civil emergency / crisis management: civil emergency coordination in switzerland

04/11/05 Rudolf Wyder 1

Civil Emergency / Crisis Management:Civil Emergency Coordination

in Switzerland


• Construction of Switzerland as a state

• Principles and structures of Swiss Crisis Prevention and Crisis Management• August 2005 Floods

• Commune of Brienz (CM)• City of Berne (CM)• Damage and insurance contributions• Lessons learned

• Conclusions

Introduction


• Federalist structure

• Principle of militia

• Principle of subsidiarity

Construction of Switzerland as a state


• Swiss Confederation (yearly budget: about 51 billion SFR)

• 26 cantons (states) yearly budgets: about 67 billion SFR)

... districts

• about 2‘800 municipalities (yearly budgets: about 42 billion SFR)

(figures for 2004)

Federalist structure


Federal levelFederal constitution, framework in all important fields, Foreign policy, Defense policy (armed forces), supervision of the cantons, Social insurances, customs/border guard, Public pro-secutors office, Federal court, Federal Police (only criminal investigation), national traffic systems, finances and taxes, Crisis Prevention and ManagementCantonal level26 constitutions, Public security (Justice, Police, penal system, CPC), Education (Primary and secondary school, university, profession-related training), Promotion of Cultural activities, Public health system (hospitals), Social Wellfare, Traffic system (national and regional roads), Environmental planning and management, Public economic affairs (promotion of agriculture), Finances and Taxes, Crisis Prevention and Management(including supervision of the municipal preparations)Communal levelabout 2‘800 decrees, Public security (Police, CPC, Fire Brigade), Education (nursery school, primary school), Promotion of Cultural activities and Sports, Public health system (ambulance service, hospitals), Social Wellfare (income support, old peoples home),Traffic system (local roads), Environmental planning and management , Local Public Service, Finances and Taxes, Crisis Prevention and Management

Allocation of tasks


Principle of militia

• Examples:

• Federal member of parliament, member of advising committees, level member of the armed forces (up to brigadier general)

• Cantonal member of parliament, member of advising committees level

• Communal member of parliament, mayor, member of the council, level member of adivising committees, member of the fire brigade (all ranks), member of CPC (all ranks), member of CM Staff, member of mountain or water rescue team

• Voluntary or obligatory (sidelined) undertaking of public duties


• national level

• cantonal level

• communal level

• family level

Principle of subsidiarity

request

support


Principles and structures of Swiss Crisis Prevention and Management

• Law • Responsibilities• Strategic situations• Dealing with risks• Basic structure CM staff• Phases• Growing up emergency forces• Coordination / Cooperation• Information


Law (crisis prevention and management)• Federal constitution tasks cantons

• exception: violance of strategic extent• federal guidelines (epidemics)• federal CM organization

• Cantonal law: • communal responsibility• cantonal guidelines and support • cantonal CM organization

• Communal decrees• communal government in charge• communal CM organization


Responsibilties in case of crisisFederal responsibility• National security policy / National Crisis Prevention and Management• Military defense• extensive emergencies (radiation, epidemics, eartquake, terrorism)• Guidelines in favour of the cantons • expertise, but limited emergency services (CM staff, armed forces)Cantonal responsibility• Regional Crisis Prevention and Management• emergencies of regional importance: floods, avalanches, serious accidents • Support for national and municipal level / Guidelines in favour of the municipalties • expertise and emergency services (CM staff, state police, hospitals, department of works, NBC organMunicipal responsibility• Local Crisis Prevention and Management• emergencies of local importance• support for cantonal level • Emergency services (CM staff, police, fire brigade, ambulances, CPC, department of works)


Strategic situations

Normal situation: can be handled by use of normal proceduresand instruments (no supplementaryressources, no emergency law)

Special situation: special procedures, supplementaryressources and emergency law are to beused selectively

