Civil Emergency Planning

A key security task of the Alliance From
http://nrdisaster.blogspot.com/2008/10/civil-emergency-planning.html

The aim of civil emergency planning in NATO is to collect, analyse and share information on national planning activity to ensure the most effective use of civil resources for use during emergency situations, in accordance with Alliance objectives. It enables Allies and Partner nations to assist each other in preparing for and dealing with the consequences of crisis, disaster or conflict. In a rapidly changing world, populations in NATO and Partner countries are threatened by many risks including the possible use of chemical, biological, radiological weapons by terrorists. However, terrorism is not the only challenge. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes or fl oods and man-made disasters continue to pose a serious threat to civilian populations.
(http://www.nato.int/issues/cep/index.html)
What does this mean in practice? Civil emergency planning is first and foremost a national responsibility. However, NATO’s broad approach to security, as described in the 1999 Strategic Concept, recognizes that major civil emergencies can pose a threat to security and stability. Countries can no longer rely on purely national solutions for large-scale emergencies, particularly given the complex nature of today’s threats and the unpredictable security environment.
Which NATO bodies have a central role? Because civil emergency planning is a multi-dimensional effort, its management requires extensive coordination within the Alliance, as well as with national civil emergency planning personnel and other international organizations. The principal body in the area of civil emergencies is the Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee (SCEPC). The operational tool at its disposal is the Euro-Atlantic Planning Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC).
How has Civil Emergency Planning evolved? The concept of civil support to NATO’s military authorities was articulated early in NATO’s history. The 1956 Report on Non-Military Cooperation by the Three Wise Men says: “From the very beginning of NATO, it was recognized that while defence cooperation was the first and most urgent requirement, this was not enough… security today is far more than a military matter.”
πηγη Disaster Press
http://nrdisaster.blogspot.com/2008/10/civil-emergency-planning.html