STA, 4 October 2021 - The national earthquake response drill #SIQUAKE2020 got under way on Monday in the Ljubljana area. The goal is to check the country's preparedness to a major earthquake in central Slovenia. Until Friday about 500 rescuers will take part in the drill at 12 locations.
Rescuers, members of the civil protection and disaster relief, its regional units, bodies and services, NGOs active in civil protection and disaster relief specialising in earthquakes as well as specialised units from Italy, Austria, Croatia and Hungary will take part in the drill in Ljubljana, Logatec, Vrhnika and Ig, with activities planned during the day and during the night.
In line with the earthquake scenario, other countries would respond to Slovenia's request for international aid.
As part of the drill, participants will assess the damage on buildings, set priorities, practice search and rescue skills, and stabilise damaged buildings.
They will provide emergency aid and set up temporary shelters for the people. About 150 people will participate as the injured, simulating mild and severe injuries.
According to the head of the firefighters' training programme, Aleš Cedilnik, the purpose of the drill is to check the solutions from the national plan, the civil protection and disaster relief plan for earthquake, and the readiness for action in case of an earthquake at the national, regional and municipal levels, and at the level of institutions and NGOs.
On Thursday, European Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič will be on a working visit to Slovenia to take part in the drill.
The Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief organised the drill in consortium with partners from the Ljubljana city municipality, Germany, Croatia and Italy and the support of the EU mechanism for civil protection in 2019-2021.
The SIQUAKE2020 project has been under way since 2019 with the support of the EU's mechanism for civil protection. It includes various activities and events such as drills, workshops and training for different types of rescuing at different levels.
