From 20 to 28 September 2000, a Disaster Relief Exercise - "Trans-Carpathia 2000", will be conducted in the Trans-Carpathian region (Western Ukraine). This flood simulation exercise, conducted in the framework of Partnership for Peace and as one of the major activities in the NATO-Ukraine workplan, will bring together more than 350 personnel from disaster response elements of eleven EAPC countries.
This Exercise, which will be split in two parts, will be the first exercise in which the Euro-Atlantic disaster response capability will be fully tested. During the first phase of the exercise, procedures of the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) will be exercised in response to a request for international assistance from Ukraine. This part of the Exercise will be conducted from 20 to 23 September 2000, and will involve national disaster response coordination centres in EAPC capitals as well as the EADRCC.
This will be followed by a Field Exercise to be conducted from 26 to 28 September 2000, in Uzhgorod, Trans-Carpathia. This will involve a simulated flood response exercise by disaster response teams from assisting EAPC Countries operating for the first time as a Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Unit.
The scenario for both the Command Post Exercise and the Field Exercise build upon actual experience and lessons learned by Ukraine and the EADRCC in dealing with major floods in the Trans-Carpathian region two years ago. In addition to Ukraine, the following nations will take part in this exercise: Belarus, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland. Also, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will actively participate in the Field Exercise.
During Trans-Carpathia 2000, Search and Rescue activities, the provision of life support and medical care, water purification and cleaning of contaminated rivers will be exercised. Additionally, a train accident involving a damaged railcar containing toxic materials will be part of the exercise.
On Monday 25 September 2000, starting at 09.00 hours, the Ukraine Minister of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of Chernobyl Catastrophe, Mr. Vasyl Dourdinets, and the NATO Director Civil Emergency Planning, Dr. F.P. Palmeri, will give a joint press conference in the Ministry of Emergencies in Kyiv.