Extraordinary special procedures, supplementarysituation: ressources and emergency law are to be

used on a large scale


Dealing with risks (1)

Risk prevention

Dealing withremaining

risks

Containing the causes

Reducing the effects

Reductionof damage

• Protection of life and limb• Protection of infrastructure• Protection of important goods

Repair or compensation Insurance

Normal

Special orextraordinary

Strategicsituation Main tasks Specific tasks

Preparation for dealing with remaining risks

• Reglementation• Technical measures

• Early warning system• Contingency planning• Appropriate readiness

• Reglementation• Technical measures



This map shows an important risk on landslide (in red) in the commune of Sörenberg. There are other maps for other risks.



An ongoing programme should avoid floods along the Linth canal.



Emergency planning:• Concrete emergency planning for threats, which can be limited to a place or a small area

• For remaing risks exist conceptions for crisis reaction measures (alarming, readiness, training)


Basic structure CM staffgovernment

Security committee(3 members of government)

Head of CM

CM Staff

FinancesPersonel

HealthSocial affairs

EducationCultural affairs

JusticeMunicipalities

Churches

ConstructionsTrafficEnergy

SituationPlanning

OperationsCoordination

Liaison Administrativesupport

CommunicationsTechnical support

Neighbours andpartners

Chief of staff

The Presidentsauthority Police

Military affairsCPCGeneral

Services

Economicaffairs

Information!


Phases (flood)1) General prevention:

• readiness emergency services• contingency planning • protection measures

2) Specific prevention• observation• improving readiness CM staff/services• evacuation (persons, animals, important goods)

3) Management: • rescue operations / avoiding important damage• clearing up operation

4) Repair work (project organisation)


Growing up emergency forces

15 min 30 min 60 min 24h12 h6 h3 h

Strength

time


Coordination and cooperationFederal government

Head of CM

CM StaffInformation

Cantonal government

Head of CM

CM StaffInformation

Municipal government

Head of CM

CM StaffInformationNeighbouring

Communes

Neighbouring Cantons

Neighbouring countries

Non-gouvernmentalpartners




Information

1. Habitants affected by the flood• Phone service for worried people• Private radio, private TV• Information sheets• Information point• District/quarter associations

2. Mass media• Press communiqués • Media conferences

3. No contradictions!


Floods in August 2005

• the causes

• the commune of Brienz example

• the city of Berne example

• specific difficulties

• Lessons learned


Causes of the floods

• August 22, 2005: up to 200 litres rain per m3 within 24 hours (accurate weather forecast)

• mountain streams carry rocks, rubble, mud, trees

• mud-avalanges

• floating trees

• very quick rise of water levels

• floods (streams, rivers, lakes)

• damage and destruction


Zone of heavy rainfall

August 2005 floods in Switzerland


The commune of Brienz example

• Characteristics

• CM organization

• Nature of the problem

• Crisis Prevention

• Crisis Management


Characteristics (Brienz)

• 3‘000 habitants• 50 km2• Tourism• regional road / railway line• Fire brigade (115 men/women)• Civil protection Corps (80 men/women)• local police = cantonal police (3 policemen)• Works services (15 men)


CM organization (Brienz)municipal government


Director of Planning/Operations

Crisis Management Staff

ConstructionsTraffic

Green space

FinancesPersonnelComputers

Education Social affairs

Sports

Generalservices

SecurityEnvironment

Energy

Situation

(State Police)

PlanningOperations

CoordinationLiaison Administrative

supportCommunicationsTechnical support


Chief of staff

The mayorsauthority

CPC

Water/Sewage

Fire Brigade Roads/Pathes

Forest


Commune of Brienz

Glyssibach stream

Baalen (start of landslide)

