Host  Na(on  Support     Floods  2014  -­‐  Lessons  Learned   Katarina  Jovanović   Host  Na(on  Support     Belgrade,  Serbia   20-­‐21  May  2015    

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Republic  of  Serbia  has  been  affected  by  the  catastrophic  floods,   unprecedented  in  its  history.  

Following  the  session  of  Na=onal  Emergency  Management  HQ  (NEMH)   Emergency  Situa=on  was  declared  for  the  whole  territory  of  the  Serbia,   on  15  May  and  lasted  un=l  23  May  2014  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

  Affected   Municipali=es  

Mostly  affected  Municipali=es     in  Floods  2014  

40  Municipali=es     –  9  ci=es,  and     –  31  municipali=es     1,6  million  people  were   affected       Municipality  of  Obrenovac,   near  Belgrade,  was  mostly   affected  (90%  flooded)  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Consequences   Ø   31,879  people  were  rescued  and  evacuated   with  180.000  in  need  of  assistance   Ø   485  housing  units  are  completely  destroyed  by   the  floods  and  landslides,  16.200  housing   damaged   Ø   Environment   Ø   Economy  –  mostly  affected  economic  sectors   were  energy,  mining,  and  agriculture,     Ø   Road  infrastructure  –  roads,  bridges  and   railways   Ø   Health  Sector  –  74  health  facili=es,  including   health  posts  and  clinics,  were  affected   Ø   Educa=on  –  total  of  35  buildings  of  educa=onal   ins=tu=ons  was  severely  damaged     Ø   Losses  mount  to  1,5  billion  Euros        

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Republic  of  Serbia  has  engaged  all  available  na=onal   resources  in  protec=on  and  rescue  ac=vi=es       Na=onal  Emergency  Management  HQ,  coordinated   the  work  of  all  government  ministries  and  agencies   that  were  involved  in  the  na=onal  response  to  the   disaster.       Emergency  ac(vi(es  -­‐  Engaged  Forces  

Ø   Sector  for  Emergency  Management,  MoI     Fire  Rescue  Units,  Specialized  Flood  Response  and  USAR   Teams,  Specialized  Civil  protec=on  Units   Ø   General  Police  Directorate,  MoI     Police,  Gendarmerie,  Special  Units,  Helicopter  Units,   Border  Police,  Traffic  Police,  and  all  other  services  of  the   Ministry  of  Interior   Ø   Serbian  Army   Ø   Red  Cross  of  Serbia   Ø   Mountain  Rescue  Service  of  Serbia   Ø   Associa(ons,  organiza(ons  and  companies   Ø   Volunteers      

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Legisla(on   Law  on  Emergency  Situa(ons   •  Define  that  in  the  area  of  protec=on  and  rescue,  the  Government  make  a   decision  to  provide,  request  and  accept  interna=onal  assistance  in  the   area  of  protec=on  and  rescue  (Ar=cle  10),     •  Interna=onal  coopera=on  in  the  area  of  protec=on  and  rescue  shall  be   conducted  in  par=cular  through:  (Ar=cle  140),     –  Providing,  reques=ng  and  accep=ng  assistance  in  protec=on  and   rescue  of  people  and  material  goods;   –  Coordina=on  in  the  case  of  crossing  the  state  border  during   acceptance  or  provision  of  interna=onal  aid,  as  well  as  during  the   transit  of  forces  and  goods  intended  as  aid  in  protec=on  and  rescue   between  other  states;     –  Mutual  no=fica=on  and  exchange  of  informa=on  with  other  countries   on  the  threats  and  consequences  of  catastrophes  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Interna(onal  Assistance  

      On  15  of  May     Government  of  Serbia  has  requested   interna(onal  assistance  on  bilateral  level   and  through  the  European  Union  Civil   Protec(on  Mechanism     •   Flood  Rescue  Teams   •   Helicopters     •   High  Capacity  Water  Pumping   •   Water  Purifica=on  Teams         Sector  for  Emergency  Management,  MoI,   was  responsible  for  the  coordina=on  and   engagement  of  the  interna=onal  teams  in   the  affected  areas     Assistance  was  provided  by     14  countries  –  22  teams  –  with  563   members        

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Interna(onal   Assistance  

  EU  Civil  Protec(on   Mechanism   Ø   Austria       Ø   Bulgaria     Ø   Czech  Republic     Ø   Denmark   Ø   France   Ø   Germany   Ø   Romania   Ø   Slovenia  

      Bilateral   Rela(ons   Ø   Belarus   Ø   Croa=a       Ø   Hungary       Ø   Macedonia     Ø   Montenegro     Ø   Russian   Federa=on        

  Serbia  has  also  received  humanitarian      

aid  and  financial  support  from  many   countries  and  interna=onal   organiza=on  and  private  donors      

