activities commonlyknown as the Seveso Directive was implemented into Irish legislation by the EuropeanCommunities (Major Accident Hazards of Certain Industrial Activities) Regulations, 1986,made by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. That Ministry is the CentralCompetent Authority for the Directive and the Local Authorities, Health Boards and PoliceForce are the designated Local Competent Authorities responsible for the implementation ofthe "off-site" emergency planning provisions of the Seveso Regulations.

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updating 1994

VII.10 ITALY

The Italian civil protection system was given a more organic structure through the Law No.225 dated 24 February 1992 which instituted the National Civil Protection Service with theaims of protecting life as a whole, property, residential areas and the environment fromdamage or from danger through natural calamities, catastrophes and other disasters.

The National Civil Protection Service is formed, on the basis of their respective competencesin this field, by State, regional, provincial and communal administrations, by institutes andscientific research groups aiming at civil protection and every other, even private, institutionand organization.

The task of promoting and coordinating the activity of the parts of the National Service isassigned to the President of the Council of Ministers or, on his behalf, to the MinisterCharged with Coordinating Civil Protection, who make use of the Civil ProtectionDepartment.

The Law distinguishes three different types of events and sets down the criteria to establishthe areas of competence and responsibility for each of these:

a) natural or man-made events that can be dealt with by interventions of a singlecompetent authority and administration in the ordinary way;

b) natural or man-made events that, because of their nature and scale, require thecoordinated intervention of several competent authorities and administrations in theordinary way;

c) natural calamities, catastrophes and other events which, due to their intensity and scale,have to be faced with extraordinary means and powers.

The coordination function required for type b) events is carried out by the Mayor at thecommunal level and by the Prefect at the provincial level.

The coordination of type c) events is taken over by the President of the Council of Ministersor, on his behalf, the Minister Charged with Coordinating Civil Protection.

When a type c) event takes place, the Council of Ministers will proclaim the "State ofemergency" according to which the President of the Council of Ministers or the MinisterCharged with Coordinating Civil Protection take emergency measures by ordinances, evenwaiving existing regulations. Such ordinances may be issued by the mentioned authoritieseven without prior proclaiming the state of emergency if this is necessary to avoid dangeroussituations or major harm to people or property.

The 1992 Law raised the profile of the previous EMERCOM to the level of central board ofthe National Civil Protection Service, being now the Operations Committee for CivilProtection that is established with the Civil Protection Department to ensure a unifieddirection and coordination of emergency activities.

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In this Committee, the representatives of the Ministries take over and assume the decision-making powers over all the potential and areas of responsibility encompassed by their originaladministrations as a whole and over actions required in order to secure civil protection. in thisway it is possible to translate at once the decisions taken by the Committee during a state ofemergency into operational orders to the national operative structures of the National CivilProtection Service.

The Law provided for other measures still in preparation:– fixing the composition and the functioning of the Committee,– introducing discipline into the ways of participation and collaboration of the national

operative structures,– matching the organization and functions of these structures with civil protection

requirements.

It should be noted that to face the more serious emergency situations no new or differingoperative structures will be established and that those employed daily in less serious situationsadapt instead their organization to the different situations.

The national operative structures of the National Civil Protection Service consist of:– the National Fire Brigade which is a fundamental part of civil protection,– the armed forces,– the police,– the State Forestry Corps,– national technical services,– national scientific research groups, the National Geophysics Institute and other research

institutions,– the Italian Red Cross,– the structures of the National Health Service,– voluntary organizations,– the National Alpine Rescue Corps.

In emergency situations, the most important scientific body advising the National CivilProtection Service is the National Commission for Major Hazards Forecast and Prevention.Members of this Commission are scientists and experts in fields relating to the principal risksmenacing national territory.

The Law confirmed the particular commitment in promoting greater participation of citizensin civil protection activities through voluntary organizations, guaranteeing the relief workersjob security, reimbursement of their expenses and insurance during the relief work as well asduring exercises to which they are called.

When a state of emergency is proclaimed, the prefects of the provinces affected will take allnecessary measures to guarantee relief; they will implement the dispositions of the provincialemergency plans on behalf of the President of the Council of Ministers or the MinisterCharged with Coordinating Civil Protection.

