Tenth anniversary of the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre
The Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) celebrated its 10th anniversary at NATO Headquarters on 28 May 2008. During the ceremony, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, inaugurated an exhibition displaying the main achievements of the EADRCC in the last decade.
Since its launch, the EADRCC participated in some 40 operations around the world, ranging from combatting forest fires to supporting the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan in 2005. The Centre operates non-stop and is NATO’s operational tool to coordinate the response of Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) countries to natural and man-made disasters. The Centre also acts as the focal point for information-sharing on disaster assistance among EAPC countries.
Preparing for the worst
EADRCC disaster response exercises are among the biggest civilian protection training opportunities and bring together international response teams, civil and military, to interact in challenging and realistic scenarios. During the first week of June, 39 teams representing 20 EAPC nations will participate in a consequence management field exercise hosted by Finland. The scenario for the exercise will involve flooding and storms as well as chemical, biological and radiological threat simulations.
A driver of outreach and partnership
The EADRCC is a successful example of practical cooperation between NATO and partner countries in the field of Civil Emergency Planning. As a coordination mechanism for disaster response, the EADRCC enables smaller countries to contribute capabilities that they would otherwise not be able to provide. This has fostered a trend whereby many Partners, previously recipients of NATO support, have become valued contributors to its operational activities in the civilian area.