18 March 2002

Civil emergency courses in Partner countries A seminar on "Communications in national emergencies" has taken place in Estonia, 18-20 March. During their briefings, emergency responders identified communication problems which have been encountered during real time crisis and the communicators offered solutions using, inter alia, telephone systems, the postal service and the internet. The seminar also included a live exercise on ice in which the Estonian Rescue Board demonstrated communication solutions and command and control from an emergency centre. Just under 100 participants from 28 NATO and Parner countries attended the seminar which was jointly organised by the Civil Protection Committee and the Civil Communications Planning Committee. The seminar was followed by a meeting of the Civil Communications Planning Committee, 21-22 March, in Tallinn, with participants from the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, comprising NATO and partner countries. The seminar took place within the context of a series of courses offered by NATO and partner countries in very specific areas of civil emergency planning. Another one of these courses took place in Austria, 18-23 March. Its aim was to introduce participants to the different types of disasters and the demands they place on relief organisations. Conducted as a simulation exercise, this emergency response awareness course was also an opportunity to inform participants how to assess operations and manage assets in an emergency. In parallel, courses on humanitarian relief and international rescue operations have also been held in Sweden, 4-8 March and 18-22 March. Additional information: NATO Handbook: Civil Emergency Planning