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updating 10.1999VII.11 LUXEMBOURG

Civil protection is based on the following legislation:

– Law of 18 November 1976 concerning the organization of civil protection;

– Law of 8 December 1981 on requisitioning in the event of armed conflicts, seriousinternational crises and disasters;

– Law of 11 January 1990 amending the law of 18 November 1976 concerning theorganization of civil protection;

– Grand-ducal regulation of 20 June 1980 concerning the creation of rescue units to civilprotection;

– Grand-ducal regulation of 22 January 1991 concerning instructions for Art. 16 of theLaw of 8 December 1981 requisitioning in the event of armed conflicts, seriousinternational crises and disasters;

– Law of 25 April 1994 concerning the special discharge for volunteers of civilprotection, fire services and rescue units;

– Grand-ducal regulation of 3 June 1994 concerning the special discharge for volunteersof civil protection, fire services and rescue units;

– Grand-ducal regulation of 15 February 1995 concerning the training of the populationand of the rescue units of civil protection.

Fire services are based on the following legislation:

– Law on municipalities of 13 December 1988 (Art. 100-102)

– Grand-ducal regulation of 7 May 1992 concerning the organization of fire services andrescue units.

– Ministerial regulation of 28 December 1993 concerning instructions for Art. 22 of theGrand-ducal regulation of 7 May 1992.

Management of the relief effort in the event of a disaster is the responsibility of the Minister ofthe Interior, assisted by the director of the national civil protection service. The latter presidesover an emergency staff made up of the mayors of the municipalities affected andrepresentatives of the gendarmerie, police, army and public work units, as well as byrepresentatives and experts from other public authorities, depending on the type of disasterinvolved.

The Minister of the Interior can draw on special civil protection units, as well as on the firebrigades in agreement with the mayors. The Minister for the Public Forces placesgendarmerie, police and army units at his disposal.

The Minister of the Interior may requisition individuals and property in accordance with thelegal orders and regulations in return for compensation at a later date. Spontaneousbenevolent action by individuals is not considered desirable, as the management problemsthey raise outweigh any real help they might give.

Specific emergency plans have been drawn up for certain serious accident and disaster risks inaddition to the general plan organizing emergency relief.

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updating 1999

VII.12 NETHERLANDS

The measures to be taken in the event of an emergency are governed by the law on civilprotection and the law concerning the fire services, both of which came into force on 1 March1985.

The mayors are responsible for organizing and preparing disaster control. The forces involvedfor this purpose are explicitly placed under their command.

In the case of emergencies or disaster risks affecting more than one municipality or involvinginterests outside the municipalities, the Royal Commissioner of the province can issue ordersdirecting operations and coordinate operational control throughout the affected regionwithout infringing upon the responsibility of the mayors.

Where required in the public interest (economic or social interests, or when the resourcesavailable must be used as economically as possible), the Minister of the Interior and KingdomRelations may, by virtue of his function as general coordinator of civil protection, issuedirectives relating to operational control by the Royal Commissioner.

Control of civil protection operations rests, in principle, with the head of the fire brigade. Thisprinciple can be taken into account when drawing up the emergency plans, although it doesnot apply in certain cases, such as floods. The law provides that the mayor can assignoperational control to another person in such cases.

The relief work is carried out by permanent emergency services, such as the fire brigade,police, basic medical services, hospitals, ambulances, etc. which can rapidly be reinforced.Provincial and national services, various specialist organizations and institutions and even thearmed forces can also be called on to provide support.

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updating 11.1995

VII.13 PORTUGAL

Between 1991 and 1995 important legislation was introduced and enacted in order to updateand upgrade the Portuguese Civil Protection System, such as:

– Law No. 113/91, August 29 (Civil Protection Basic Law);

– Law-Decree No. 203/93, June 3 (National Service for Civil Protection Organic Law);

– Law-Decree No. 222/93, June 18 (Organization of Emergency Operations Centres atNational, Regional and Local Levels;

– Decree No. 18/93, June 28 (Civil Protection Support by Armed Forces);

– Decree No. 20/93, July 13 (Cooperation of Scientific and Technological Institutionsand Organizations with Civil Protection System);

– Decree No. 23/93, July 19 (National Committee for Civil Protection);

– Law-Decree No. 204/93, Jun. 3 (Seveso Directive Implementation);

– Decree No. 720/94, August 11 (National Service for Civil Protection and Delegationsat District level organic personnel);

– Resolution of the Portuguese Cabinet No. 88/94, September 1 (Rules for the NationalCommittee for Civil Protection);

– Decree No. 1033/95, August 25 (Structure of the Delegations for Civil Protection atDistrict level in accordance with the level of risks).

