Foldrenges TT-TS4 2003

NATIONAL CIVIL EMERGENCY
PLAN OF ALBANIA November 2004

National Civil Emergency Plan of Albania
REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA
MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DECENTRALIZATION
NATIONAL CIVIL EMERGENCY PLAN

(NCEP)
Adopted by the Council of Ministers Decree No. 835, dated 03/12/2004
Reference copy
Not for public use
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Content
1. GENERAL 5
1.1- Introduction 5
1.2- Aim, Objectives and Principles 6
1.3- Legal Basis 7
1.4- Links to Other Key Plans 7
ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT OF CIVIL
2. 9
EMERGENCIES IN ALBANIA
2.1- Responsibilities on a National Level 9
2.2- Responsibilities on a Regional (Qark) Level 16
2.3- Responsibilities on a Municipal and Commune Level 18
3. COORDINATION 20
3.1- Introduction and Definition 20
3.2- Roles, the Coordinating Function and the National Plan 20
3.3- Responsibility for Civil Emergency Coordination 21
4. PREVENTION AND MITIGATION 24
4.2- Priorities for Prevention and Mitigation 24
4.3- General Measures for Prevention and Mitigation 25
4.4- Additional Measures for Prevention and Mitigation by Hazard 32
4.5- National Inspectorate of Civil Protection (NICP) 32
5. PREPAREDNESS AND PROTECTION 33
5.2- National Civil Emergency Plan (NCEP) for Preparedness and Protection 33
5.3- Institutions and Civil Emergency Plans 34
5.4- Sectorial and Contingency Plans 34
5.5- Identifying Hazard and Risk 34
5.6- Awareness of Risk 35
5.7- Monitoring and Trigger Mechanisms 36
5.8- Early Warning 36
5.9- Emergency Public Works and Other Measures 37
5.10- Seasonal Preparedness and Protection Measures 37
5.11- Roles and Responsibilities 37
5.12- Developing Preparedness and Protection Priorities for Albania 39
6. RESPONSE 40
6.2- Reporting of Emergency Situations 40
6.3- National Operations Center for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE) 40
6.4- National Civil Emergency Service System (NCESS) 41
6.5- NCESS activation stages 41
6.6- Roles and Responsibilities during Response Phase 46
6.7- Public Information Broadcasts 54
6.8- International Assistance 54
6.9- Customs, Immigration and Quarantine 55
6.10- Financial Considerations 55
6.11- Assessment and Reporting 56
6.12- National Response Resources and Capacities 57
7. RECOVERY 60
7.2- Roles and Responsibilities 60
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7.3- Coordination and information 61

7.4- Removal or Reduced Force of Primary Hazard 61
7.5- Stabilization of Risk of Secondary Hazards 61
7.6- Procedures for Safe Return or Resumption of Normal Access 62
7.7- Restoring Essential Public Utilities 63
7.8- Destroyed and Damaged Structures 63
8. REVIEW AND EVALUATION 65
8.1- Introduction 65
8.2- Operational Debriefings 65
8.3- Review 65
8.4- Evaluation 66
8.5- Follow Up 67
9. TRAINING 68
9.1- Introduction 68
9.2- Purpose of the National Civil Emergency Training Programme 68
9.3- Training Developments 68
9.4- Testing the Emergency Plans 70
9.5- Training Methodology and Target Group 70
9.6- Tabletop Exercises, Functional Exercises, and Full-scale Exercises 71
10. FOLLOWING UP THE NATIONAL CIVIL EMERGENCY PLAN 72
ANNEXES:
A. HAZARDS AND FACTORS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 77

A.1. Earthquakes 77
A.2. Flood 83
A.3. High Snowfall 88
A.4. Landslides 92
A.5. Forest Fires 94
A.6. Technological Emergencies 96
A.7. Terrorist Atack 98
ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND LEGAL BASES OF MAIN MINISTRIES AND
B. AGENCIES CONCERNED WITH CIVIL EMERGENCY ISSUES
101
READINESS STRUCTURES AND CHARTS OF INFORMATION AND
C. NOTIFICATION FLOW IN CASE OF CIVIL EMERGENCIES
118
C.1. Duties and Responsibilities of the Civil Emergency Readiness Structures 118
C.2. Chart of Information and Notification flow in case of Earthquakes 121
C.3. Chart of Information and Notification flow in case of Industrial Incident 123
C.4. Chart of Information and Notification flow in case of HAZMAT Transoportation incident 125
C.5. Chart of Information and Notification flow in case of Sea incident 127
C.6. Chart of Information and Notification flow in case of Air incident 129
C.7. Chart of Information and Notification flow in case of Terrorist Atack 131
C.8. Chart of Information and Notification flow in case of Dam or Dyke collapse 133
ABBREVIATIONS 135
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1 GENERAL.
1.1 Introduction
The National Civil Emergency Plan is the most important Albanian State document
regarding Civil Emergencies. It is necessary to improve the civil emergency structure
of Albania, clarifying the division of responsibilities, and planning the best use of
limited state resources to identify gaps and avoid duplication, in accordance with the
established legal base. These aims can be made into reality through the National Civil
Emergency Plan. This plan offers real possibilities for more effective management of
civil emergencies for both the state structures, and the Albanian population.
It is essential that the National Civil Emergency Plan be a practical useable resource for
all stages of the disaster cycle, from preparedness to response and through recovery to
the eventual mitigation of the effects of disaster on the population. With this aim,
Section 6 of the plan, covering response, has been designed to be removed and to
temporarily stand alone during the brief period of actual emergency, as a practical tool
for coordination and for field response. Nonetheless, all the sections are mutually
supporting, and make reference to the important annexes of guidelines, standards,
checklists and information. Therefore even Section 6 Response should not usually be
separated, except for the short-term emergency phase.
This National Civil Emergency Plan is jointly owned by all Government Ministries and
Directorates, by Qark, Commune and Municipal Authorities, by all concerned state,
private and voluntary organisations and institutions, and by every member of the
Albanian Public.
The National Civil Emergency Plan is not merely a document, but a practical resource,
that has been developed through a long process of consultation and shared planning
with a wide range of stakeholders. Because this National Civil Emergency Plan has
been developed by its own stakeholders, it has become a unique resource reflecting
experience of the specific hazards, capacities and constraints of the Albanian civil
emergency context. What this National Civil Emergency Plan may lack as a theoretical
example, it more than makes up for through genuine ownership and direct applicability
to the realities that Albania faces today. It is the duty of those stakeholders to keep the
National Civil Emergency Plan constantly informed, revised and updated, and therefore
relevant to the rapidly changing environment of Albania, whose public and property it
aims to protect from risk.
The National Civil Emergency Plan is a living resource, a handbook, checklist and
record of essential contacts and their roles, as well as a guide for all stakeholders to
reach for in any phase of disaster management. The National Civil Emergency Plan
will never be completely finished, but constantly updated, revised and improved,
reflecting shared ownership and the changing needs and resources of Albania. The
strength of the National Civil Emergency Plan rests in this shared ownership, and
shared resolve to work together in a coordinated way, to reduce risks, to save lives and
to minimise damage from civil emergency situations in Albania.
Albania is exposed to a considerable number of natural and man-made disasters. The
biggest risk of natural disasters comes from earthquakes, but in recent times, floods,
landslides and winter emergencies, even though at lower impact, were more evident.
Factors such as the economic situation, damaged infrastructure and communication
means, mass migration, building boom and other factors related to misuse of forests,
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natural sources of water and environmental pollution, increases vulnerability of the

