Tajikistan: Inter-Agency Simulation Exercise for the government agencies and international organizations on response to damaging earthquake
A two days Inter-Agency simulation exercise of the government agencies, members of the Unified State System on Preparedness and Response to the emergency situations and international organizations, members of the Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT) were successfully completed on October 16, 2019.
In line with the Inter-Agency Simulation Exercise plan, on 15 October 2019, a Table-Top Exercise with the relevant staff of state emergency services and international humanitarian partners was held in the hotel “Tajikistan”. By applying a scenario of a medium-scale earthquake with the epicenter close to one of the cities, participants discussed and identified effective approaches, measures and response strategies to the earthquake, referring to their experience, knowledge, and skills, as well as existing standard operating procedures and contingency plans. The Table-Top Exercise was held in two parts, where the first part simulated the first 6 to 72 hours after the disaster, while the second part simulated the next 3 to 10 days after the disaster.
On the following day, October 16, 2019 the Field Exercise was held in the training field of the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan (hereinafter referred to as CoES), located in the “Qaratagh” gorge and involved over 40 units of specialized machinery and demonstrated tent camp for hosting affected population. The Field Exercise mobilized resources and efforts of the Unified State System on Emergency Preparedness and Response, including search and rescue teams, the first aid teams, the communal services, as well as other vital services required during the response operation. Field Exercise also involved contingency stocks of the humanitarian partners, members of the Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT), such as the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, Tajikistan Red Crescent Society and the UN World Food Programme.
Inter-Agency Simulation Exercise provided a unique opportunity for the government agencies and international organizations to test the level of preparedness of national, international and inter-agency disaster response coordination arrangements and procedures.
The Simulation Exercise was jointly organized by the CoES, the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Tajikistan and the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, with close involvement and support from the different organizations such as UN World Food Programme, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat and the OSCE.