Under the Organic Law for Civil Protection, the National Emergency Plan (NEP) wasworked out by the National Service for Civil Protection (SNPC) through 1992-1993 andapproved by the Portuguese Cabinet on September 1, 1994.

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updating 10.1999

VII.14 SWEDEN

The Swedish Rescue Services Act, which came into force in 1987, regulates society'sresponse to all kinds of emergencies or accidents, not only fire.Every municipality is responsible for the rescue service within its territorial boundaries.Rescue services in the context of the act means the rescue actions that national, regional andlocal authorities shall be responsible for to prevent or minimize harm to people, property orthe environment when accidents occur or when there is an imminent threat of accident.

The County Administrative Board (the regional organization of State Government) shall takeover responsibility for emergency response if there is a very serious accident requiringregional or national coordination. The State is also responsible for special types of rescueservice, i.e. air rescue, sea rescue and search for missing people as well as rescue operationswhen oil or other harmful chemicals are spilled at sea. The County Administrative Board isresponsible for the rescue service when the public need protection from a radioactive releaseof decontamination after a radioactive release.

The Government may always, under certain conditions, instruct a certain CountyAdministrative Board or another governmental authority to take responsibility for the rescueservices.

Major accidents in Sweden are investigated by the Board of Accident Investigation. Itsreports on what caused the accidents and how the rescue operations were carried out is animportant tool in the work of improving the national organization for emergencies services.

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updating 1994

VII.15 UNITED KINGDOM

The United Kingdom rarely experiences natural disasters of a scale to necessitate interventionby central government. There is, therefore, no one national organization charged withformulating disaster plans.

It is fundamental to the arrangements for dealing with disasters in the United Kingdom thatthe first response is at the local level. Where local services find the scale of a disaster puts itbeyond the capacity of their own resources, their recourse is usually to mutual aidarrangements with services in adjacent areas.

However, central government will usually have a role to play. This may be an active role -where, for example, local services seek specialist advice or assistance from a centralgovernment department. On other occasions the central government role may be limited todealing with Parliamentary, media and public inquiries. In either case, a specific governmentdepartment will be nominated to take the lead.

Well defined arrangements exist under which local authorities may seek assistance from thearmed forces. In extreme circumstances assistance might be requested from neighbouringcountries, from Member States of the EC or from NATO.

Legislation relating to disasters is restricted to:– Section 138 of the Local Government Act 1972. This allows local authorities

to incur whatever expenditure they consider necessary if a disaster isimminent or has occurred.

– The Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard (CIMAH) Regulations1985. These regulations implement the ECs SEVESO directive.

– The Civil Protection in Peacetime Act 1986. This gives local authorities thepower to use their civil defence resources (required for use in war) to mitigatethe effect of peacetime disasters; and allows local authorities to plan for theuse of these resources when preparing peacetime disaster plans.

An arrangement known as the "Belwin Scheme" provides special financial assistance fromcentral government to local authorities who, as a consequence of a peacetime disaster, incuran undue financial burden. This scheme is discretionary and there is no automatic entitlementto assistance.

In 1993 central government introduced a policy called Integrated Emergency Management(IEM) in tandem with new civil defence regulations. The overall aim of IEM is for localauthorities to maintain a civil defence preparedness for war based on an extension of theirarrangements for dealing with peacetime disasters. As a consequence, central governmentgrant that was previously paid specifically for wartime civil defence planning will continue tobe paid to support IEM.

PART VIII

DOCUMENTATIONCENTRES

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D O C U M E N T A T I O N C E N T R E S

1. AUSTRIA 9. ITALYBundesministerium für Inneres Dipartimento della Protezione civileZivilschutzabteilung Servizio DocumentazioneHerrengasse 7, Postfach 100 Servizio Formazione e BibliotecaA - 1014 WIEN Via Ulpiano 11

I - 00198 ROMA

2. BELGIUM 10. LUXEMBOURGMinistère de l'Intérieur Direction de la Protection CivileDirection générale de la Protection Civile rue Robert Stümper, 1Direction des études et de la documentation L - 2557 LUXEMBOURGrue Royale, 66B- 1000 - BRUSSELS

