International Summer School on Disaster Management 21-27 August 2017
The 2017 International Summer School on Disaster Management in Arcalia, Romania was held from the 21st of August until the 27th of August. Throughout one week the participants have gained theoretical knowledge and practical skills regarding the emergency response operations at regional, national, European and global level.
The main organizer was the Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering - Research Institute for Sustainability and Disaster Management based on High Performance Computing (ISUMADECIP) within the Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
The partners of the event were:
- National University of Public Services, Hungary
- Department for Emergency Situations within the Ministry of Internal Affairs
- CLEMS – ECO-Innovation Cluster for Sustainable Environment
- APELL National Center for Disaster Management Foundation CN APELL – RO
- S.C. ICPE Bistrita S.A.
During the first 3 days of the summer school the participants have received lectures on disaster risk management (theory & concepts), disaster response management and coordination, and disaster environment, while the last days were dedicated to a civil protection exercise, where the trainees have set up a Base of Operations and have received different assignments in the field.
The trainees were also involved in several group exercises, which were great teambuilding opportunities for the students. The students took part in exercises to learn the necessary pre-mission conditions in order to be deployed in a country affected by disaster.
After several group works during the firts 4 days, the trainees received the scenario for the field exercise. The exercise lasted 48 hours. After setting up the Base of Operations (BoO), the teams have received assignments in the field to provide disaster assistance in the affected country. At the end of the exercise, there was the handover between the teams deployed in the country affected by disaster and the new teams coming to replace them. After that they packed their Base of Operations and left for their homes. On the last day of the summer school, the participants have had debates and discussions on the summer school activities, followed by conclusions and closing ceremony.
The theoretical classes were given by lecturers from the two partner universities and by disaster management experts from Finland, Hungary and Romania. The field exercise was facilitated by specilists experienced in international missions.