Trachtbach stream

main damage area

Flooded areas


Nature of the problem (Brienz)• Baalen: 10‘000 m3 Fels starts to glide• carries 100‘000 m3 of rubble• 1/3 of it glides into bed of Glyssibach stream• pushes 50‘000 m3 of rubble, smud an wood• blocked stream bed• stream finds a new course• cuts Brienz village in two parts• kills 2 women• damages 13 houses and destroys 8• destroys regional road and railway line• other floods caused by Trachtbach stream and lake of Brienz


Crisis Prevention (Brienz)

• mobilisation CM Organisation and emergency services• observation 3 mountain streams• Information of the population • strengthening of embankments • closing bridges (roads, railway line)• contructing of building machinery • attempts to excavate stream bed • evacuation of 500 persons


Crisis Management (Brienz)

• information of the population/mass medias • search for missing persons• force Gyssibach stream back to his bed• restore vital connections inside village• request for support

• district CM Staff / district state police• fire men and CP men from near municipalities, city of Berne and other cantons (GE, VS, ZH)• troops of the armed forces

• restore public services (water, food, postal service) • clearing-up operation (duration: 3 weeks)• about 300 helpers in use (simulteanously)


Impressions of flooded Brienz

The following pictures show the floodedvillage of Brienz (4 different perspectives)


Brienz: area flooded by Trachtbach stream


Brienz: damage caused by Glyssibach stream


Brienz: flood caused by lake of Brienz


Brienz: damage caused by Glyssibach stream


The city of Berne example

• Characteristics

• CM organization

• Nature of the problem

• Crisis Prevention

• Crisis Management

• Information


Characteristics (Berne)

• 120‘000 inhabitants• 50 km2• famous medieval town• numerous commuters• capital Berne canton and Switzerland• city police department (650 men/women)• professional Fire Brigade (100 men) and militia fire batallion (350 men)• Civil protection corps (500 men/women)• works services


CM organization (Berne)communal government


Director of Planning/Operations

CM Staff

ConstructionsTraffic

Green space

FinancesPersonnelComputers

Education Social affairs

Sports

Generalservices

SecurityEnvironment

Energy

Situation

Police force

Planning andOperations Liaison Administrative

supportCommunicationsTechnical support


Chief of staff

The mayorsauthority

CPC

Water/sewage

Fire Brigade

Ambulances

NBC Service

Road network

Electricity/Gas

Hospitals

Care teams


Nature of the problem (Berne)

• water level Aare river riseses about 2 m within 24 h• floating wood locks mill canal in direction of mill building and Aare river (closing of the ducts)• floating wood difficult to be removed• mill canal streams through lower part of the town• difficult evacuation of people and cars


Crisis Prevention (Bern)1) Because of weather forecast:

• activation CM staff• provision of material (sacks filled with sand etc.)• reinforcement professional fire brigade

2) Because of very heavy rain: • reconnaissance and observation• activation militia firemen and CPC members• construction of improvised embankments• information inhabitants at risk (evacuation of

cars, preparation evacuation inhabitants)• closing roads at risk• switching off electricity


Crisis Management (Berne)

• Information of inhabitants at risk and mass media (22/08 till 29/08)• Psychological care for desparate inhabitants (22/08 till ...)• Voluntary evacuation of inhabitants at risk (22/08 and 23/08)• Attempts to remove floating trees (23/08 and 24/08)• Obligatory evacuation of inhabitants at risk (24/08 and 25/08)• Removing floating trees (25/08 and 26/08)• Return of houses/appartments to the inhabitants (27/08)• Clearing-up flooded area (28/08/ till 31/08)• Beginning of reconstruction (01/09)


Impressions of flooded city of Berne

Please look at the DVD „Land unter!“


Forces brought into action (Berne)

Firebrigade

Bern: professional fire brigade and volunteer fire batallion volunteer fire brigades from 10 neighbouring communes

Civilprotection

corpsBerne and 3 neighbouring communes

ArmedForces

1 rescue platoon from rapid reaction rescue company1 company from mechanized artillery batallion1 company from signals batallion1 motor boat platoon