3. DENMARK 11. THE NETHERLANDSMinistry of the Interior Ministerie van Binnenlandse ZakenEmergency Management Agency en Koninkrijksrelaties16, Datavej Directie InformatievoorzieningDK - 3460 BIRKERØD Afdeling Biblioteek en Archief

Postbus 200114. FINLAND NL - 2500 EA DEN HAAG

Ministry of InteriorRescue Department NIBRAKirkkokatu 12 Kemperbergerweg 783P.O. box 257 NL-6816 RW ArnhemFIN - 00171 HELSINKI

12. PORTUGAL5. FRANCE Serviço Nacional de Protecção Civil

Ministère de l'Intérieur Centro de Documentação e Informação11, rue des Saussaies Avenida do ForteF - 75800 PARIS Cedex 08 P - 2795 CARNAXIDE

6. GERMANY 13. SPAINBundesministerium des Innern Dirección de Protección civileAbteilung O/Referat 04b Calle Quintiliano, 21Graurheindorfer Str. 198 E - 28002 MADRIDD - 53117 BONN

14. SWEDEN7. GREECE Swedish Rescue Services Agency

Ministry of the Interior Department for Risk Management andPublic Administration and Decentralization Environmental Impact2, Evangelistrias Str. Rescue Services Information Bank (RIB)GR - 105 63 ATHENS Karolinen

S - 651 80 KARLSTAD8. IRELAND

Department of the Environment and Local Government 15. UNITED KINGDOMc/o Mr Kevin Ring, National correspondent Emergency Planning CollegeCustom House The Hawkhills, Easingwold

. IRL - DUBLIN 1 UK - Y06 3 EG YORK

16. EUROPEAN COMMISSIONDG Environment: Civil protection unit200, rue de la Loi - (B - 1049 BRUSSELS)http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/civil/index.htm

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PART IX

LIST OF TEXTS CONCERNINGCOMMUNITY COOPERATION

IN THE FIELDOF

CIVIL PROTECTION

123

LIST OF TEXTS CONCERNING COMMUNITY COOPERATION

IN THE FIELD OF CIVIL PROTECTION

If you would like to obtain the following texts(*), please do not hesitate to contact :

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONCivil Protection Unit

200, rue de la LoiOffice: TRMF 00/75,

B-1049 BrusselsBELGIUM

(*) The texts listed below are available in all the official Community languages, except Finnish andSwedish.

1) Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meetingwithin the Council, of 25 June 1987, on the introduction of Community cooperation on civilprotection. (OJ n° C 176 of 4/7/1987, p. 1)

2) Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meetingwithin the Council, of 13 February 1989, on the new developments in Community cooperation oncivil protection. (OJ n° C 44 of 23/2/1989, p. 3)

3) Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meetingwithin the Council, of 23 November 1990, on Community cooperation on civil protection. (OJ n° C315 of 14/12/1990, p. 1)

4) Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meetingwithin the Council, of 23 November 1990, on improving mutual aid between Member States in theevent of a natural or man-made disaster. (OJ n° C 315 of 14/12/1990, p. 3)

5) Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meetingwithin the Council, of 8 July 1991 on improving mutual aid between Member States in the event ofnatural or technological disaster. (OJ n° C 198 of 27/7/1991, p. 1)

6) Council Decision of 29 July 1991 on the introduction of a single European emergency call number.(OJ n° L 217 of 6/8/1991, p. 31)

7) Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meetingwithin the Council, of 31 October 1994 on strengthening Community cooperation on civil protection.(OJ No C 313/01)

8) Council Decision of 19 December 1998 establishing a Community action programme in the field ofcivil protection (OJ No L 8 of 14/1/1998 p. 20)

9) Council Decision establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection (OJ NoL 327 of 21/12/1999 p.53)

10) Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member Statesmeeting within the Council of 9 December 1999 on co-operation with candidate central and easternEuropean countries and Cyprus on civil protection. (OJ No C373 23/12/99 p. 2)

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PART X: ANNEX

NUCLEAREMERGENCIES

125

AUSTRIA (updating 11.1998)

In a nuclear emergency, the responsibility for general radiation aspects lies within the FederalMinistry of Health and Consumer Protection.

The implementation of countermeasures is generally done on a regional level (province,district).

