National crisis and disaster relief management, as well as international disaster relief

1. National crisis and disaster relief management, as well as international disaster relief from the perspective of the Austrian Armed Forces (AAF) Seminar on Interagency Cooperation in Crisis Management and Disaster Response: Tools and Practices for Training 17 – 18 September 2013 SOFIA, Bulgaria by Col Dominik HORN

2. Contents: I National crisis and disaster relief management (CDRM) II Setting up teams of specialists in CDRM III Crisis management in Austria IV AAF – domestic crisis management V Civil-military liaison service (CMLS) VI International disaster management - part of CDRM VII Summary - Conclusions

3. INational crisis and disaster relief management (CDRM) • Reorganization of the CDRM transferred from the • Federal Chancellery to the Federal Ministry of • the Interior - Council of Ministers decision of • 20 January 2004 • CDRM a new informal instrument of cooperation • and coordination among • - Federal and provincial departments • - Emergency services and the Armed Forces • - Other bodies involved

4. In cases of domesic and international crises and • disasters with consequences for AUSTRIA • The CDRM is tasked with basic planning which • includes all Federal Ministries and Provinces • In large-scale threat scenarios, the tasks of the • CDRM Coordination Committee are to carry out • the coordination and integration of the necessary • measures on the federal and provincial level

5. Within the framework of CDRM, the Federal Ministry of Defence and Sports (MoD) and the Austrian Armed Forces (AAF) act in a subsidiary manner ("Subsidiary Principle")

6. II. Setting up teams of specialists in CDRM • Setting up permanent work structures comprised • of eight specialist teams linking federal and • provincial authorities • Teams of specialists assist in deliberating current • problems within the framework of CDRM • The respective chair is the responsibility of • - Four federal ministries • - Three Provinces • - The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF)

7. Eight teams of specialists and chair persons: - HealthFederal Ministry of Health - EconomyFederal Ministry of Economics, Family and Youth - LawFederal Ministry of the Interior - Radiation protectionFederal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management - OperationVORARLBERG - TechnologyVIENNA - Education and TrainingLOWER AUSTRIA - MediaORF/Federal Ministry of the Interior

8. The Federal Ministry of Defence is represented • by experts in all teams of specialists in a • subsidiary manner

9. III. Crisis management in AUSTRIA • Resting on three pillars: • - Provisions taken by the authorities • - Provisions taken by the emergency services • and the AAF • - Provisions taken by the individual citizen • ("self-protection") • Fundamental principles: • - Federalism • - Subsidiarity • - Voluntariness

10. Further important element: Civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) Assistance operations of the AAF in support of civilian authorities

11. Austrian Armed Forces • – domestic crisis management Legal basis: Based on Art. 79 para 2.2 Federal Constitutional Law is referred to in Art 2 para 1c 2001 Defence Act The Austrian Armed Forces (AAF) can be employed in cases of disasters to provide assistance if the legal civil power, being unable to cope with the situation without the assistance of the AAF, chooses to draw on them.

12. To fulfill the tasks the following are • primarily employed: • - Engineer Units • - NBC Defence Units • - Air Units • - Specialists/experts • especially in the case of events that cause • damages of extraordinary extent

13. Assistance requests follow the bottom-up principle Depending on the intensity of the crisis or disaster, other AAF forces can also be employed

14. V Civil-military liaison service (CMLS) • CMLS is an additional instrument and a vital • part of CIMIC • Objective: • - Assignment of AAF liaison officers (LNO) • to civilian authorities • - Possible employment of liaison personnel • of civilian authorities in military commands • - Advising on and professional information • management regarding the employment of forces • to fulfill the civilian and/or military mission.

15. Personnel: • - Professional and militia personnel • Assignment of the LNO's: • - Federal Ministry of Defence • - Higher Commands • - Provincial military commands

16. VI International disaster relief - part of CDRM CDRM refers to international disaster relief  international humanitarian and disaster relief (IHDR) short-term  operations  long-term Disaster reliefHumanitarian aid Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs Federal Ministry of the Interior

17. - Contribution of the AAF: • AFDRU (Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit) • - in modules • - Integration of Austrian civilan forces • - Follows the CIMIC principle • - Focus on search and rescue

18. UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assessment • and Coordination) teams • - Serve reconnaissance purposes • - Coordination of an international • search and rescue operation • - In the case of large-scale natural, • technological or ecological disasters

19. VII Summary - Conclusions • When disasters occur and based on the current • framework conditions laid down in the Austrian • Constitution the AAF can only become active • in a subsidiary manner • pro-active actions must, therefore, be • limited and focussed • In order to promote disaster prevention on federal, • province and district level, exercises and trainings • are planned and carried out together

20. The AAF's and emergency organisations‘ • ability to communicate must be improved • increased synergetic use of resources • Guideline on how to direct disaster relief • operations

21. Thank You For Your Interest