population and the economy in general.
Albania and its people have suffered the consequences of a series of natural disasters
throughout history. For the first time, in October 2003, a national assessment of the
potential hazards and the risks that they represent was published in Tirana by the
Ministry of Local Government and Decentralisation. Entitled “Disaster Risk
Assessment in Albania”, this study integrates the results and findings from extensive
data collection, compilation and analysis performed over one year. The Disaster Risk
Assessment includes sections concentrating on the specific risks presented by the
following hazards: seismic events, floods, dam bursts, high snowfall, landslides, forest
fires, infectious diseases and technological hazards. The Disaster Risk Assessment
represents a major step in the process of developing the subsequent National Civil
Emergency Plan, and provides the informed basis on which to build the most effective
planning possible.
1.2 Aim, Objectives and Principles

The Aim and Objective of the National Disaster Plan is to be an instrument which
supports the Albanian Law 8756 of 26 March 2001 on Civil Emergency Services, and
the other laws directly or indirectly related to civil emergency issues. The plan aims to:
• Prevent, mitigate and remedy any damage inflicted upon people, animals,
cultural heritage and the environment, by emergencies.
• Provide conditions for public administrations, economic entities, and the
population, for the transfer from ordinary living and working conditions to an
emergency situation with the smallest possible losses, for the keeping of order,
preservation of human lives, animals, property, cultural heritage, and the
environment, against the effects of an emergency.
• To guarantee the use of available state resources in order to ensure public
security, maintain the continuation of the national economy, localize the
emergency areas and alleviate the threats thereof.
The National Civil Emergency Plan therefore draws together and clarifies the roles and
responsibilities of all stakeholders, State or otherwise. This aims to channel the flow of
relevant information, to strengthen decision making, and through coordination, to
reinforce the capacity to respond through all phases of the disaster cycle. The National
Plan is essentially a coordination tool, which if used correctly will:
save lives and property;
maximize the impact of the existing resources;
provide the means to solicit additional resources and support.
In the long term, the eventual Disaster Management aim has to be that of prevention
and mitigation, and the National Plan is the necessary route to take in reaching that aim.
In non-emergency times, the bringing together of all stakeholders with the overview of
their interactions, allows a clearer picture to be drawn at a national level. It allows
priority issues to be addressed in sequence and in time, and for a coordinated coherent
approach to be taken in soliciting additional support.
The planning process has been lead by the same guiding principles that are also
relevant in the implementation process. These are:
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1. The Plan will focus on the agreed clear Overall Objectives.

2. All Specific Objectives in the Plan must be coherent with the Overall
Objectives.
3. The Plan will reflect existing law and decrees, which will in turn reinforce the
Plan.
4. The Plan will be developed through the inclusion, participation and input of all
relevant actors.
5. The plan will remain true to its objectives and not be negotiated into mediocrity
at any point to avoid existing or perceived challenges.
6. Basic framework of the Plan should be agreed, and the sections gradually
developed and interlinked within that framework.
7. Coordination and cooperation must be the basis, spirit and the crosscutting
elements of the Plan, to maximise the impact of all available resources.
8. Integrity. Transparency and clarity of responsibility, roles and tasks are
essential, as responsibility and pre event decision-making will be assumed in
this plan.
9. The Plan should encourage initiative and not become an instrument to stop
people doing things.
10. The Plan will remain work in progress, but robust enough to maintain relevance
and to be able overcome changes in the external environment.
1.3 Legal Basis

The development of this first National Civil Emergency Plan for Albania has been
undertaken on an established legal base referring to Law 8756 on Civil Emergency
Services of 26 March 2001.
The format of the National Civil Emergency Plan reflects the provisions of this legal
base for Civil Emergency Services in Albania and in doing so includes four separate
sections that represent the four main phases of the disaster cycle. The legal base for
this plan, gives government and non-government structures the possibility to work
more effectively and to abide by legal responsibilities in relation to civil emergencies.
Attention is drawn to correct implementation of this plan and also the capacities and
resources of the structures involved. In some areas and special sectors, additional
legislation is necessary, for the structures involved in the prevention of civil
emergencies, and effective civil emergency management. In annex B, roles and
responsibilities for all concerned institutions are detailed, including information on the
legal base of the functions of these structures.
1.4 Links to Other Key Plans

The National Civil Emergency Plan is an overarching initiative bringing together all
Albanian and International stakeholders. Many ministries, directorates, and institutions
have developed and maintain their own specific disaster preparedness plans. It is the
responsibility of authorities at Qark, Commune and Municipal levels to develop
contingency plans of their own, which all feed into the National Civil Emergency Plan,
and the procedures, roles and responsibilities which it describes. Where appropriate,
these specific plans are referred to directly in Annex B together with the roles and
responsibilities of each stakeholder. The specific plans remain of great value, and this
first National Civil Emergency Plan for Albania replaces no existing plans, but rather
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draws existing plans together in a spirit of cooperation and most importantly,

coordination.
The National Plan has been developed with considerable stakeholder consultation and
input, and therefore complements the thinking and procedures behind specific
preparedness plans, linking them, often for the first time, with the planned responses of
other closely related entities. Particularly in Section 6 Response, the coordination and
decision-making procedures and the information flows required at a national level are
clearly illustrated for the stakeholder. In this way, it is intended that specific
stakeholder response or preparedness plans will complement the national overview,
feeding into decision-making processes, which in turn will strengthen the specific
stakeholder and sector responses.
However, by definition the National Civil Emergency Plan has to reach further than
specific plans. It does this in two ways. Firstly, the National Plan represents the direct
functional link between the State and International support, through the United Nations
Inter Agency Contingency Plan. This is an important aspect of the National Civil
Emergency Plan, in that international support is negotiated on the basis of coordinated,
consolidated, information regarding needs, response and available resources. Secondly,
the National Plan reflects the wider responsibilities not only of response, but also of
prevention, mitigation, preparedness, protection and recovery.
After the development of the National Civil Emergency Plan, the corresponding civil
emergency plans at all other levels and structures will need to be reviewed and refined
to ensure relevance and coherence. Other supporting plans will continue to be needed
in the future, such as contingency plans for specific disaster situations. These plans
themselves will be for temporary periods until replacement emergency plans are
prepared. Particularly applicable, are plans designed for seasonal risks or new potential
risks.
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2. ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT OF