Para-medics

Ambulance service city of BernePrivate river rafting companyvolunteer care teams

PoliceCity of Berne Police Departmentprivate Security company (surveillance of flooded area)

Rescue helicopters(NGO)


1) Habitants affected by the flood• Phone service for worried people (day and night) • Information by local radio station and internet

(www.matte.ch)• Information sheets (8)• Information point at „Läuferplatz“• Direct contacts with quarter associations

2) Mass media• regular communiqués from CM staff (20)• Media conferences (4)• visits to the crisis area (4)

Information (22/08 till 29/08)


Specific difficulties (Brienz and Berne)

• concrete weather forecast (local needs)

• unusual rapid rise of water levels

• transition from normal to special strategic situation (cantonal office for water affairs)

• regional CPC (lack of communal autonomy)

• evacuation of reluctant/unruly inhabitants

• floating trees (difficult removal)


August 2005 floods: damage and insurance contributions (Switzerland)

• five persons killed

• Damaged buildings: about 1 billion SFR

• Damaged household goods: about 0,9 billion SFR

• Damaged public infrastructure: about 0,55 billion SFR


Dangerous moments (1)

Dangerous situations arose in connexion with:

• evacuation of inhabitants at risk (by motor and by helicopter)

• removal of floating trees (by crane, motorboat and helicopter)

• attempts to deepen the beds of streams and rivers

Look at the following example.



An excavator rolls into the Reuss river to deepen the bed of the river, which has started to flood a nearby village.



The pilote starts to deepen the bed of the Reuss stream.



The ecavator gets into deeper water and the cabin is going to be flooded. The pilote asks for help by giving signs.



A rescue helicopter from a nearby basis arrives within 6 minutes and aengineer lets the emergency doctor down by the winch.

http://www.gmxattachments.net/de/cgi/msgpart/Rettung4%2Ebmp?LANG=de&MSGNO=82%2Decc0a54fc6b9243de6fca4691cd06f9d&m=1882537900%2E1131482961&PARTNO=5&PARTFILE=Rettung4%2Ebmp&LANG=de&FROM=%22Sommer%22+%3CSommer%40buerki%2Dbuerobedarf%2Ech%3E&DL=1

http://www.gmxattachments.net/de/cgi/msgpart/Rettung4%2Ebmp?LANG=de&MSGNO=82%2Decc0a54fc6b9243de6fca4691cd06f9d&m=1882537900%2E1131482961&PARTNO=5&PARTFILE=Rettung4%2Ebmp&LANG=de&FROM=%22Sommer%22+%3CSommer%40buerki%2Dbuerobedarf%2Ech%3E&DL=1



The emergency doctor suceeds to open the cabin door and to take out the pilote.


August 2005 floods: lessons learned• confirmation of effectiveness of preventive constructions• acceleration of existing programmes• generation of new programmes

• widening and deepening beds of streams and rivers• clearing-up beds of mountain streams

• improvement transition from normal to special strategic situation (readniness cantonal administration)• decentralised command without alternative • relevance of helicopters (reconnaisance, evacuation) and big ecavators with long jib (removal floating trees)


Conclusions

+ nearness to the habitants+ knowledge about local facts/conditions + appropriate crisis management capacity (hundreds of scenes of damage)+ militia as an indispensible ressource of personnel+ competitive striving for improvement- amateurism (small municipalities)- need for coordination not always understood- lacks of commitment (prevention) - to much importance to the last incident (lessons learned form 1999 floods)


Final remark

Federal level

Cantonal level

Communal level

NGO‘s

Neighbours

International level

It‘s an open and flexible system based on partnership!


Map of the medieval part of the city of Berne

Aare river

Lower part of town

Mill canal

Dam with ducts

Upper part of town

Mill

Aare river

Aare river

civil emergency / crisis management: civil emergency coordination in switzerland

Documents

member of cpc

federal member of parliament

member of mountain

public security police

federal police

traffic system national

public health system

public security justice