Disasters and complex emergencies often result in significant environmental impacts. Therefore, a key element of emergency response is the rapid identification and mitigation of environmental risks. The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) / United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Joint Environment Unit (JEU) was established in 1994 to coordinate international response to environmental emergencies whenever international assistance is requested by affected countries. The JEU can deploy environmental experts and equipment, conduct rapid environmental assessments, and provide remote support. Depending on the type of emergency and requested assistance, the experts can be deployed as part of United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams or on standalone environmental emergency missions.

The Environment and Emergencies Training (EET) is organized by the JEU in partnership with DPPI SEE and the Protection and Rescue Directorate of North Macedonia as the host organization. The course builds upon the introductory sessions on environment and emergencies integrated in UNDAC Induction and Refresher courses. The training provides participants with knowledge, skills and understanding of potential environmental impacts caused by disasters and of how to apply relevant tools and approaches to minimize negative impacts to human health, livelihoods and the environment. 

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The training was hosted by the Macedonian Protection and Rescue Directorate within the DPPI SEE DMTP 2016 and co-organised/ managed by the Macedonian Scout Federation. 

Specific objective of the event was to connect civil protection administrations and civil society organizations while demonstrating ways to build mutual understanding, support and cooperation in the area of search and rescue operations in the nature. Through a set of interactive workshops participants had an opportunity to learn and further develop various survival techniques and to participate in a simulated crisis situation in the nature.

Targeted audience were representatives of the civil sector/ scout organizations and the SEE national disaster management authorities/ Red Cross/ Mountain rescue services respectively. 

Eighteen (18) participants from nine (9) countries (Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria Albania, Montenegro and Turkey) participated in the training. 

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All major emergencies that happened in the context of South Eastern Europe in the last 10 years (Serbia/Bosnia and Herzegovina Floods, Refugee and Migrant Crisis, Earthquakes in Albania, Croatia and Turkey, COVID-19) have showed the importance of the logistics aspects in response operations. In 2021 DPPI SEE, the Global Logistics Cluster and the IFRC initiated discussions on the modalities how to better identify needs and gaps in knowledge in the member states on the topic of logistic preparedness. The result of that consultation process was designing LOGEX 2021 as a discussion based simulation exercise on the topic of logistics in emergencies. During the exercise the participating states will have the opportunity to work on a fictitious scenario happening in a fictitious country affected by a massive earthquake. Their focus will be only logistics aspects of the response like preparing the response plan, transportation and warehousing aspects. The assumption is that by doings we will identify lessons which will be the basis for identification and design of a comprehensive training program to be implemented by DPPI SEE in the years to follow. LOGEX 2021 starts on 22.11 simultaneously in all 10 DPPI SEE member states in an online format. 

This training was hosted by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (ACPDR) within the DPPI SEE Disaster Management Training Programme 2016, and was co-organised/managed by the Slovenian Canine Associations (SCA) and the Association of Rescue Dog Handlers of Slovenia (ARDHS). The training is certified by the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia.

The target audience were dog handlers with rescue dogs, who are assigned to units for the search of missing and tapped persons, or who, after such training, will qualify for such units in the future, as well as representatives of civil protection and other organisations associated with search and rescue. Prior knowledge was not required.

• Training objectives, among others, included:  
• Understanding the basics of socialisation, education and training of rescue dogs.
• Understanding the stages of education of rescue dogs.
• Understanding the types and procedures of searching injured persons trapped under rubble.
• To understand the method and procedures of searching missing persons on terrain.
• To understand the basics of first aid and first veterinary aid.
• To understand communication methods.
• To understand international guidance, their application and to understand the work procedures in missions.

The training was attended by fifteen (15) participants from eight (8) DPPI SEE member countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.

• Training Schedule
• Event Report
• Evaluation Summary
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The Risk Assessment Workshop that happen in Belgrade this week, was the first event for 2022 under the Disaster Management Training Program. It was a contribution of the Ministry of Interior of Republic of Serbia – Sector for Emergency Management to the program itself with a goal to exchange updates and novelties on the topic. Despite the host country, disaster risk assessment experts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia and Turkey had the possibility to present key elements of their national risk assessments and future plans. At the workshop, we also had representatives from UNDRR who presented the results from the Risk INFORM Index for SEE and the Make My City Resilient 2030. At the end of the workshop, the experts agreed that a permanent working group within DPPI SEE should be established that will meet regularly and on annual basis to discuss and share information on disaster risk assessment processes and challenges.

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The course was hosted, organized and facilitated by ACPDR (Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief) in cooperation with NPRD (National Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Republic of Croatia).

The course provides in depth orientation on disaster risk reduction concepts and guidance, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, as well as understanding of the key aspects and activities of response and recovery. The course also guides and enables participants to prepare a DRR related group project proposal during the course to be presented at the end of the course.

