KARAVANKE 2009 EXERCISE

Abstract

An analysis of a traffic accident in the Karavanke tunnel in 2007 served as the basis for supplementing the concept of protection, rescue and relief operations in the event of tunnel accidents and adopting appropriate search and rescue procedures by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief. With the emphasis on the organization to equip and train rescue and relief forces, the time required for fire-fighters to arrive at the scene of an accident in either a single lane tunnel or a motorway tunnel longer than 1000 m was determined. In line with the new protection and rescue plans, appropriate rescue and firefighting units were identified for responding to any Karavanke tunnel accidents. As a result of this, the personnel of the Jesenice fire-fighting unit was expanded. The unit also acquired a new special fire-fighting engine designed for traffic accidents in tunnels. Further equipping of this unit and other fire-fighting units assigned for traffic accidents in the Karavanke tunnel with specialized fire-fighting equipment is underway. As the organizational and personnel aspects of the review and other preparations have nearly been completed, the 2009-2010 plan for exercises envisages a thorough evaluation of the level of readiness for the Karavanke tunnel for the defence system and the system of protection against natural and other disasters adopted by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.