Rescuers from Belarus, Latvia, and Lithuania are developing an interaction plan for chemical emergencies

June 27, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Rescuers from three neighboring countries are starting to develop an operational interaction plan in case of a chemical accident with transboundary consequences in the Belarus-Latvia-Lithuania region. The first workshop for sharing experience among partners of the EU project "Creation of a Common Response System for Chemical Releases and Oil Spills into the Western Dvina River (Daugava) in Winter" began today in Vitebsk, Marina Fando, press secretary of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, told a BELTA correspondent. Belarusian, Latvian, and Lithuanian rescuers are participating in the workshop. Along with the draft notification and interaction schemes for partners in case of an existing or threatened chemical accident with transboundary consequences in the Belarus-Latvia-Lithuania region, foreign guests will be introduced to the activities of the "Vityaz" fire and rescue squad of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, visit the Novopolotsk fire and rescue unit and the "Polimir" plant fire and rescue squad of OJSC "Naftan", and familiarize themselves with OJSC "Polotsktransneft "Druzhba". The workshop will last until June 29. The project "Creation of a Common Response System for Chemical Releases and Oil Spills into the Western Dvina River (Daugava) in Winter" is being implemented under the Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus cross-border cooperation program. Its beneficiary is the State Fire and Rescue Service of Latvia, with partners including the Utena Fire and Rescue Department (Lithuania); the Vitebsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the Republican Special Purpose Unit of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Belarus. The cross-border territory is characterized by a concentration of a large number of chemical industrial enterprises and a dense transport network, which creates a potential threat of chemical accidents in the region. Untimely or inadequate response to oil spills or chemical releases can cause damage to vast territories of neighboring countries. Effective emergency response capable of solving this problem can only be ensured by pooling the resources of neighboring countries using a cross-border approach. The project aims to increase the level of environmental safety in the region, improve the qualifications of rescuers, and develop an operational management plan for the three countries; to improve the technical capabilities of partners through the acquisition of modern equipment for responding to oil spills and chemical releases in winter. The project includes professional training and a full-scale winter cross-border exercise on oil spill response on the Daugava River. The EU will allocate over 880 thousand euros for the project implementation. -0-