Emergency preparedness and response: achievements, future needs and opportunities

The Chernobyl accident had a profound effect on emergency preparedness and response world-wide and particularly within Europe. Deficiencies in arrangements for dealing with such a large accident, at both national and international levels (eg, world trade in foodstuffs), led to many problems of both a practical and political nature. Many lessons were learnt and considerable resources have since been committed to improve emergency preparedness and avoid similar problems in future. Improvements have been made at national, regional and international levels and have been diverse in nature. Some of the more notable at an international level are the convention on early notification, limits for the contamination of foodstuffs in international trade and broad agreement on the principles of intervention (albeit less so on their practical interpretation). At a regional level, many bi and multi-lateral agreements have been brought into to force for the timely exchange of information and the efficacy of these arrangements is increasingly being demonstrated by regional exercises. At a national level, the improvements have been diverse, ranging from the installation of extensive networks of gamma monitors to provide early warning of an accident to more robust and effective arrangements between the many organisations with a role or responsibility in an emergency. More than a decade after Chernobyl, it is timely to reflect on what has been achieved in practice and, in particular, whether there is a need for further improvement and, if so, where these aspects will be addressed in the context of the likelihood the decreasing resources will be allocated to this area in future as memories fade post Chernobyl. Particular attention will be given to: the potential for advances in informatics, communications and decision support to provide better emergency preparedness and response at reduced cost; the adequacy of guidance on intervention for the long tern management of containment areas, in particular its acceptability in a socio-political context; and the opportunities for greater harmonisation and integration at a regional level (especially in regions, such as Europe, with a high density of countries) to provide benefits in terms of efficacy and costs. (author)