The Federal Alarm Centre in the Federal Ministry of the Interior acts as the message relaycentre for the Ministry of Health, Department for Radiation Protection, whose experts canbe contacted by pagers and mobile phones around the clock. If an incident is reported to theFederal Alarm Centre, the radiation experts are immediately consulted. If their assessmentconcludes that danger is imminent, all responsible authorities are then notified at once.

Appropriate general recommendations and principal plans of action at a federal level serve asthe groundwork for preparatory measures taken at the provincial level. If necessary, aNational Crisis Management Board will convene which encompasses all federal ministries,the regional governments and socio-professional interest groups as well as the Austrian radioand television network and the Austrian Press Agency. This team of experts advises theFederal Government; it coordinates all measures necessary for emergency response at shortnotice and provides for a long-term concerted proceeding on all levels of the publicadministration.

After information from foreign authorities, IAEA, measurements of the Early RadiationWarning System etc. experts of the Radiation Protection Department of the Federal Ministryof Health immediately evaluate the information. On this basis urgent first countermeasuresmay be decided within the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Crisis ManagementBoard may be summoned.

From within the National Crisis Management Centre representatives of mass media(radio/TV and press agency) have direct contact to their media and the public.All information and general instructions for provincial alarm centres are given by the FederalAlarm Centre. An information unit concerning information of the public, mass media, etc. isinstalled within the Federal Crisis Management Centre. This includes telephone informationdesks as well as recorded telephone information service.

The Austrian early radiation system continuously monitors external gamma dose ratethroughout the country. Near the borders several aerosol and radioiodine warning devicesare installed. Radionuclide specife monitoring of air, precipitation, surface waters andfoodstuffs is managed by a laboratory based network. Additionally within the FederalMinistry of the Interior and the Federal Army, several hundred caborne and airborne doserate measurement units are installed.

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In transport accidents involving radioactive material in general experts and measuring unitsof the Austrian Research Centre Seibersdorf are put into action. Administrative competenceusually lies within provincial or district authorities.

Austria is party to the IAEA-Conventions on early notification of a nuclear accident, onassistance in the case of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency and on nuclear safetyand has bilateral agreements with Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland,Russia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Belarus and Tajikistan.

BELGIUM (updating 1998)

In an accident situation with an important and/or complex radiological situation with impactfor the public, the national nuclear emergency plan can be activated on the initiative of theRPS (Radiation Protection Service) via the CGCIR (government crises and coordinationcentre). The RPS of the Department of Public Health and Environment coordinateinterventions from the radiological point of view.

In transport accidents emergency numbers 100 (fire brigade, ambulance) and/or 101 policeare used for calling the first emergency persons to the accident scene. The RPS shall also becontacted. If necessary, monitoring cars can be sent to the accident location.

Belgium has concluded bilateral conventions for mutual assistance with Luxembourg,France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Formal arrangements exist with the Netherlands and France for information exchange inemergency situations at Doel, Borsele and Chooz.

DENMARK (updating 11.1998)

Nuclear emergency preparedness and response are the responsibility of the Minister of theInterior and are handled by the Emergency Management Agency. The main objectives of theemergency preparedness and response system are: 24h monitoring the radiological situation,duty officer for immediate reaction, implement protective measures if necessary, keeprelevant authorities informed, keep the public well informed and try to adapt reactions ofindividuals and society as a whole to avoid or reduce adverse effects.

In an emergency situation the duty officer declares a state of readiness and summons a staffconsisting of people from relevant authorities and the National Denmark Radio.

The Emergency Management Agency is currently monitoring the radioactive backgroundradiation at 11 automatic stations and can with short notice mobilize at least 33 vehiclebornemonitoring teams from 6 National Rescue Centers throughout the country and onehelicopterborne team to monitoring task over Danish waterways.

All monitoring teams are equipped with dose rate meters (gamma and beta), dosimeters,maps, written instructions and radiocommunications to their command post.

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A helicopterborne system for surveying contaminated areas can be mobilized within 24hours. Specialized assistance can be obtained from the Risoe National Laboratory, 13 otherlaboratories and 10 hospitals.

In transport accident situations involving radioactive material the competent authorityregarding radiation protection, the National Institute of Radiation Hygiene, takes the centralrole. If necessary, the Nuclear Safety Division (part of the Emergency Management Agency)participates in the emergency response.

