PSTRAZE 2007
International exercise of USAR teams in Poland in the Žagaň Military Area
One team of the Ministry of Interior – Directorate General of Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic participated in this exercise. The team was composed of firefighters from the Moravian – Silesian FRS, and of certificated dog handlers with dogs.
Exercise process:
The exercise started on Monday, 18 June 2007. It was divided in two 31-hours sections of continuous operations in terrain, and it finished on Thursday, 21 June 2007.
The scenario was following: on 17 June at 9:34 a.m. an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck in the industrial town of Pstraze with population of 31,165 inhabitants. The affected town was almost destroyed, more then 2,000 persons were wounded, and 650 were still missing. In the town they were two factories for chemical production situated. The security situation was unknown.
The Czech Liaison Officer and the USAR Team Leader started to coordinate search and rescue operation together with local authorities. All their activities were supervised by Polish referees, who judged/evaluated the Team activities.
The Czech team operated in three sectors, where they marked total of 34 buildings or their wreckage. With help of dogs and dog handlers, and some electronic search equipment (slotted camera, echo locator and bio radar) the Czech team found 41 persons (incl. bodies or parts of bodies). All 27 injured persons were rescued, and the USAR team members ensured their life functions. The USAR team solved many difficult situations during the exercise: e.g. intervention in the psychiatric asylum, where in consequences of the earthquake some inmates escaped from the asylum and attacked the rescuers.
Aim of the exercise:
The aim of this exercise was to prove the structure and abilities of the new-formed USAR team of the Moravian – Silesian FRS. Their base was built up from their own equipmentThe aim of this exercise was to prove the structure and abilities of the new-formed USAR team of Moravian - Silesian FRS.
Conclusion of the exercise:
Only the Czech USAR team operated in both parts of the exercise, and kept all requirements for continuous activities. The USAR team members achieved these excellent results in conjunction with canine group of four dog handlers.
Capt. Richard Franc