CIVIL EMERGENCIES IN ALBANIA
The National System of Management of Civil Emergencies is comprised of permanent
and provisional structures on a central, regional and local level. Through these
structures, each concerned Ministry, Directorate or Institution currently shoulders
specific roles and responsibilities essential through all the stages of the disaster
management cycle. Such roles and responsibilities are often divided among two or
more institutions, dealing, for instance, with such matters as water supply, canal
digging, supporting walls, dams and dikes, as well as other issues. To enable a clear
picture and a functional coordination of the roles and responsibilities of these
structures, along with the involvement of the government and non-government
institutions, these responsibilities have been described in detail in Section 6 Response,
and again, broken down by ministry or institution, in Annex B.
In certain cases, these roles and responsibilities have already been incorporated into
existing specific plans developed by those institutions, to deal with civil emergency
matters. When these institutions carry a response role, they will almost certainly have
to play a corresponding role in the other phases of the disaster management cycle,
including prevention and mitigation. The details in Section 6 Response, and Annexe B
enables the users of this plan to promptly identify the priority roles and, to determine
which agency or institution should be in charge to actually implement a particular task
during the each stage of the disaster management cycle.
2.1 Responsibilities on a National Level

2.1.1 The Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers leads and governs the national system of civil emergency
management in Albania. It approves and endorses appropriate strategies, policies and
programmes that aim to prevent, mitigate, prepare and respond to civil emergency
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies
Ministry of Local Government and Head of Operations at Central level

Decentralization (Civil Emergency Management Team)
Line Ministries
Active Operational Structures
Supporting Structures
Monitoring Structures
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situations. In compliance with the Constitution of the Republic of Albania, other legal
instruments, international agreements and covenants, it endorses appropriate policies
and funds for the strengthening of the system of defence against events that threaten
human life, property, cultural heritage, and the environment.
When the scale of the emergency goes beyond the capacities of the commune,
municipality and qark and there is the need to activate capacities from other qarks or
from the central level. The Council of Ministers, after collection of necessary data,
declares the State of Civil Emergency in a particular area or in all territory of Albania.
Once a State of Civil Emergency has been declared, the Council of Ministers will
undertake the following tasks:
Establish the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies to take direct
responsibility for managing the situation that has developed.
Appoint the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, who will be the Deputy
Prime Minister or a Minister, depending on the type of civil emergency situation.
Inform the President of the Republic and the Assembly of Albania of the situation
that has emerged, the dangers it presents, and what measures have been taken
already.
Whenever deemed necessary, request from the Assembly of Albania to endorse
respective emergency acts and expedite respective procedures accordingly.
If necessary, decide on the re-allocation of state funds, and propose to the Assembly
of Albania for a modification of the existing law on state budget.
2.1.2 Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies

The Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies coordinates the appropriate
actions of all concerned institutions through all the phases of response to civil
emergency situations. The Inter-Ministerial Committee will undertake the following
tasks:
Prepare and address an appeal for international relief if necessary, via the offices of
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Coordinate the actions and activities of national and local government institutions,
the Albanian Red Cross, various volunteers and donors.
Request the full involvement of the institutions concerned with this National Civil
Emergency Plan, and request their engagement in all necessary actions required to
overcome the civil emergency situation.
Request from the Council of Ministers to draw upon the State Reserves; determines
the manner in which they are they are administered and utilized in the disaster-
affected area. Defines the methods and procedures to access the available material
and financial resources, assess and respond to the State of Civil Emergency.
Supervise the process of calculating and estimating the damage incurred by the
disaster situation and identifies the potential means for the rehabilitation of the
disaster-affected area, and propose possible solutions to the Council of Ministers.
Execute its duties and perform its functions effectively, by issuing appropriate
orders and directions, which have effects during the State of Civil Emergency.
Appoint the Head of Operations, who shall be responsible for the administration
and implementation of the civil emergency operation.
Terminate its activity once the State of Civil Emergencies ceases.
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2.1.3 Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization (MoLGD)

The Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization implements the policy of the
Council of Ministers in the areas of planning and coordinating civil emergency
initiatives. Through its permanent structures, it monitors the state of emergency in the
entire territory of Albania. In calm situations and in a state of readiness in the case of an
isolated event, the Ministry cooperates with the operational forces and central structures
that are involved in civil emergency issues. In a state of emergency, it provides
additional personnel to provide necessary support to the Department of Civil
Emergencies Planning and Response.
Ministry of Local Government and

Decentralization
Line Ministries/Institutions Department for CE Planning & Response
Directorate of CE Planning & Coord.

Monitoring Structures
National Op. Center for Civil Emerg.
Prefects of Qarks (Regions)
Directorate of Fire-fighting & Rescue
Civil Emerg. Commissions
Directorate of State Reserves
Local Government Bodies
Support Administration of Ministry
Local CE Commissions
The Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization will:
• Coordinate the actions between the relevant institutions concerned with,

monitoring, informing, planning and responding at the central and local levels, the
Albanian Red Cross, volunteers, donors, local government bodies and international
organizations, throughout the phases of the management cycle of civil emergencies.
• In cooperation with other central institutions, regional prefects, and local leaders,
calculate and estimate the degree of the damage caused, request emergency
intervention from the concerned structures and services, and advise on the
declaration of a State of Civil Emergency.
• Brief international agencies, non-government organizations and donors within the
country on needs and the appropriateness of relief assistance.
• Define necessary regulations and follows established procedures for receiving and
distributing humanitarian aid and financial donations in disaster-affected regions
• Coordinate the activities of the Ministry administration and other dependent state
bodies on the request of the Inter-ministerial Committee and the Head of the
Operations.
• Propose the establishment of additional structures to more effectively cope with
civil emergencies if necessary, and propose the adoption of specific requirements
for training of the personnel involved.
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2.1.4 Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response (DCEPR)

The Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response (DCEPR) is a permanent
and specialized structure, participating in all the stages of the civil emergency
management cycle. However it is also directly responsible for handling the initial
stages of response to an actual civil emergency situation.
In calm, or non- emergency situations, through the National Operations Centre for Civil
Emergencies (NOCCE), the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response
will:
Maintain the overview of the civil emergency situation in the entire territory of the
country.
Maintain constant contact with the civil emergency offices in each of the 12 regions
of Albania, as well as with the liaison units in the institutions concerned with civil
emergency issues.
In the stages of Alert, Standby and initial Response, the Department of Civil
Emergency Planning and Response will:
Support the NOCCE with additional staff to monitor the situation or handle an
emergency situation that has already emerged.
Maintain constant contact with the monitoring, assessment, preparedness, response
and rehabilitation structures in situations of civil emergencies.
Maintain constant contact with the relevant concerned bodies of local government.
Assess the damage incurred and the emerging needs, provide consolidated
information and determine possible ways to handle and overcome the civil
emergency situation.
Coordinate the structures involved in the civil emergency response and take
measures to facilitate their work in alleviating the situation.
Analyze and provide estimates on the degree of the full impact of the civil
emergency situation, determine whether it is advisable or not to declare a State of
Civil Emergency.
At the point at which a State of Civil Emergency has been declared, the Department of
Civil Emergency Planning and Response will:
Advise and provide supporting information for the Minister of Local Government
and Decentralization and the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies
and the Head of Operations.
Compile, process and analyze data, statistical estimates, requests and other
information to facilitate the management of civil emergency response operations
and activities.
Consult with the advisory Technical Commission for Civil Emergencies on the
specific civil emergency event.
2.1.5 Line Ministries

