#EarthquakeExercise2018 / EU ModEX international exercise, based on coordination of medical modules starts in Bucharest

Modex Bucharest is said to be an exercise focused on the coordination and collaboration of the medical modules (EMT 1-3, AMP, MEDEVAC), and because of a large number of teams and participants, it is the most comprehensive and most complex medical exercise by modules under the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Involved in the exercise are observers and participants from the member countries of the mechanism, namely Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the UK and the USA. 

The international exercise is the fifth and final exercise of a consortium made up of ten civil protection partners during the Modex 8 2017-2018 cycle. The consortium was contracted by the European Commission to design, plan, conduct and self-assess exercises to train the following modules: medium and heavy urban search and rescue (USAR) in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) conditions; advanced medical post with or without surgery (AMP/S); field hospital (FHOS); technical assistance support team (TAST) as well as experts of a union civil protection team (UCPT). 

The programme is hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, through the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), with support from all the components of the National Emergency Management System (SNMSU) and will take place in various locations in the Bucharest area. 

European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides arrived in Bucharest on Sunday given the complexity of the scenario and the large human and technical resources involved in rescuing victims, including by activating the European Civil Protection Mechanism. 

The European official visited the mobile hospitals set up by the intervention teams in Italy, Norway, Romania and Israel.

AGERPERS