UPDATE: The fifth and final phase of Barents Rescue 2009
UPDATE: Report from the Opening Ceremony
UPDATE: Amphibious aircraft in Barents Rescue-2009
OPINION: Welcome to the new Arctic
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.
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.
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.
Barents Rescue-2009 is the fourth Barents Rescue exercise to be held since 2001. For the first time the exercise will take place in Russia, more exactly in Murmansk in the period September 8-10. The exercise will be led by Sergey Shoygu, Head of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations, B-port.com reports.
The participants in the exercise will be training on joint actions in different types of accidents and crisis. This year the scenarios include: Mutual alarm between countries in the Barents region in case of a major emergency; search and rescue operations at sea; extinguishing of forest fire in the border zone between countries; rescue operations after a major traffic accident; rescue operations after a major oil spill on water, Barents Press writes.