Each line Ministry is responsible for planning and handling civil emergencies
according to their area of expertise. Their activities encompass all stages of the civil
emergency management cycle, and whenever appropriate they play either a leading or a
supporting role. However, to be effective, the complex range of civil emergency roles,
tasks and responsibilities require coordinated inputs from a number of line ministries,
rather than isolated efforts of the individual line ministry. Once a state of civil
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emergency has been declared, the concerned line ministries delegate their
representatives to the NOCCE. They bring with them the respective data, information
and institutional knowledge of their ministerial resources and capacities, and are vested
with the authority to involve themselves in the process of decision-making regarding
these resources and capacities.
Minister
Civil Emergency Planning & Response Commission in this ministry
Active and Supportive Operational Structures
Institutes and other dependant structures
Central Government Structures on a local level
Specialized teams and squads
Other/Various Public Entities
Private Business as per Area of Expertise

Whenever appropriate, the concerned line ministries provide special services, establish
specific structures to cope with civil emergencies, and facilitate involvement of their
administration in situations of civil emergencies.
2.1.6 Operational Forces
The principal operational forces, or active structures in Albania are comprised of:
Armed Forces
Directorate of Fire Protection and Rescue (PMNZZH)
The Ambulance Service
The State Police and other Police units
General Directorate of State Reserves
Units specialized in mines and technical response
Monitoring and operational supportive structures.
These structures have specific roles, tasks and responsibilities for all the phases of the
civil emergency management cycle, and it is essential that they cooperate closely with
each other to provide the most effective response possible.
2.1.7 The Head of Operations at Central level

The Head of Operations is the leader of the response effort, and coordinates the
management of the civil emergency operation in the affected area. The Head of
Operations will:
Supervise all the active operational and supporting structures necessary for
responding to the civil emergency situation.
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Be assisted by the Civil Emergency Management Team (CEMT)-task force who

function near the National Operations Center for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE)
in managing the civil emergency operation.
Consult with heads of active operational structures, heads of monitoring
structures and supporting operational structures, as well as other managers and
specialists employed in the institutions involved in the National Civil
Emergency Plan.
Follow the involvement of international relief teams in SAR operations, and
implement all necessary measures and requests to facilitate their intervention
and achieve maximum results in civil emergency response.
Issue appropriate orders and directions for the management of operations of
response to the civil emergency situation.
Brief the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies and performs the
tasks assigned by it.
Arrange the involvement of operational forces and other groups and individuals
that are willing to contribute with their efforts to overcome the situation.
Cooperate with and coordinate the actions of other operations leaders at
different levels and those of local government.
Central Head of Operations
Emergency Menagement Team (Task Force)
Head of Operations on a Regional Level
Head of Operations on a Municipality/Commune Level
Active Operational Structures on a Central Level
Supporting Structures on a Central Level
International SAR and Relief Teams
Albanian Red Cross, NGOs and Vouunteers
2.1.8 National Operations Center for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE)

The National Operations Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE) is at the very centre
of civil emergency management in Albania. It plays an active role through all four
stages of civil emergency management. Its role in a concrete emergency situation is as
follows:
a) In calm or non-civil emergency situations:
In normal times, the NOCCE comprises a permanent staff according to an already
endorsed structure. Its principal duties are to:
Monitor the situation of civil emergency in the entire territory of the country on
a 24- hours basis.
Establish and maintain constant contact with all Civil Emergency Readiness
Structures, as detailed in Annex C.
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Inform the national and local government levels of the ongoing situation and
prepare on a 24-hour basis a report of events on the state of civil emergency
across the territory.
b) In times of readiness (Alert and Standby):
The permanent staff of the NOCCE is supported by the staff of the Directorate of Civil
Emergency Planning and Coordination, and the Directorate of Fire Protection and
Rescue (PMNZSH). The principal duties during this stage are to:
Inform the operational forces on the state of readiness
Activate the other relevant necessary structures
Monitor the situation and collect information
Coordinate the activities of operational structures to respond on a Regional,
Municipal or Commune level.
Central Head of Operations

Emergency Management Team
NCEOC (Information section)
Planning Section
Soperational Section
Logistic Section
MoD, Joint Operationale Center
Min. of Public Order, Information and Evacuation Center
Information and Monitoring Institutions
Head of Operations on a Qark/Municipality/Commune Lev.
Active Operational Forces
Emergency Supporting Structures
International System Operations Centers

c) When a State of Civil Emergency is declared (Activate):
Once a State of Civil Emergency has been declared, the National Operations Center for
Civil Emergencies is placed at the disposal of the Head of Operations. The NOCCE is
consequently dutybound to perform tasks such as providing operational comunications,
providing data, coordinating overall response activities.
With the declaration of a State of Civil Emergency, depending on the situation, the
Civil Emergency Management Team (Task force) is established and functions taken by
members of the line ministries and other central institutions. On these occasions the
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Civil Emergency Management Team function through four essential sections,

comprising:
The Section of Information(NOCCE)
The Section of Planning
The Section of Operations
The Section of Logistics
The composition of the four sections may vary according to the nature of the civil
emergency situation. However, the basic principle is that the representatives of
institutions with relevant response structures are also members of the operational
section, whereas those with other resources and assets become members of the logistics
section. The exact functioning of the NOCCE and these sections created after a State
of Civil Emergency is declared is detailed in NOCCE regulation, that contain duties
and responsibilities pertaining to the stage of civil emergency cycle.
2.2 Responsibilities on a Regional (Qark) Level
2.2.1 The Prefect of Qark

The Prefect will:
Supervise and manage, on a regional level, all the representation of central
structures, which have been incorporated in the region’s (qark’s) civil emergency
plan.
Establishes the Qark Commission for Civil Emergency Planning and Response
Respond to civil emergency situations beyond the capacities and means in the
region, by requesting that a State of Civil Emergency be proclaimed in part of, or
across the entire territory of the region or qark.
Respond to a civil emergency situation on a national level, by keeping constant
contact with, reporting to and coordinating his/her actions with the Minister of
Local Government and Decentralization, the Department of Civil Emergencies,
the Inter-ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies and the Head of
Operations, and depending on the situation that has developed, with the Prime
Minister as well.
2.2.2 The Qark Commission for Civil Emergency Planning and Response
The Qark Commission for Civil Emergency Planning and Response will:
Coordinate the institutional actions necessary in all the stages of response to civil
emergencies.
Coordinate the actions of the central structures on a regional level with the actions
and activities of the structures of local government, the Albanian Red Cross,
volunteers, and different donors.
Discuss and make preliminary decisions on the material and financial needs
required to prevent and mitigate civil emergency situations, estimate potential
damage caused due to a natural or man-made disaster, estimate reconstruction and
rehabilitation costs of a disaster-affected region, and request the support of other
central structures on a regional level.
Coordinate the actions of the municipal and communal committees, and the relief
teams and volunteers operating in the region.
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2.2.3 Regional Level or Qark Head of Operations
In situations of civil emergency, the material and human resources provided for in the
Qark Civil Emergency Plan, are placed under the authority of the Qark Head of
Operations. He/she accordingly becomes responsible for the management of the civil
emergency situation. The Qark Head of Operations will:
Organise, supervise and manage the central structures on a local level, as well as
those structures available to provide relief and assistance on the behalf of central
or international structures.
Maintain regular relations and constant contact with, inform and seek assistance
Prefect of Qark
CE Planning and Response Commission at Qark Lev.
Head of Operations at Qark Level