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Arrival  of  interna(onal  teams   •  Communica=on  with  directorates   whose  sending  assistance  –   collec=ng  informa=on  about   teams  (number  of  peoples,   vehicles,  equipment,  =me  of   arrival,  border  crossing,...)   •  Coordina=on  with:     –  –  –  – 

border  police,     customs,     traffic  police,     JP  “Putevi  Srbije”  

•  Interna(onal  teams  for  flood  rescue  opera(ons   as  well  as  high  capacity  pumping,  were   deployed  to  the  field  according  to  the  needs  and   coordinated  by  the  Sector  for  emergency   management  and  Serbian  Army  with  the  local   emergency  management  Headquarters.   •  The  teams  were  deployed  to  most  affected   areas  in  Obrenovac,  Kostolac,  Lazarevac,  Sabac,   Sid,  Sremska  Mitrovica,  Jagodina,  Paracina,   Krupanj,  and  Ub.  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

       Liaison  officers  

•  BAT,  OMT,  ADT,  HNS   •  Nominee  liaison  officers  with     knowledge  of  English  or  other  language   •  Card  for  fuel   •  Mobil  phone  (cell  phone)   •  Constant  communica=on  with    teams  (2  x  day)   •  Solving  problems  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

•  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  • 

Accommoda=on  for  teams   Meals     Park  space  for  vehicles   Security   Medical  assistance  (AU,  CZ)   Disaster  tourism   How  to  reject  offer  for  assistance   NUS  (Jamena)   Sanita=on   Assigning  tasks  to  teams  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

•  At  the  most  cri=cal  site  in  Obrenovac,  at  the  most   important  Serbian  Power  plant  that  produces  more   than  60%  of  electricity,  together  with  Serbian  forces   who  were  engaged  in  intensifica=on  of  dams,   interna=onal  high  capacity  pumping  teams   succeeded  to  lower  the  water  level  considerably.     •  Following  that,  pumping  ac=vi=es  were  shiked  to  the   more  urban  areas.  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Helicopters  from:   •   Slovenia,     •  Germany,     •  Macedonia,   •  Hungary,     •  Russia,     •  Belarus  and     •  the  con=ngent  of  EULEX  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

•  Given  the  difficult  situa=on  at  the  flooded  open  pit  mines  of   Company  Kolubara  in  Lazarevac  a  request  was  made  through   the  ERCC  for  an  expert  for  water  pumping  with  high-­‐capacity   pumps.  The  expert  visited  the  Kolubara  mines  and  prepared  a   brief  report  that  was  sent  to  the  relevant  ministries  and   ins=tu=ons  for  a  review.    

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

•  In  coordina=on  with  the  Ministry  of  Health,  further  Water   Purifica=on  Units  (teams)  were  requested  and  received   from  Hungary  (billateraly),  and  Germany  were  engaged   and  opera=onal  near  Belgrade  (Obrenovac),  and  France   were  engaged  Svilajnac  and  Cuprija.     •  German  Water  purifica=on  team  were  ac=ve  in   Obrenovac  =ll  the  end  of  July.  These  teams  stayed  the   longest  due  to  the  situa=on  with  water  supply.  German   WP  team  is  staying  in  Obrenovac  un=l  the  end  of  July,   while  the  Hungarian  and  French  team  lek  in  the  first   week  of  June.    

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

  •  Aker  the  revoking  the  emergency  in  Serbia  work  of  the   Department  for  Interna=onal  Rela=ons  and  Coordina=on  of   Assistance    completed  aker  the  last  interna=onal  teams   departure  from  Serbia.    

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Lessons  learned   •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  • 

RDC  on  border  crossing  points   Training  for  Liaison  Officers   LO  in  Emergency  Management  HQ   Mobile  cards  or  TETRA  for  LO   Define  possible  loca=ons    for  BoO  in  preparing  plans  for  rescue  and   protec=on     Loca=on  and  task  for  interna=onal  teams  –  adequate  to  their  exper=se   Informa=on  to  the  ministries  and  local  management  about  procedures  for   reques=ng  the  assistance     Informa=on  to  the  ministries  and  local  management  about  rights  of   interna=onal  teams   Making  priority  in  teams  engagement  depending  on  equipment  that   teams  have   Informing  SEM  about  every  assistance  going  through  local  self-­‐ government  (teams  or  humanitarian  aid)   Security    -­‐  local  management   Shiks  work  

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior Sector for Emergency Management

Thank you for your attention

Katarina  Jovanović  

Head  of  Interna=onal  Rela=ons  and     Coordina=on  of  Assistance  Division   Sector  for  Emergency  Management   Ministry  of  Interior   Republic  of  Serbia