THE KARAVANKE – TOGETHER 2013 EXERCISE

Abstract

It is infrequent in Slovenia that one of the branch offices of the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (ACPDR) should organise two major exercises on a very similar or the same topic in the same year. However, in 2013, two very similar exercises were organised by the ACPDR in the Gorenjska region. The lion’s share in preparation for both was done by the Kranj ACPDR Branch Office. The first exercise took place on Friday, 12th April in the Ljubelj tunnel, while the second took place on 8th October in the Karavanke tunnel. Both activities were international, staff and field training exercises and were attended by rescue workers and all other relevant services and units from Slovenia and Austria. The purpose of the “Karavanke – Together 2013” exercise was to test the existing state of development of emergency response capabilities for dealing with accidents in longer single-tube road tunnel. At the same time, it served as the highest training level for all participating entities in most real-world conditions in terms of organisation and complexity. It required coordination of activities by all participating units, services and bodies from the moment of encountering the accident, notification and mobilization, access to the tunnel area, and organisation and implementation of rescue and other activities in- and outside the tunnel. The most demanding activities as part of the exercise aimed at the processes of leading a complex emergency response operation, including the care of passengers involved in the accident (also the unharmed). According to evaluators and observers, the trainees showed progress in their knowledge and skills, and performed their tasks well.