CE Operations Center at Qark Level
Planning Section
Operation Section
Logistic Section
CE Commission at Local Government Level
from the central level Inter-ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies and the
Head of Operations, as well as other Heads of Operations in the neighboring
regions.
- 17 -
2.2.4 On a District Level
The Under-Prefects, who represents the Prefect at District Level, will:

Inform the Prefect of the occurrence of a potential or actual civil emergency
situation in the district where they exercise their functional duties.
In cooperation with the heads of fire protection stations, organize and coordinate
emergency response actions of operational forces and also request assistance in
intervention from other structures outside the territory of the district.
Report to the Prefect and the Regional Civil Emergency Planning and Response
Commission on the civil emergency situation and the response to it, and addresses
any necessary requests to ensure provision of relief assistance.
2.2.5 Regional Council ( Qark Council)
The Qark Council is a subsidiary level of the local government, and is also involved in
civil emergency management, cooperating and coordinating its actions with the Prefect,
the Qark Commission for Civil Emergency Planning and Response as well as
municipalities and communes. In the event of civil emergency situation developing, the
Regional Council will:
Involve the administration and its active and auxiliary structures in the process of
assessing and estimating the damage caused and request appropriate relief for the
inhabitants and the damaged zones.
In cooperation with various local government bodies, determines the sites for
setting up provisional shelter, temporary warehouses and distribution points, the
areas for mass graves and other potential needs.
2.3 Responsibilities on a Municipal and Commune Level

Municipalities and communes have responsibility for preparedness, planning and
undertaking civil emergency response for situations developing in their territories.
Response to civil emergencies in municipalities, communes and the municipal units of
Tirana is administered pursuant to existing contingency plans that they have prepared,
to be in a situation of readiness, as well as to other plans aimed at overcoming civil
emergencies in the territory under their jurisdiction.
Every municipality and commune, including the municipal units of Tirana, establishes
and maintains a system of:
Early warning and notification of key structures
Alarm and evacuation of population
Squads and other active structures prepared to prevent, mitigate and respond to
civil emergency situations
Undertake and administering rehabilitation activities for the affected area
2.3.1 The Local Commission for Civil Emergencies is responsible for:

Adopting appropriate measures to prevent, mitigate, prepare, protect and duly
respond to any civil emergency situations and ultimately ensure rehabilitation
through joint efforts, or the affected area.
Supervising the provision and distribution of relief assistance
- 18 -
Ensuring temporary safe shelter and housing, maintaining hygiene by ensuring

clean water supply, sewerage maintenance, and managing victims
Receiving and supporting SAR teams and volunteers
Other matters aimed at effectively responding to civil emergency situations.
Head of Municipality/Commune
Kryetari i
Local Commission for CE
Head of Operations Municipality/Commune level;

Operation Centre at municipality/ commune level
Operation Section
Logistic Section
Intervention Structures on a Municipality/Commune Level
Central structures of response on a local level
Central structures
Red Cross, International Teams, Volunteers, Donors
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3. COORDINATION
3.1 Introduction and Definition

Coordination is not easily defined, but is essential in all phases of the disaster cycle, to
ensure maximum impact from the combined inputs of a wide range of actors. The
importance of coordination is particularly evident in the fast-moving response phase,
where strong coordination is needed to; avoid gaps in services to the affected
population, duplication of effort, inappropriate types of assistance and intervention,
inefficient use of resources, delays, obstacles as well as slow reaction and decision-
making compared to the rapid changes in circumstances. Poor coordination results in
an unsatisfactory response to a civil emergency situation, lives and property can be at
unnecessary risk, and there is understandable frustration on the part of survivors,
officials and relief providers.
However, a civil emergency situation is often characterized by sudden overwhelming
needs, competing and changing priorities, difficult communications and transport,
constantly changing information, a wide range of assistance providers struggling with
insufficient resources, and local government officials, agencies and volunteers being
placed under considerable stress. The situation may look chaotic, but coordination
springs from the intentional actions to harmonize individual and group responses to
maximize impact, and to bring about a situation where the overall effect is greater than
the simply sum of all the constituent parts.
For this reason, coordination, although less obvious, is equally important in the non-
response phases of the disaster cycle. In mitigation against flood for example, strong
coordination of the agencies responsible for watershed management, the maintenance
of tertiary, secondary and primary drainage channels, pumping stations, electricity
supply and land use management at a local level, can have a dramatic reduction in the
number of people affected by flood, or even prevent flooding in the first place.
Therefore at its best, coordination can be defined as an activity that maximizes

management effectiveness, brings a shared vision of the best possible outcomes, brings
coherent service delivery and solicits sufficient resources to achieve those desired
outcomes. This will result in as little human suffering and material damage as possible,
a rapid return to normal conditions and improved prevention and mitigation against
future civil emergency events, integrated within continued development.
3.2 Roles, the Coordinating Function and the National Plan

The basis of coordination is the building of working relationships and the open sharing
of information.
Because of the demands of civil emergency situations and the rapid information flow
involved, those stakeholders are soon able to realize the necessity to adapt and adjust
their efforts to match changing needs as well as each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
In this way, the natural self-interest of specialist stakeholders to restore the service or
conditions they are responsible for, is drawn into a bigger picture of sequencing
priorities, avoiding wasted efforts and using available resources more efficiently.
Therefore, in civil emergency situations, the authority charged with coordination may
have few, if any, resources to actually require or demand coordination. There is a
- 20 -
strong voluntary aspect built from those working relationships and information sharing.
Concerned agencies and individuals within them must see the added value from
participating in the coordination process, and the benefits must be greater than the
investment needed in coordination.
Coordination does require investment of all stakeholders, and no more so than when
there are huge stresses on that agency and individual. Coordination requires time and
energy, at a time where these are precious resources anyway. However, investing in the
coordination meeting may reveal aspects of the bigger civil emergency situation that
immediately changes the priorities of one or more stakeholder agencies, reducing
otherwise potentially wasted efforts.
To ensure efficiency of the act of coordination itself, the tasks of coordination must
take place within an agreed structure, with processes agreed and supported by all actors
and stakeholders in civil emergency situations. For this reason, the National Civil
Emergency Plan for Albania is above all a coordination tool, developed with
considerable consultation and stakeholder input. The National Civil Emergency Plan is
intended to bring stakeholders together through all phases of the disaster cycle and to
be immediately reached for during emergency response. The National Plan encourages
coordination through transparency, and includes considerable details of the roles and
responsibilities of all concerned stakeholders, listed agency by agency. For the
emergency response stage, the roles and responsibilities are listed task by task in the
activation phase of the National Civil Emergency Service System(NCESS). (Section
6.5) This is a central tool for emergency coordination to which all stakeholders are
encouraged to contribute.
3.3 Responsibility for Civil Emergency Coordination
Responsibility for coordination is not based on hierarchical responsibilities.

