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Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania develop plan of action in the event of chemical accident

27.06.2012
VITEBSK, 27 June (BelTA) - Rescue services of Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania are beginning to develop a plan action in the event of a chemical accident with transboundary effects. The first workshop on the exchange of experience of the partners in the EU project “Setting up the joint response system to oil/chemical spills into the West Dvina (Daugava) in winter time” started in Vitebsk on 27 June. The seminar is attended by Belarusian, Latvian and Lithuanian rescuers. In addition to the planning of alert and interaction system in the event of a threat of a chemical accident with transboundary effects in the Belarus-Latvia-Lithuania region, the foreign guests will also visit the fire rescue unit "Vityaz" of the Vitebsk regional department of the Emergencies Ministry, the fire rescue unit in Novopolotsk and fire rescue squad of Polymir Plant of JSC Naftan, Polotsktransneft Druzhba. The workshop will run until 29 June. The project “Setting up the joint response system to oil/chemical spills into the West Dvina (Daugava) in winter time” is carried out as part of the transnational cooperation Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus. Its beneficiary is the state fire and rescue service of Latvia. The partners are the Utena Country Fire and Rescue Board (Lithuania), Vitebsk regional department of the Emergencies Ministry, the Republican Special Response Team of the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus. The cross-border area is characterized by high concentration of chemical industrial enterprises and dense transport network, which poses a potential threat of chemical accidents in the region. Delayed or inadequate response to oil/chemical spills may harm the vast territories of the neighboring countries. An effective response to emergencies can only be achieved by combining the resources of the neighboring countries, and using a cross-border approach. The project aims to increase the level of ecological safety in the region by ensuring prompt professional response to oil/chemical spills for sustainable development of the region. The project will increase the competence of the partners’ personnel; enhance cross-border region capacity in prevention of oil/chemical spills and joint response effectiveness through study of partners’ systems of responding to oil/chemical spills and development of an operative management plan for the three countries; improve technical capabilities of the partners through the purchase of modern equipment for eliminating oil/chemical spills in winter time. The EU will allocate over ?880,000 for the project.

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