FMD Exercise, 2003

Deutscher Text

The Federal State of Lower-Saxony will carry out an exercise on the control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the time between October 20th and November 14th 2003 using a Mobile Crisis Centre (MCC) and at the joint Crisis Centre of the rural districts Friesland, Wittmund and Wilhelmshaven. The Task-Force Veterinary Cases of the Lower-Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES) has been charged for the planning and carrying out this exercise. The exercise is financed by the Lower-Saxony Epizootic Fund, the Lower-Saxony State Ministry of Agriculture and the LAVES.

The essential part of the exercise is the MCC comprising a total of 22 office and sanitary containers following the example of the Regional Crisis Centre (RCC) in Stroe / The Netherlands and which should aim to cope with logistical demands.

Goal of the exercise is to gain findings about the operative aspects of the MCC in cooperation with the RCC`s and their responsible staff.The exercise is attended by representatives of the Lower-Saxony local and state veterinary authorities. Disaster control departments of the administrative districts are also integrated in the exercise.

The most important part of the exercise is the simulation of controlling an outbreak of FMD. The operating of the mobile epizootic control centre as a logistic centre in cooperation with a local epizootic crisis centre will be tried and tested. In addition practical demonstrations on siumulating stamping-out as well as a seminar on working with the media during epizootic crisis will take place among other things.

Press release 16.10.2003