Responsibility for coordination is given to those who are in a position to bring together
information and decision makers, and to make shared and agreed requests for
stakeholders to engage in specific responses for the good of the nation, its people and
its properties.
In Albania, the responsibility for coordination takes place at different levels according
to the situation, and in all cases, Law 8756 on Civil Emergency Services underwrites
this responsibility. In the event of large-scale emergencies, the level of authority and
the technical level for managing the situation will be made by a political decision. Even
at different levels within the Government Structures, the coordination function is still
not strictly a hierarchical system, but one which is mutually supportive, from the
municipality right through to the Head of Operations of the Inter Ministerial
Committee, in the case of a large scale civil emergency.
The coordination function represents the civil emergency needs and available resources
from a single community right up to those of a national level. The coordination
function is in fact the informed basis on which, if necessary, international support will
be coherently negotiated on behalf of the nation.
At different levels, the coordination function in Albania reflects the responsibility for
civil emergency management, which the coordination mechanisms must inform and
support to provide the basis for decision-making.
- 21 -
The Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers has overall responsibility for civil emergency planning and
crisis management in the Republic of Albania. Through permanent and temporary civil
emergency structures, Council of Ministers coordinates all the civil emergency
management activities, being active in all phases of disaster cycle.
Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies
In times of civil emergency, an Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies is
gathered by the Prime Minister or his/her deputy, and remains together until the end of
the causes of the emergency situation.
Amongst its tasks, the Inter-Ministerial Committee:
Coordinates the actions of the reaction force during civil emergencies.
Coordinates the management of the emergency relief, and determines its use..
Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization
Amongst its other tasks, the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization:
Coordinates the activities of all parties within the civil emergency planning and
crisis management system, fulfilling their duties and coordinates with local
government organs in responding to civil emergencies
Coordinates the organisation and equipment of the operational forces in civil
emergencies.
Coordinates the assessment of damage caused by natural and other disasters.
Department for Civil Emergency Planning and Response
The Department for Civil Emergency Planning and Response is established within the
Ministry of Local Government, and its related tasks to the coordination are:
The Department prepares plans for civil emergency management and ensures
their implementation, and directly supports the Ministry of Local Government
and Decentralization in its coordination functions and related responsibilities
relating to civil emergency situations at national, prefecture and commune and
municipal levels.
National coordination procedures are maintained by the 24-hour National
Operations Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE), which has direct links with
all operational forces, and other stakeholders, including Civil Emergency
Sectors established in each prefecture.
Through the Technical Consultative Commission of Civil Emergencies the
Department creates and maintains inter-institutional relations and coordinates
disaster management activities in the country.
Line Ministries
Each Ministry is responsible for the organisation of civil emergency planning within
their own competencies. These responsibilities include:
Drawing up plans according to the type of activity and competence assigned to
them. These plans and disaster management activities are coordinated in
cooperation with the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization.
- 22 -
Offer institutional capacities and structures relevant to civil emergency

response.
The Prefect of Qark
The Prefect is responsible for civil emergency planning and crisis management within
the Qark. The Prefect’s duties include:
To organise and coordinate the drawing up of plans for emergency preparedness
in the Qark and implementation of protective measures.
Through Qark Commission for Civil Emergency Planning and Response
coordinate the activities of governmental and non-governmental structures in
emergency planning and response.
Organisation in Municipality and Commune Level
The Mayor and Head of Commune are responsible for civil emergency planning and
crisis management within their respective municipality and commune. The duties of
the Mayor and Head of Commune include:
To organize and coordinate the drawing up of plans or emergency preparedness
in the municipality and commune and implementation of protective measures.
To implement organization, coordination and equipment of the operational
forces.
Through the Local Civil Emergencies Commissions coordinate the activities of
governmental and non-governmental structures in emergency planning and
response.
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4. PREVENTION AND MITIGATION

The National Civil Emergency Plan for Albania addresses the issue of civil
emergencies through all four major phases of the disaster cycle. The first phase is that
of Prevention and Mitigation.
For the purposes of this National Plan:
Prevention is defined as The undertaking of any measures to prevent a disaster or civil
emergency situation occurring.
Mitigation is defined as The undertaking of any measures to reduce social, economic
and environmental vulnerability to existing natural or man made hazards.
In promoting successful disaster management, it is crucial to build as many direct links
between the activities of concerned agencies and stakeholders, both between
themselves, and also across all four major phases of the disaster cycle. To this end,
issues of prevention and mitigation are not only directly related to protection,
preparedness and direct response to civil emergency situations, but are also a key
consideration in times of recovery. Recovery gives an opportunity to stand back and
assess the causes and reactions to a civil emergency event, is the natural time to build
mitigation into rehabilitation and reconstruction activities, and is frequently a time
when the necessary resources are available to invest in mitigation, which would not be
so in normal non civil-emergency times.
In this section, there are overall considerations to be considered for prevention of
natural disasters and the mitigation of their effects. There are also hazard-specific
considerations related to the particular hazards which Albania faces, and which have
been expertly examined and analysed in the “Disaster Risk Assessment in Albania”,
2003.
The overall analysis is very clear, that in Albania there are existing resources and there
are existing capacities, which can significantly reduce the risk posed by specific
hazards on people and property. There are similar existing resources and capacities in
Albania, which can substantially mitigate the effects of unavoidable civil emergency
situations on people and property.
4.2 Priorities for Prevention and Mitigation
To make possible the involvement of all institutions and responsible structures of the
prevention and mitigation phase, several national priority measures are identified.
These measures are explained in Section 10 Following up the National Civil
Emergency Plan. A summary of these follows:
Measures for Prevention and Mitigation
Measures for strengthening of the National Civil Emergency Service System

(NCESS)
Measures for implementation/follow up the National Civil Emergency Plan.
- 24 -
4.3 General Measures for Prevention and Mitigation