FINLAND (updating 03.1999)

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland (STUK) is the competent authorityand the national contact point in case of nuclear or radiological hazards. In an emergency, itobtains all the monitoring results, meteorological information and technical data concerningthe source from the other authorities and institutes. Based on these facts, STUK makesreview of the situation and the assessment of health effects and gives recommendations forprotective measures to executive authorities, which are Ministry of the Interior, Ministry ofSocial Affairs and Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Forest, Ministry of Trade andIndustry, National Food Administration etc.

The organization for national radiation monitoring involves several authorities and institutes:STUK, Ministry of the Interior, the Defence Forces, the Finnish Meteorological Institute andthe Seismological Institute of the University of Helsinki. The Finnish monitoring system isdesigned to detect releases emanating from foreign and domestic sources. Nationwidemonitoring is carried out through 300 automatic stations for external dose ratemeasurement, stations for airborne radioactivity measurement in 20 localities and by mobilesurvey teams. When called upon, units of the Air Force collect dust samples from the upperatmosphere. STUK is the central research institute and in an emergency it organizesmeasurements and measures environmental samples, radioactivity of foodstuffs and thyroidand whole body counting.

The duties and responsibilities of the authorities and different institutions and establishmentsparticipating in rescue operations are defined in off-site emergency plans. These plans areprepared by local authorities under the supervision of the Provincial State Office. Ministry ofthe Interior is responsible for general planning, supervision and coordination of emergencypreparedness and response.

In major emergencies, Ministry of the Interior directs civil defence operations and decidescivil defence measures. It calls up representatives of different executive authorities forcoordination of countermeasures. Information to the public directly via radio (emergencybulletins) is given by responsible authorities in cooperation with other counterparts takingcare of the situation. Information is also given via press releases, press conferences andtelephone services, on text-television pages etc.

FRANCE (updating 1994)

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While the "Ministère de l'Intérieur" is ultimately the Competent Authority for emergencyresponse, in practice it is the next highest administrative level, the "Préfet de Département"who takes the lead in the operations. In France there are 96 Départements.

Although the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) does not have competence inaccident management outside its establishments, the geographical distribution of its centres,its know-how on radiological protection and its equipment which could be deployed makethis organization ideally suited for intervention operations throughout the country.Therefore, CEA may be requested to provide assistance in case of accidents under theauthority of the Préfet.

In the structure of the internal organization of emergency response of the CEA, two levels ofintervention have been established. The ZIPE, first level emergency zones (zonesd'intervention de premier échelon) is the level of intervention which is put into force ifimmediate action with light equipment is requested. Ten nuclear research establishments ofthe CEA are able to deploy ZIPE, which are located in the main part of the territory (seemap). The ZIDE, second level emergency zones (zones d'intervention de deuxième échelon)is activated for the control of serious accidents. Under these circumstances, heavy equimentsuch as remote handling tools, mobile laboratories, decontamination vehicles and otherspecial devices, will be deployed. Five CEA establishments are able to deploy ZIDE.

In the case of a severe accident involving radiological consequences for the public, anemergency cell can be convened, 24 hours a day, in the Institut de Protection et de SûretéNucléaire (IPSN) of the CEA located in Fontenay-aux-Roses. This cell will coordinate theoperations. An engineer on duty can be contacted by phone or by an automatic call systemto implement this emergency cell.

While all emergency response operations take place under the direct authority of the Préfet,the care for the environment in the exclusive responsibility of the "Ministère de la Santé".Under the umbrella of this Health Ministry, a service has been set up for monitoringenvironmental contamination as well as the health interventions. This Service, the ServiceCentral de Protection contre les Rayonnements Ionisants (SCPRI) is located in Le Vésinet(near Paris). It is fully equipped for responding to accidents involving radioactivity: specialcars, wagons... Support from the IPSN can also be provided.

In each "Département", "a plan de secours spécialisé-transport de matières radioactives" isavailable. This emergency plan concerns land and coastal accidents dealing with the UNOclass 7 except "nuclear radioactive materials" (for which physical Protection Measures arerequested) which are transported under the responsibility of the "Ministère de la Défense".

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GERMANY (updating 1999)

The responsibility for dealing with any emergency, which may affect the public, rests withthe State (Länder) competent authorities in the sixteen States of the Republic. The StateGovernments can provide some technical assistance following an accident involvingradioactive material. Expert emergency advice and assistance is provided by a number ofprivate organizations, for example: Kerntechnischer Hifszug.

