NATO conducts 2008 disaster response field exercise

[transdimensional]

The Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) will conduct the disaster response field exercise “UUSIMAA 2008” from 1 to 5 June 2008 in the region of the Finnish capital Helsinki.

Teams from twenty-five Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) nations will participate in the exercise: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.

All together, approximately 1100 participants with capabilities to deal with different aspects of emergencies, including experts with staff officer assignments, will take part in the event. Some 150 observers are also expected. “UUSIMAA” will allow NATO and Partner countries to practice disaster response mechanisms and capabilities and to enhance co-operation in emergency situations.

The fictitious scenario for the exercise will be flooding and storms along the coastline of the Gulf of Finland. According to the scenario, water levels will rise during the spring and the storms will damage critical infrastructure objects. There will be also Chemical, Biological and Radiological threat simulations.

Through this exercise, NATO and Partner nations will practice the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) procedures and Euro-Atlantic Response Unit (EADRU) capabilities, in order to improve EAPC nations’ ability to respond to a disaster. The exercise will also contribute to strengthening the stricken nation’s capability to effectively coordinate consequence management operations.

The exercise “UUSIMAA 2008” is a Finnish contribution to the Partnership for Peace Programme for 2008. Since 2000, this is the eighth field exercise conducted by the EADRCC. During the exercise, a celebration is planned to mark the 10th anniversary of the EADRCC.

Additional updated information on the exercise will be provided by the Finnish Ministry of the Interior under:
http://www.cmcfinland.fi

source: http://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2008/p08-065e.html

 

[Keit]

Very interesting. There is another exercise in the same region during the same period. Israel is also going to participate.

http://www.janes.com/news/defence/naval/jni/jni080515_1_n.shtml
Russia is to participate for the first time in a live NATO-led submarine escape-and-rescue exercise, according to Allied Maritime Component Command (MCC).

Exercise 'Bold Monarch' 2008 is due to be staged near Kristiansand, in the Northern Skagerrak region of Norway, from 26 May to 6 June.

Three submarines - one each from the Netherlands, Norway and Poland - will be positioned on the seabed to simulate 'subsunk' casualties.

Support personnel and equipment from Canada; France; Germany; Greece; Israel; Italy; the Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Russia; Turkey; Ukraine; the UK; and the United States will endeavour to solve complex rescue and medical problems in a variety of scenarios.

The phased exercise will culminate with a "large-scale co-ordinated rescue and evacuation of survivors from a disabled submarine", said the MCC in a release issued by its headquarters in Northwood, UK.

 

[clerck de bonk]

Yes, lets see how it develops. There have been bigger exercises though, and military, with and without Nato...

But the Finnish politicians are really trying hard to sell the NATO schtick now(both right and middle as if there was a difference between the two). Kokoomus(rightwing)leader Jyrki Katainen was at the Bilderberg meeting last year along with some other prominent finnish colleagues, perhaps there is a connection there, anyway alot of BS is flying around including the new and better Digi-TV...