4.3.1 Existing structures, facilities and environmental areas
Existing structures (such as a hospital or a dam), facilities (such as a power plant or a
pumping station) and environmental areas (such as a lake or a forest); may be
vulnerable to specific risks. In Albania, these risks include; seismic activity, flood, high
snowfall, extreme temperatures, fire and others. Priority structures and facilities must
remain fully functional in all situations. Essential health facilities, for instance, face
more demand during civil emergency than even during normal times. Other priority
structures and facilities such as dams, if damaged, represent specific risks in
themselves. Therefore these priority structures and facilities require the greatest
investment in prevention and mitigation work, to both ensure adequate capacity to cope
with the effects of a civil emergency of several types, as well as to even prevent a
specific civil emergency from occurring in the first place.
Prevention and mitigation for existing structures, facilities and environmental areas in
Albania is a shared responsibility, requiring:
a) Information. Information exchange between national and local structures for
planning, monitoring and assessment and operational and supportive structures of civil
emergency. Information is crucial for early warning, public information and advice, to
inform national and local mitigation groups and committees as well as for planning
prevention and mitigation measures at national and local level. Essential information
includes:
Seismological, hydrological, meteorological data.
Technical information on the conditions of maintenance, repair and safety of:
housing and transport infrastructure, and essential installations including dams,
mines, public and private sector land and marine industrial installations,
complexes and stores.
Technical information regarding the state of environmental areas, such as
drainage basins and watersheds, including forests, rivers, primary, secondary
and tertiary channels, unstable slopes, wetlands and reclaimed areas.
The level of pollution, hygiene and epidemiological data as well as level of
civic order.
The structure and way of gathering information is as it is shown in the following chart:
MoLG&D, DEPARTMENT OF CE PLANNING AND RESPONSE
MONITORING INSTITUTION AND CE STRUCTURES OF THE CE SERVICE AND LOCAL

SUBORDINATED STRUCTURES GOVERNMENT
DIVERSE POLICE STRUCTURES DIVERSE INSPECTORATES.
SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS, SECRETARIATS

ARC, COMUNITY, PR. BUSINESS, NGOs. AND OTHER RELEVANT BOARDS
b) Observing and Applying Standards
Developing, resourcing and implementing appropriate schedules and standards
include:
Regular agreed maintenance schedules.
- 25 -
Agreed forecast repair schedules.

Attaining and maintaining minimum agreed national standards of safety
installations and internal and external inspection procedures.
c) Improvements
Planning and resourcing improvements include:
Repair, upgrading, improving and retro-fitting up to or above original
minimum standards of use.
Taking into account new hazards and risks posed to or by the structure or
facility.
Aiming towards European Community approved standards.
d) Emergency Prevention Plans
Developing specific emergency prevention plans from relevant sectors for existing
structures, facilities and environmental areas, comprising:
Identified personnel roles and responsibilities
Establishing a monitoring and information system
Making clear early warning steps and procedures
Agreeing clear public information procedures
Developing and testing emergency checklists, key emergency contacts and
simulation exercises
e) Training
Investing in appropriate training of identified emergency situation personnel and

joint training with related partners in civil emergency matters.
f) Investment
Actively soliciting investment in prevention and mitigation through new and

existing partnerships, coherent planning and attainment of industry and EU norms.
4.3.2 New structures, facilities and developing environmental areas

Planned or new structures and facilities or modified environmental areas may be
vulnerable to specific risks or represent specific risks to others. Priority structures and
facilities must remain fully functional in all situations, and be planned and constructed
to meet or exceed existing or proposed standards. EU standards of construction are
appropriate and desirable for all such new developments. In addition to implementing
building and construction codes, careful land use zoning is also required to reduce risks
of for instance, seismic activity or flood on new structures.
Prevention and mitigation for new structures, facilities and developments in Albania is
also a shared responsibility, requiring:
a) Information
Information to properly inform decision makers concerned with planning, approving
and constructing new structures, facilities and developments. Essential information
includes:
Seismological, hydrological, meteorological data on the zone being
considered for development.
- 26 -
Technical information on specific hazard and risk factors involved with all
new developments
The types and frequency of essential maintenance, repair and safety check
schedules of all new developments.
Technical information regarding the impact of new developments on
environmental areas, such as drainage basins and watersheds, including
forests, rivers, primary, secondary and tertiary channels, unstable slopes,
wetlands and reclaimed areas.
b) Standards and Norms
Ensuring adherence to minimum national and preferably EU standards of
construction and use, including:
Land use zoning regulations
National and municipal planning regulations
Full environmental assessment of existing and potential risks posed to the
development itself, and risks posed by its development on its environment.
c) Observing and Applying Standards
Building in from the design and budget stage, including:
Maintenance schedules
Forecast repair schedules
Defense against new hazards and risks posed to or by the development.
4.3.3 Review and enforcement of legislation

Appropriate existing legislation in Albania covers; restrictions on land use, building
and construction codes, and specialist legislation regarding special facilities such as
industrial complexes and hazardous materials. Such Albanian legislation also covers
safety regulations and procedures for installations such as Sea Ports and the Mother
Teresa Airport, that also must comply to internationally accepted standards of safety
and use. Building codes and land use legislation is in place at national and local level,
and in several areas is under eventual review and development towards EU standards.
In all countries, especially those facing rapid development, the enforcement of
regulations represents the major challenge. Institutions and structures facing these
challenges are:
Local Council of Territory Regulation of Municipalities, Communes and Council of
Qarks and National Council of Territory Regulation (of Republic of Albania)(NCTR)
functioning base on the City Planning Law; Institute of Urban Planning Studies; City
Planning Offices in the Council of Qarks and municipalities and communes. Cadastral
offices in the Council of Qarks, municipalities and communes; Land Directorate and
General Directorate of Forest and Pastures in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food;
General Directorate of Police Constructions; Directorate of Technical Regulation
Control; Directorate of Tourist Standards Promotion in the Ministry of Territory
Regulation and Tourism; Directorate of Environmental Protection in Ministry of
Environment.
- 27 -
Factors that encourage adherence to regulations, codes and international safety

standards include:
a) Planning and Land Use:
Drawing on the National Civil Emergency Plan and Disaster Risk Assessment in
Albania to highlight risks and inform groups and committees dealing with planning and
land use issues, at a national and local level, to assist them in their qualified judgment
of the human and environmental risks and how each individual case relates to them.
Land administration is carried out based on laws and sub-legal instruments approved by
legislative and executive bodies, considering current and perspective economic and
social developments, preparedness measures, environmental protection and protection
of urban, architectural and archaeological values.
Local governmental structures administer the territory under their jurisdiction in
accordance to the competences given by the law. These bodies harmonize their
decisions respecting reciprocally their local autonomy, aiming to improve life and
environmental conditions, land and territory administration, to ensure environmental
measures are applied to safeguard environment equilibrium, develop urban and rural
areas and improve the existing conditions.
The law on Urban Planning determines ways of land administering for construction,
which is carried out through regional plans, master plans, integral regulatory plans and
urban planning studies. The context of these plans is defined in urban regulations. In
this regard Law of Urban Planning states that private and public land have the same
value for urban planning.
b) Standards and Codes:
Encouraging adherence to standards and codes is done with combined approaches that
include:
Encouraging a system of professional independent peer risk review in the
construction industry, to ensure that standards are actually built to, especially
with regard to high-density high use buildings of essential function, such as
schools and health facilities.
Encouraging partnerships with owners and developers with the emerging
buildings insurance industry in the region and thereby encouraging voluntary
adherence to the highest EU legislation and codes.
Applying norms, regulations and urban conditions. Urban planning institutes,
governmental and private ones, national and internationals in charge of
evaluation and adoption of the urban planning projects based on Urban Planning
Law, are obliged to fulfill the requirements of the Urban Planning Regulations.
Encouraging resourcing and training for the inspectorates of agencies covering
building, structural facilities and environmental areas such as watersheds and
forests,
Respecting norms and standards for protection of hygiene and other prevention
measures in industrial areas, environmental protection measures such as
distances from the inhabited areas and other technical specifications.
Respecting the technical conditions for improvement of road infrastructure to
the standards required for civil emergency situation.
- 28 -
Encouraging the development of national, local and industry incentives and

awards for improvements and adherence to standards and the development of
new partnerships, standards and schemes to promote prevention and mitigation.
4.3.4 Inspectorates, Secretariats and Diverse Polices