In the event of an accident, the emergency organization will be informed through the localemergency services. The emergency organization then take operational responsibility fordealing with the situation but if the public are likely to be affected then the competentauthority of the State government, in most cases the Ministry of the Interior, coordinates theemergency action. Consignors of radioactive material are required to have emergency plansand to have contracts with one of the emergency organizations. The German RailwayCompany, Deutsche Bahn (DB), has its own emergency teams which are able to deal withaccidents on the railway involving radioactive material. As with road transport, the Stategovernment becomes involved if the public are at risk.

GREECE (updating 1998)

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection is responsible for the overall management ofall types of emergencies, including nuclear accidents. In this framework the GreekAtomic Energy Commission (G.A.E.C.) is the competent authority to deal withemergencies arising from nuclear accidents, increased radioactivity levels or localradiological accidents.

The G.A.E.C. operates the Emergency Center, located at it premises and it is the focalpoint for all incoming or outgoing information concerning the emergency. The G.A.E.C.is responsible for the environmental radioactivity measurements. It operates theautomatic telemetric gamma radiation measuring system covering the whole country andcoordinates the Peripheral Laboratories.

The management of the emergency is carried out through the Emergency Center withthe managing committees operating a multidisciplinary teams of experts, which are ableto be present all over the country in a short time notice, with sufficient equipment. TheEmergency Center receives all the data and measurements from the various teams, themeteorological Service, the ECURIE and the Emercon Systems, etc. The data areanalysed by the teams of experts in order to evaluate the risks involved and theevolution of the event. The Managing Committees take the appropriate and necessarydecision for preventing or mitigating the harmful effects.

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IRELAND (updating 1998)

The competent authority is the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, which also takesa leading role in dealing with accidents involving radioactive material. Equipment andpersonnel can be deployed from Dublin to assist in dealing with such an accident. Inaddition, a Civil Defence Organization exists throughout the country which is equipped withradiation detection equipment and which could provide first stage assistance.

All carriers of radioactive material are required to have their own emergency plans. TheRadiological Protection Institute of Ireland provides notes for drivers and others involved inthe transport of radioactive materials, which describe the procedures to be adoptedfollowing an accident.

Finally, the Ministry for Public Enterprise, which has overall responsibility for ensuring theco-ordination of activities relating to nuclear emergencies, is currently updating the NationalEmergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents.

ITALY (updating 1994)

The responsible Authority for nuclear and radiological emergencies is the Minister for CivilProtection Coordination, for events concerning large areas of the country. Otherwise, thelocal Fire Brigade, under the jurisdiction of the Prefect (Government representative in theProvince) would be present at small accidents. ENEA/DISP gives the Fire Brigade thenecessary technical support through a team of experts who are able to be present in a shorttime, all over the country and with sufficient equipment. Also, in ENEA/DISP, there is anEmergency Centre with a multidisciplinary team of experts, available for large scale events.This Centre is able to collect all data coming from the plant manager or the carrier, frommeteorological stations, from measurement teams, to analyse them and make an evaluationabout the risks and the evolution of the event. The collated data are transmitted to theMinistry for Civil Protection Coodination, which takes the appropriate decisions for dealingwith the event.

All four main ENEA Reasearch Centres also have their own nuclear and radiologicalemergency organizations able to intervene if requested. The European Joint Research Centreof Ispra has the same structure.

LUXEMBOURG (updating 10.1998)

The emergency response for radiological or nuclear emergencies is in the competence of theRadiation Protection Division within the Ministry of Health and of the National CivilDefence Organization within the Ministry of Interior.Within the Civil Defence Organization exists the national and international contact point(CSU, Central des Secours d'Urgence 112) for all radiological and non-radiologicalemergencies. This is the only national and international contact point occupied by operatorson a 24-hours basis.

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In case of alert in a radiological or nuclear emergency, the operators of the CSU have tocontact the duty officers of the two competent authorities who have to decide of furthersteps.

The alert may be triggered by the national automatic monitoring network, by the notificationfrom competent authorities of neighbouring countries as fixed in bilateral agreements or byinternational arrangements for the early notification.

In case of a severe radiological or nuclear emergency involving radiological consequencesfor members of the public, the national emergency plan is automatically implemented. Aspecial emergency and coordinating cell is formed to provide the necessary information andadvice to implement protective actions. This cell may also give advice to request assistancefrom neighbouring countries. Another cell is responsible to collect the necessary radiologicalinformation, to provide an overview of the radiological situation and to evaluate the sanitaryrisks within the affected areas.

