Full Scale Exercise (FSX) #SIQUAKE2020
The main part of the #SIQUAKE2020 project activities presents the #SIQUAKE2020 Full Scale Exercise (FSX), based on a premise of an earthquake in Central Slovenia. The exercise was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is planned to take place from 4th until 8th October 2021.
The FSX is based on a scenario of an earthquake that would strike central Slovenian region with 32 municipalities. The earthquake with an intensity of VII – VIII on the European Macro seismic Scale (EMS) and its epicentre 10 kilometres southeast from Ljubljana would happen in the early morning.
Several worksites, simulating the effects of the devastating earthquake, will be prepared in the central and northern part of city of Ljubljana, Logatec and Vrhnika where various rescuers from Slovenia and abroad will operate. Several hundred participants from seven countries will be included in the exercise, namely civil protection commanders, deputy civil protection commanders and civil protection headquarters at the local, regional and national levels, civil protection staff, firefighters, Urban Search And Rescue capacities (USAR), dog handlers, scouts, Slovenian Red Cross, Slovenian Police, Slovenian Armed Forces, as well as foreign units for first assessment, shoring and stabilization of damaged buildings, providing engineering capacities and mass shelters, water purification, first aid and foreign USAR capacities. European Union Civil Protection Team (UCPT) will also participate in the exercise.
During the FSX, the participants will do the situation and damage assessment, identify needs and priorities, train search and rescue activities from damaged or destroyed buildings and providing first aid, temporary mass shelters for the affected population and logistical support, as well as Host Nation Support activities. The exercise scenario involves testing of management, reporting and coordination procedures and activities, including testing the Union Civil Protection Mechanism procedures and international response by integrating various modules and other response capabilities into the national response.
The #SIQUAKE2020 FSX timeline:
| Preparation day: | Day 1: | Day 2: | Day 3: | Day 4: |
| Preparations, EXCON arrival. | Arrival of the teams, RDC activities, Assessment, rescue activities, night work. | Meeting in OSOCC, rescue activities. | Meeting in OSOCC, rescue activities, closing ceremony. | Dismantling Base of Operations, evaluation workshop, departure. |
Many role players will be involved in the #SIQUAKE2020 exercise on various worksites. Observers from Union Civil Protection Mechanism Member States will monitor the FSX activities virtually and guests by the European Commission and consortium partners will visit the exercise worksites.
The #SIQUAKE2020 objective is raising awareness on the earthquake vulnerability of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, on potential consequences of the earthquakes within response capacities and the need for coordination and cooperation between different levels of governance. The exercise will represent an opportunity to test Union Civil Protection Mechanism procedures and international response by integrating various modules and other response capabilities in the national response; including testing and upgrading of the HNS procedures and the new incident command system.
The Full Scale Exercise will be carried out in an epidemiologically adapted form. The participants will need to meet the so called RVT condition (reconvalescents, vaccinated, tested) and perform in accordance with regulations to prevent the spread of SARS-COV19 virus and instructions of the National Institute of Public Health at the time. The scope of the FSX will be adapted to the epidemiological situation, with slightly fewer participants, trainees and role players, fewer high-ranking guests accompanying the practical exercise and an organized virtual tour for observers from the Union Civil Protection Mechanism Member States.