Other course objectives are:

1. Establish a common understanding of the tenets on which lie the foundations of disaster risk reduction (DRR).
2. Develop a better understanding of preparedness, response and recovery as integral to disaster risk reduction.
3. Illustrate the role of different stakeholders in DRR, the integrated nature between the sectors in DRR and the importance of coordination between stakeholders.
4. Introduce and discuss the already put in place mechanisms for reducing disaster losses and risk management, focused on the region of South-Eastern Europe.
5. Present and discuss the concepts and guidance of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction as well as the implementation and follow-up to the strategic goals and priorities for action 2015-2030.
6. Build a network among the participants by sharing the experience, existing know-how and team building.

The DRR course 2016 was attended by 16 participants from nine (9) DPPI SEE member countries (Albania, BiH, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey).

• Event Report
• Final Agenda
• Course Evaluation
  
   

Sphere and DPPI-SEE initiated a Train of Trainer programme in January 2020.This was followed by three online Sphere courses held between June and November 2020. These workshops were led by listed Sphere trainers Zeynep Sanduvac (Turkey) and Dijana Muzicka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and co-facilitated by Tristan Hale and Aninia Nadig (Sphere secretariat). In November and December 2021, sixteen of the graduates attended a 24h online course in online facilitation techniques, facilitated by Red-R UK. This training was a follow up to the previous one and was meant for those who have prior experience of at least 4-5 years in conducting trainings in humanitarian setting, basic understanding of the contents of the Sphere Handbook with discrete role in their current job responsibilities. Overall, fifteen (15) participants (6 female, 9 male) attended and successfully completed the course. Participants came from nine (9) countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, N.Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey). They represented civil protection organizations, Red Cross/Red Crescent societies and the Sphere office.

In the period between 24-31.08 rescuers from 9 DPPI SEE member states had the opportunity to train rope rescue techniques in urban areas. The event was organized by the Administration of Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief and supported by DPPI SEE.

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The training held in Belgrade was a continuation of the basic training on PDNA that was conducted in Sarajevo in February 2020. This time and thanks to the collaboration with the UNDP regional office in Istanbul, the training focused on building future trainers on PDNA in the region of SEE. A three-day training program included presentations as per the PDNA training modules, as well as interactive lectures, case studies, group exercises and practical analysis. The training informed designated civil protection representatives from the DPPI SEE member states about the advantages of applying standardized approach and methodology to conduct post disaster needs assessments and formulate recovery strategy. This year DPPI SEE and UNDP are collaborating on another activity as well and that is the preparation of the recovery capacity assessment for the DPPI member states, aiming to support disaster management and recovery planning process more effectively.

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• Invitation Letter
• Administrative Arrangements
• VIP Program
• Registration Form

The 2^nd event under the DPPI SEE annual training program for 2022 was dedicated to the topic of local disaster risk reduction plans/strategies and Make My City Resilient 2030. The event in Antalya was co-organized with AFAD and UNDRR office for Europe and Central Asia. During the event DPPI SEE member states had the opportunity to hear about the recent developments on the topic in Turkey and to present their own lessons from the process of designing local DRR strategies. During the second day we had the opportunity to learn more about MCR 2030 and hear real case studies from cities in the region who are already involved in the campaign. Under the Croatian chairmanship for 2022 with DPPI SEE, the topic of our annual training program is DRR. Our last event in the program for this year will happen in October in Dubrovnik, Croatia when we will discuss DRR financing.

The DPPI SEE/UNSDR workshop Training of Trainers for the Implementation of the Sendai Framework was hosted and organised by Croatian National Protection and Rescue Directorate (NPRD) in collaboration with the UNISDR's Office for Northeast Asia and Global Education Training Institute (UNISDR ONEA-GETI) which was established to develop a new cadre of professionals in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for disaster resilient societies under the auspices of the United Nations.

 

The main goal of the workshop was to increase social demand and political commitment for integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into overall economic and social planning processes, as well as to promote the establishment of sustained human resources capacity development (pool of experts and trainers) for further adaptation and dissemination of the methodology. Target audience of the workshop were national government officials responsible for DRR.
In the course of a three-day workshop, the participants had an opportunity to gain an in-depth knowledge of Sendai Framework and practice drafting of National DRR Action Plan by using Sendai Framework indicators to assess existing risk management instruments in their respective countries. The workshop was led by Mr Sanjaya Bhatia and Ms Sarah Wade-Apicella (UNISDR ONEA-GETI) with additional expert support from Ms Natasa Holcinger (NPRD), Ms Preslava Lilova (Bulgarian Red Cross) and Mr Luca Rossi (UNISDR Europe Region Office).

Seventeen (17) participants from 9 DPPI SEE member countries successfully completed the ToT programme.

• List of Participants
• Agenda
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In 2020 Sphere Association and DPPI SEE initiated specific collaboration aimed at promoting the Sphere Handbook in the region of SEE by designing a suitable training program. After several basic courses on Sphere Handbook, delivered online due to COVID-19, finally we succeed to organize the first face to face Train of Trainers training in Tirana, Albania. By the end of the training 16 participants were produced as Sphere Handbook trainers. For the training we had balanced training audience with representatives from both the national civil protection authorities and the Red Cross societies, something that we are very proud for. At the end of the training each participant prepared a personal action plan describing actions that will follow and will be conducted by them promoting the Sphere Handbook as trainers. DPPI SEE will remain dedicated to their personal development growth in the future as well as building more trainers in the years to follow.

Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (ACPDR) has organized and hosted the first training of rescuers on swift water within the DPPI SEE Joint Emergency Response Units in case of floods (JERU) project. The training was the first one conducted within the DPPI SEE JERU project, with another three SWIFT practical trainings yet to be organized in Croatia and Slovenia.

JERU SWIFT water rescue practical training took place from 10 to 15 of April 2017 in Slovenia (Solkan, Nova Gorica) and had a focus on rescuing from swift waters by using boats, swimming rescue techniques, reach and throw operational techniques and contact rescue operations.

Operational objectives of the training were:

1. To prepare team members of national units for flood response operations in the South East Europe region;
2. To establish effective regional cooperation and coordination of the preparedness activities in the region of South Eastern Europe in case of major floods;
3. To enhance the participants’ knowledge about international disaster response operations;
4. To increase the participants’ capability knowledge of water rescue techniques and tactics and tactical problem solving;
5. To increase knowledge of water rescue techniques, tactics, tools and equipment and boat rescue techniques;
6. To build a network among the participants by sharing the experience, existing know-how and team building.

The training was attended by 28 participants, representatives of JERU national teams from Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The JERU project aims to develop operational capabilities in case of floods in the region of SEE. The overall goal of the project is to establish, equip and train the Emergency Response Units in the DPPI SEE member countries. The project initial design has been remodeled to match the other similar interventions in the region implemented under European Commission Instrument for Pre-Accession assistance - IPA in order to avoid potential duplications and ensure necessary synergies. The project envisages organization of four (4) Swift Water Rescue trainings and one final Field Exercise.

• Training Programme
• Training Outline
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This event was a contribution of the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief of Republic of Slovenia to our annual training program. Total number of 16 firefighters from 8 DPPI SEE member states had the opportunity to train various fire suppression techniques, to exchange and to learn from each other. The Training Center in Ig, Slovenia offered excellent working conditions to meet the learning objectives. This is one of our traditional trainings that we are having in our program and one of the most appreciated by the participants.

The field exercise RO-MODEX 2017 was hosted by IGSU (General Inspectorate For Emergency Situations of Romania) and was organized in a Consortium with National Centre APELL for Disaster Management, State Rescue Fire Service, Latvia (SFRS), Austrian Red Cross (ARC), Protection and Rescue Directorate of Macedonia, General Directorate for Civil Security and Crisis Management of France and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

The aim of this exercise was to give the opportunity to EU civil protection modules and teams to have a functional full-scale exercise at European level according to Union Civil Protection policies and procedures aimed to enhance knowledge on: interoperability, safety and security, self-sufficiency, procedures, coordination and learning opportunity. 

The aim of the DPPI SEE dedicated program was to give the opportunity to civil protection experts from DPPI SEE countries to observe the RO-MODEX field exercise organized under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism where they had the possibility to see interventions in exercise sites, attend coordination meetings and visit exercise management structures. 

Seven observers from (7) DPPI SEE member countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia) participated in the program. 

Official website of EUROMODEX -  www.apell-euromodex.eu

• Event report
• Observer Program
• RO-MODEX Flayer

The training course was the second in the cycle of courses organised by the Croatian National Protection and Rescue Directorate for fire-fighting commanders from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia. 

The main objective of the course was to provide an insight into the technical rescue operations in fire-fighting interventions related to road accidents, both through theoretical lectures and practical exercises.

At the end of the course, the participants (twenty-eight in total) received certificates for having been trained in “Operational Activities in Road Accidents”

The participants were made familiar with the equipment used in interventions in road accidents; with security measures, application of various rescue methods, ensuring working conditions in special conditions (by night), tactical activities in accidents involving dangerous goods, and generating safety and protection guidelines.

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This week 16 firefighters representing 9 DPPI SEE member states are in Ig, Slovenia for the Basic Hot Fire training as part of the annual contribution of the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief of Republic of Slovenia to this year DPPI SEE training program. This training is aimed to improve the participants’ basic knowledge and techniques of fire-fighting and basic operational procedures for indoor fires. The course was also designed to raise awareness on procedures and practices of fire development and behavior in different scenarios.During the week the participants were exposed to theoretical lessons and various practical exercises supervised by licensed trainers and instructors.

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This week UNDRR office in Bonn is organizing training workshop on Sendai Framework Monitoring and Disaster Loss Databases. This is the 2nd time since last year that UNDRR is organizing such events aimed to build capacities of partners for the process of Sendai Monitoring. On both occasions, last year and this week, DPPI SEE has supported the workshops with sending representatives from the member states. This time experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Serbia are present in Bonn to learn and liaise with their colleagues across the globe and contribute to the debate of Sendai Monitoring.

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