swiss unece exercise

Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre

Ident.-Nr./Version (Aus DMS kopieren)

Swiss UNECE exercise

UNECE Fourth Consultations of Point of ContactsZagreb, 25 and 26 March 2010

Dr. Dominique Rauber, National Emergency Operations Centre

2Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre Referent oder Herausgeber

Bez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)

• Introduction

• Scenario

• Main results

• Lessons identified and challenges

Outline

3Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre

Switzerland

Referent oder HerausgeberBez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)

FRANCE

GERMANY

AUSTRIA

ITALY

26 cantons, each responsible for emergency management in case of an chemical accident


Structure of the organisation


UNECE Competent authority

UNECE Competent authority

UNECE National Point of Contact

UNECE National Point of Contact

Scene of AccidentScene of Accident

Local Emergency Management

Agency

Local Emergency Management

Agency

On-site Command Post

On-site Command Post

Local competent Authority

Local competent Authority

UNECE National Point of Contact GER and FRA

UNECE National Point of Contact GER and FRA

Special federal team

Special federal team

Notification

Special cantonal team

Special cantonal team

Support

Consultation


Scenario



Scenario


Start of the hypothetical event:Collision between a delivery van and a fork lift truck

on the premises of the Swiss harbour of “AU”Batch spread on the street, glass flask brokenPersons involved in the incident lying on the street

near the vehicles and some with odd symptomsPersons observing the scene call in the fire

brigadesDue to odd symptoms of the incident’s involved

persons rescue actions are stopped and special forces are called in


Scenario


Background of the scenario:• Terrorist were planning an attack with Sarin in

a Swiss city.• Sarin was transported on a Ship from

Rotterdam to Basel• The incident happens when the car of the

terrorists is leaving the harbour with the chemical agents to be transport it to the targeted city

• The wind is blowing in direction of Germany


Scenario


According to the scenario • first responders have to face an

unclear and unknown situation• The chemical substance is highly

toxic• German territory can be affected

very quickly

Switzerland

Germany

Accident place


Main events during the exercise


Time (local) Event

18:00 Start of exercise

18:35 First message with little information (telephone call)

18:37 NEOC staff summoned up

18:45 First assessment by NEOC

18:54 First written message from LEMA

19:02 Additional information

19:10 Notification to Germany and France

20:52 Second IAN-Message

21:37 Third IAN-Message

21:45 Telephone call to French Point of Contact

21:57 End of exercise


Main Results

• Very quick notification of the National Emergency Operations Centre by the canton

• Very limited information not only at the beginning of the event• Follow-up information only given by the local authorities at

additional request• Difficult decision when to notify neighbouring countries (soft

criteria in this case)• Immediate acknowledgment (through the IAN-System) of the

German Point of Contact• Message not read by the French Point of Contact • No interaction between Point of Contacts



Lessons indentified

• Do not rely on the IAN-system only – get in touch with your partners in your neighbouring countries if necessary

• Regular communication tests with neighbouring countries necessary

• Every local exercise should be used to train the IAN procedures with or without participation of neighbouring countries

• Regular training of staff in translating “raw information” into IAN messages

• Take advantage of every opportunity to rise awareness on the local level regarding national and international needs



Challenges

• Rise awareness – local authorities have to face their own problems

• 26 cantons with different solutions• Get the right information at the right time• Knowledge of the organisation on the local level of each canton• Translate the received information into English - special

vocabulary• Criteria when to notify neighbouring countries if threat not clear• Deal with an emergency situation with international media

coverage



Lessons indentified regarding exercise preparation

• Use local full scale exercises but make sure that:o the international information exchange is clearly stated as

an objective of the exerciseo scenario meets the objectiveso the master event list contains the necessary injectso the time frame of the exercise allows for an international

notification and information exchange• Realistic situation which reflects the real challenges is difficult

to simulate (media pressure, request from abroad?)



Straight forward part of information exchange


15Federal Office for Civil ProtectionNational Emergency Operations Centre Referent oder Herausgeber

Bez. des Anlasses / Datum (ändern im Folienmaster > Ansicht > Kopf- und Fusszeile)

Challenging part of information exchange


Consequences and further steps


Preparedness activities Agree with neighbouring countries to regularly test the communication

channels of Points of Contact (IAN-System, phone and fax) Rise awareness on the local level for national needs Knowledge of structures, means and procedures Intensifying the training with the NOEC staff

For exercises Seek participation of NEOC in local exercises if scenario allows for

international information exchange Close collaboration in the preparation, conduct and evaluation of such

exercises Address international aspects (together with impact of the media on

emergency management) during preparation of exercises


Further challenges


National levelNational level

Neighbouring countries under

UNECE

Neighbouring countries under

UNECE

Local levelLocal level World Health Organisatoin

World Health Organisatoin

Others?Others?

How to avoid duplication and inconsistencies?

IHR*

IAN

???

*International Health Regulation

swiss unece exercise

Documents