With EU Support, the IEC and TC programme strengthen emergency preparedness globally

In order to ensure that the safety requirements are met by Member States, the IEC and TC work together to train professionals in the necessary safety standards, and to develop Member State capacities to respond to nuclear or radiological emergencies.

Ongoing work to strengthen EPR capacities in Latin America and the Caribbean provides a strong example of the IAEA's role in emergency management. Organized under the umbrella of a current technical cooperation project, a School of Radiation Emergency Management is currently taking place from 9-27 November, hosted by the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The first school of its kind in the region, this extended training event exposes participants to a robust syllabus which covers a range of critical topics, including the fundamental safety principles outlined by the Agency.

30 participants from 16 Latin American and Caribbean countries are attending the School of Emergency Management, which is funded in part by the European Commission (EC). The goal of the school, and indeed of the TC project overall, is to strengthen existing national capacities to manage a range of nuclear or radiological emergencies by implementing the appropriate safety measures, coordinating with regional counterparts, and formulating comprehensive EPR arrangements. 

In the African region, similar efforts are being made to reinforce and harmonize the capabilities of Member States to respond to a nuclear or radiological emergency. As part of an ongoing TC project also partly funded by the EC, progress has already been made in improving EPR arrangements across the region. By coordinating drills, organizing workshops and training scientific fellows, the IAEA is in a position to help bolster the human capital necessary to build and maintain effective emergency preparedness and response arrangements.

As part of the regional project, a large-scale exercise will take place from 1-4 December in Gaborone, Botswana. Following two days of comprehensive lectures on the general principles of emergency preparedness and response, 43 Member State representatives will observe a 6-hour-long exercise which will test the ability of the Botswanan first responders and national experts to effectively save lives, regain control of a situation, and mitigate consequences. In order to ensure the authenticity of the exercise, the participants haven't been informed of the scenario, and will have to rely on their training in order respond. This exercise is also an excellent opportunity to provide training to representatives of first-responder institutions of countries that have recently received a full EPREV service. These participants, which are also supported by the European Commission, will use their experience to advance in the implementation of their national EPREV Action Plans.

The European Commission supports several IAEA activities in the fields as part of a broader initiative to enhance nuclear safety and security around the world. The funding provided to the Agency facilitates the design and launch of new projects which will backstop EPR arrangements around the world with newer equipment, newly-trained staff and the newest international safety guidelines.

Project RLA/9/076 and RAF/9/052 are carried out with funding by the European Union and the IAEA.