NETHERLANDS (updating 1994)

The responsibility for the coordination of emergency response actions involving radioactivesubstances rests with the Inspectorate for the Environment, Department of nuclearlegislation monitoring of the same Ministry of Environment. In case of an emergency theInspectorate will activate the Dutch Institute of Public Health and Environmental protection(RIVM) at Bilthoven, which is the national institute where the emergency resources can beobtained. Further assistance is also available from the ECN, KEMA and IRI, researchcentres at Petten, Arnhem and Delft respectively.

The competent authority for the transport of radioactive materials is the Ministry ofHousing, Physical Planning and Environment, Directorate for Chemicals, External Safetyand Radiation Protection in Association with the Ministry of Transport.

PORTUGAL (updating 07.1994)

The responsibility for the coordination of emergency planning for nuclear accidents lies withthe Committee for Nuclear Accidents and Radiological Emergencies.

The responsibility for the coordination of emergency response lies with the National Servicefor Civil Protection (SNPC). To establish better coordination among all the agents thatcontribute to nuclear emergency response, through a governmental joint dispatch dated June27, 1994, the above-mentioned Committee for Nuclear Accidents and RadiologicalEmergencies settled down to work under the chairmanship of the Minister of Interior, andthe participation of representatives from SNPC, General Directorate of Health, NationalInstitute for Medical Emergency, General Directorate of Environment, Institute forProtection of Agriculture - Nourishing Production and the Meteorological Institute.

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SPAIN (updating 1994)

In an accident situation involving radioactive substances the coordination of the differentorganizations which may be involved is the responsibility of the Civil Government of theProvince, with the assistance of the local authorities and other interested parties. The mainconsignors of radioactive material have established a contingency plan together with theCompetent Authority, the Nuclear Safety Council and Civil Protection Department. Thecarrier's personnel must in an accident situation inform the Civil Government of the Provinceor the Public Forces who will immediately inform all the Administrative Departmentsinvolved.

UNITED KINGDOM (updating 12.1995)

In the event of an accident at a civil nuclear site, which required measures to be taken toprotect the public, a local emergency centre would become operational to coordinate thelocal response. All organizations with a major role to play would be represented at thecentre, which would be under the chairmanship of the police. As the lead governmentdepartment, the Department of Trade and Industry would set up a Nuclear EmergencyBriefing Room (NEBR) in London, or, in the event of an accident in Scotland, the ScottishOffice would set up the Scottish Office Emergency Room (SOER) in Edinburgh tocoordinate any necessary national response. Representatives of the principal governmentdepartments and agencies would be sent to the NEBR or SOER where communication linkswould be established with the local emergency centre. The DTI is also responsible foralerting the EC, the IAEA and neighbouring countries with which the UK has bilateralagreements.

The Secretary of State for Transport, or, in the case of land transport in Northern Ireland,the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, would take the lead for accidents occurringduring the transport of civil radioactive materials.

Contingency plans exist specific to the mode of transport, for example the Nuclear IndustryRoad Emergency Plan (NIREP), which covers road transport accidents. Once the ForceCommunication Centre (FCC) of the Atomic Energy Authority police is informed of anaccident, the Responsible Site (the consignor) and the Near Site (the closest health physicssupport) are contacted. The health physicist will make appropriate measurements andprovide advice to the emergency services. Additional health physics survey teams may becalled out if required.

Similar arrangements exist for transport by rail of irradiated nuclear fuel in England andWales in the form of the Irradiated Fuel Transport Flask Emergency Plan. A similar schemeoperates in Scotland.

For accidents at sea, the Director of the Marine Emergencies Organization hasresponsibilities for dealing with the incident in the UK territorial waters and the high seasunder the Intervention of the High Seas Convention and its protocol and other internationalagreements.

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These emergency and contingency plans are complemented by the National Arrangementsfor Incidents involving Radioactivity (NAIR), which are designed to provide advice andassistance to the police for those incidents that are not readily foreseeable or for which thefeasibility of comprehensive emergency planning is limited. The arrangements arecoordinated by the National Radiological Protection Board, who publish a handbookcontaining the addresses and telephone numbers of participating establishments.

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Documents

Vademecum of civil protection in the European Union