Preparing for Barents Rescue 2011
A trailer loaded with ammonium colliding with a school bus, a collapsing tunnel, a train running off the rails. Add a flooded factory full of workers, and you have the script for an average action movie – or the scenario for Barents Rescue 2011.
This year’s international Barents Rescue exercise takes place in Sweden in September. Nearly 2500 people from the four Barents countries are expected to take part in the event, which is the largest international rescue exercise Russia is involved in.
This year’s Russian contribution is not very large when it comes to the number of personnel involved – only 23 Russians will take part in the 48 hour emergency exercise, Nord-News reports.
Barents Rescue is a series of international field training exercises that are organized and conducted by the countries within the framework of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council. Hosting of the exercise rotates between the four countries. In 2009, Russia organized the event for the first time.
Read BarentsOberver’s articles on Barents Rescue 2009
The aim of the Barents Rescue cooperation is to improve the possibilities for rescue agencies to cooperate on emergency and rescue issues across county and national borders in the Barents Region.
Risk scenarios for major accidents, natural disasters, and man-made emergencies show many similarities in the Barents Region. There are long distances between economic centers, sparsely populated rural communities, limited rescue personnel and equipment, and restricted means for transport and hospital resources available in case of larger accidents.
