An EU-US disaster relief agreement
(BRUSSELS2) “ We can work better together is, in a way, the message delivered by the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, and Craig Fugate, Director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), during a sandwich-debate organized by The Center last Friday. The Europeans have already lent a hand to the Americans during the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. And they worked, side by side, during the explosion of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. To go further, the European Commission has signed a memorandum of cooperation with its American equivalent.
A first step: sharing information, feedback
We will not see common teams right away. But this agreement is a first step. It thus includes the principle of regular exchanges of information between the Civil Protection Coordination Cell (MIC) and the RCC, FEMA's National Resource Coordination Center. Information that becomes real-time during disasters, which can go as far as the exchange of personnel to observe operations where possible. Examination of experience feedback, best practices for prevention, such as alert or rescue is also a criterion.
« You have to look at all the possible systems, such as SMS alerts for example explains the curator. The exchange of information will also cover the development of disaster prevention and preparedness plans, or volunteer programs.
« We must gradually see how we work, how to ensure that our means are operational with each other (interoperable, we would say in military jargon), whether for intervention procedures, means of communication, etc. » confided Commissioner Georgieva after this meeting.
Other agreements have been signed between the Commission's civil protection unit and its equivalents in Russia and Australia. Another should be soon, according to our information, with Chile.
Download the agreement: B2 docs
