TIRANA, April 12 /ATA/ – A full scale exercise of national civil protection authorities of the Western Balkans and neighboring countries completed in the north-western Albanian municipality of Shkoder on Saturday, testing civil protection preparedness and response capabilities in dealing with large, complex disasters that require joint response coordination facilitated via the Union Civil Protection Mechanism.
The four-day full scale exercise “Flood NorthALB” saw participation of the national civil protection authorities and search and rescue teams from 13 partners, Western Balkans and European countries, testing readiness and response capabilities of civil protection agencies and international coordination in the event of natural emergencies.
The Delegation of the European Union to Albania said in a post on the social media that Flood North ALB exercise in Shkodra has shown how European cooperation makes a real difference when disaster strikes.
“The EU funded project, brought together local and international partners to enhance civil protection capabilities and ensure better coordination in response to complex emergencies, such as severe flooding,” the EU Delegation said.
Accoding to the EU Delegation, “with EU support, Albania is building stronger civil protection systems and taking an active role in regional preparedness, because readiness is key to saving lives and minimizing damage.”
“As a recent member of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism since 2022, Albania has demonstrated remarkable dedication. The full-scale FloodNorthALB exercise shows the critical need to bolster European preparedness for all types of disasters, whether natural or man-made. A rapid and effective response, particularly in densely populated areas like the Shkodër region, are essential to saving lives and minimizing environmental damage,” said Andre Rizzio, Head of Political Section at EU Delegation to Albania.
The four-day exercise tested a range of various scenarios with the participants simulating real world events to assist the affected population in flooded areas.
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