Cross-border cooperation of non-governmental and public intervention and rescue teams

It is largely agreed that emergency situations require strong and coordinated reaction of public and civil actors. The main challenges tackled by the project refer to low capacity of 4 small public authorities along the common border of Romania-Hungary-Ukraine to act together in case of emergency and to cooperate with civil actors acting in the rescue field. The poor endowment with modern equipment and the lack of specific know-how, mainly regarding the Romanian and the Ukrainian partners, need support to develop cross-border cooperation in emergency management between these 4 small public entities at the border region, with the involvement of NGOs acting in the rescue field and covering the targeted area, through capacity building and transfer of know-how. The reaction capacity of the 4 public entities responsible in emergency management will increase through endowment with specific equipment for urban and forest fire prevention and management and through training in basic alpine rescue and first aid, for 57 own employees or volunteers. The project will facilitate the building of long term formal partnerships between local public actors and civil rescue non-profit organizations for improved joint interventions in case of emergency, through transfer of experience regarding cooperation between public service in emergency management and local volunteer rescue NGO; identification or establishment of local volunteer teams/NGOs, able to support the local public administrations in their duties during emergency situations; 3 workshops finalized with at least 6 cooperation protocols and 4 common field exercises between public entities and NGOs in 4 specific rescue situations: Forest fire intervention, urban rescue, GPS orientation, flooding. The envisaged activities are needed and welcome, considering that some of the partners are less experience and equipped, and transfer of know how and connections are vital.