Joint Committee on Rescue Cooperation in the Barents Region

Risk scenarios for major accidents, natural disasters, and man-made emergencies show many similarities in the Barents Region. There are long distances between economic centres, sparsely populated rural communities, limited rescue personnel and equipment, and restricted means for transport and hospital resources available in case of larger accidents.

Increased transboundary co-operation across national/federal and county borders can facilitate and improve emergency and rescue operation. Assistance could be provided more efficiently, faster and at lower operating cost. Direct access to additional resources and specialised functions in neighbouring countries could be assured. Preparedness and prevention measures could be co-ordinated.

An Agreement between the Governments in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region on Cooperation within the field of Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response has been developed between Finland, Norway, the Russian Federation and Sweden. The Agreement was signed on 11 December 2008 in Moscow, but has not yet entered into force.  A Joint Committee has been established in order to strengthen and expand ongoing, transboundary, emergency and rescue services co-operations at county level in order to improve the interoperability of emergency and rescue services functions in the Barents Region.

The aim of the Barents Rescue co-operation is to improve the possibilities for the rescue services agencies to co-operate on emergency and rescue issues across county and national/federal borders in the Barents Region. Such increased co-operation would make optimal use of the widely dispersed resources and provide assistance faster and more directly. Specialist functions would be made available to neighbours in need.

Focus is on day-to-day basic emergency situations, such as traffic accidents, forest fires, tourism related accidents, fires in open cabins, floods and ice plugs, and industrial and chemical accidents.

Useful links:

The Joint Committee's Document Archive 

Barents Rescue 2011: Information Page | Planning, Performance and Evaluation Report 

Barents Rescue 2009: Information Folder  |  Information Booklet  |  Final Exercise Report 

Barents Rescue 2007: Evaluation Report

Barents Rescue 2005: Evaluation Report

Barents Rescue 2001: Evaluation Report 

The Joint Committee's presentation at the BEAC CSO Meeting in Oslo, 7-8 December 2011


The following agencies and ministries are represented in the Joint Committee: 

Contacts:

Ms. Pia Övelius (Chair)
Ministry of Defence
Jakobsgatan 9
103 33 Stockholm, Sweden
e-mail: pia.ovelius@defence.ministry.se
Tel. +46 8 405 31 51
Fax. +46 8 20 44 83

Ms. Inna Ponomareva 
EMERCOM of Russia
Department of International Cooperation
3, Teatralny Proezd
109012 Moscow, Russia
E-mail: dmd@mchs.gov.ru
Tel: +7 495 626 39 75
Fax: +7 495 626 84 10


Mr. Viktor Minaylov
EMERCOM of Russia, Murmansk region
Burkov st. 4
Murmansk, Russia
E-mail: gumur@polarnet.ru
Tel: +7 8152 45 8048
Tel: +7 921 044 14 04
Tel: +7 906 288 9288
Fax: +7 815 245 111
Mr. Vladimir Kazakov

Emercom of Russia, Murmank region

Burkov st. 4

Murmansk,  Russia

e-mail: ice_earl@mail.ru

Tel: + 7 921 171 84 03

Fax: + 7 815 245 9777/815 2 52 29 51

Mr. Jukka Metso

Ministry of Interior

P.O. Box 26

00023 Government

Finland

e-mail: jukka.metso@intermin.fi

Tel: + 358 71 878 8444

Mobile: + 358 40 55 77611

Fax: + 358 9 71 878 8466 

Mr. Harri Paldanius
Emergency service of Lapland
Verkkotehtaankatu 6
95420 Tornio, Finland
E-mail: harri.paldanius@lapinpelastuslaitos.fi
Tel: +358 20 131 1240
Mobile: + 358 40 765 4967
Fax: + 358 2 0131 1248

 

Mr. Kjell Johansen
Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre Northern Norway
P.O.Box 1016
8001 Bodø, Norway
E-mail: kj@jrcc-bodoe.no
Tel: +47 75 55 93 00
Mobile: +47 913 00 469
Fax: +47 75 52 42 00

Ms. Bente Michaelsen
Ministry of Justice and the Police
P.O. Box 8005 Dep
0030 Oslo, Norway
E-mail: bente.michaelsen@jd.dep.no
Tel: + 47 22 24 52 22
Mobile: + 47 45 42 13 21
Fax: + 47 22 24 51 64

Mr. Jari Aalto
Administration of the province of Lapland
Rescue Department
P.O.Box 8002
96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
E-mail: jari.aalto@avi.fi
Tel: +358 71 876 2560
Mobile: +358 40 5200 486
Fax: +358 71 876 2569

Ms. Julia Fredriksson
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
651 81 Karlstad, Sweden
E-mail: julia.fredriksson@msb.se
Tel: + 46 10 240 5047
Mobile: + 46 703 60 2033
Fax: + 46 10 240 5600

Ms. Karin Börjesson

County Administrative Board of Norrbotten

97186 Luleå

Sweden

e-mail: Karin.borjesson@lansstyrelsen.se

Tel: + 46 920 96 306

Mobile: + 46 73 809 6306

Fax: + 46 920 22 84 11

 

Calendar of Events
International seminar on fire prevention and supervisory avtivities
1.9.2012–30.9.2012
A seminar arranged by the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (Emercom of Russia).

Place: Moscow, Russia (dates are tentative)
Joint Committee on Rescue Cooperation
3.12.2012–5.12.2012
The indicated dates are tentative

Place: Tromsø, Norway (dates are tentative)