The cascade of responsibility for prevention and mitigation in Albania goes from the
senior representatives of the state, through the national and local state structures and the
private sector, down to each member of the public. In the National Civil Emergency
Service System (NCESS), responsibility includes inspectorates, secretariats and diverse
polices, who are in charge of essential facilities, industrial complexes, those in the
transport, communications and information sectors and those involved in operational
forces, administration at all levels and those who work with people, such as in the
health and education sectors. Major functions and roles of these structures are
monitoring the implementation of legislation, rules and standards in respective area,
such as in construction, agricultural production etc. The area of operation of these
inspectorates, secretariats and polices is wide and it covers private as well as state
bodies.
The structures, as above, functioning in Albania are as follow:
a) Inspectorates: The Hydro-sanitary Inspectorate; Veterinary Inspectorate;
Inspectorate of Agriculture; Food Inspectorate; Inspectorate of Pressurised Tankers;
Inspectorate of Mines; Environment Inspectorate; Inspectorate of Labor; Inspectorate
of Tourist Standards; Inspectorate of Gas and Fuel.
b) Secretariats: Secretariat of National Council of Water; Secretariat of High Dams;
Secretariat of Monitoring Watersheds.
c) Diverse Polices: State Police; Police Directorate of Fire-fighting and Rescue;
Directorate of Construction Police; Directorate of Electricity Police; Directorate of Tax
Police; Directorate of Forest Police; Customs Police; Municipality and Commune
Police.
The above mentioned inspectorates, secretariats and polices works in their fields of
operations, but is necessary to establish a new structure, the National Inspectorate of
Civil Protection, who’s function will be to monitor and report on prevention and
mitigation measures for civil emergencies. Function and role of the NICP is explained
in section 4.5.
Reports and Information sharing
Inspectorates, secretariats, polices and all the structures which monitor the quality,
application of standards and all preventive measures send periodical or special reports
to their head of institutions, as well as update their information on the situation in their
own fields of operation.
Periodical reports present all necessary information on monitoring activities;
preventive measures undertaken, subject’s obligations and sanctions applied in
relation to obligations implementation by private and state agencies.
Specific reports on a potential civil emergency situation should contain: a short
description on the situation, possible risks, the possibility and capacities to
locally respond to the situation and advice on possible measures to be
undertaken.
- 29 -
Institutions at central level should prepare periodical reports to the Department of

Planning and Coordination of Civil Emergencies, explaining current situation,
preventive measures according to the specific civil emergency area and ways of
implementation of these measures.
4.3.5 Responsibilities and planning at various levels

Responsibilities in prevention and mitigation starts from national, regional and local
structures to the general public and includes all structures that have functional duties
for existing structures, facilities and environmental areas, as well as structures involved
in civil emergency operations, administration at various levels, people and specialists
working in institutes and private business which can give their valuable experience in
preventing and mitigating civil emergencies.
Almost everyone who has some responsibility in preparedness and response to a civil
emergency will have a corresponding role to play in prevention and mitigation.
However, not all those involved in preparedness and mitigation need have a role in
prevention or response. Therefore, it is in mitigation that the largest number of
stakeholders is brought together, and through appropriate coordination, most valuable
outcomes can be brought about, on the basis, that prevention is better than cure.
Central Institutions are entitled to design policies and monitor the application of
prevention and mitigation measures in the country.
Important factors to encourage prevention and mitigation at local and national levels
include:
a) Ad-hoc Mitigation Groups and Committees
Developing area-specific and hazard-specific mitigation working groups or
committees at National, Qark, Commune and Municipality level to:
Examine prevention and mitigation issues in detail
Inform decision makers
Propose practical solutions, initiatives and advocacy
Consistently follow up the actions undertaken by decision makers
b) Practical Solutions
Developing and advocating for practical solutions to; actively limit the existence
and impact of hazards on people and property, or even reverse adverse environment
conditions. This can be done by encouraging and promoting specific projects at
local and national level such as:
Promoting coordinated public awareness, information and strengthening early
warning systems
Involving community in restoring, developing and maintaining a safer
environment.
Advocating for and promoting public and private works on schemes including:
o Reforestation and fire-breaks
o Restoration and maintenance of channels, runoff and catchments
o Protection measures for areas at risk, such as secondary electricity
source for water pumps
o Establishment of local level early warning trigger mechanisms, such
as critical depth of ground water to activate pumping stations, flood
modeling and others.
- 30 -
c) Mitigation Partnerships
Where a combination of steps are required in prevention and mitigation, to develop
strategic partnerships of concerned stakeholders to:
Take measures in agreed priority order
If necessary, as a group, solicit additional resources for each step to be
implemented
Encourage local level coordination and free flow of information to feed up to
the Qark or National civil emergency structures to highlight mitigation matters
and to encourage informed preparedness
Prepare and information and education resources to raise understanding and
awareness of prevention and mitigation issues amongst organisations and the
public.
Develop specific prevention plans and projects where the Albanian Red Cross
(ARC) branches would assist at local level the governmental authorities and the
community, and at central level ARC would assist the MoLGD.
d) Simulation Exercises
To reinforce awareness and acceptance of responsibility through simulation
exercises, review and development of improved approaches to preparedness and
response at Local, Qark and National levels.
e) Emergency Plans
Encouraging the development and consistent review of emergency plans by all
appropriate bodies, including those working in proximity to community and the
public.
f) Complementary Planning
Ensuring that local and specific civil emergency plans complement and build on the
coordination mechanisms and responsibilities outlined in the National Civil
Emergency Plan for Albania.
g) Coordination and planning
Encouraging coordination and planning through scheduled updating of:
Roles and responsibilities.
Contacts lists.
Human technical and financial resources in institutions and organisations.
Inventories of vehicles and special equipment.
Organisations’ civil emergency plans, and representation of civil emergency
responsibilities in their organisational charts.
Notification and alert systems from local level upwards.
Advance securing of sources of supplies, materials human resources near to
locations of particular risk.
h) Building Relationships
An integrated civil emergency structure is built on relationships between local level
civil emergency structures and the national civil emergency structure. Each draws
- 31 -
on the advice, representation and expertise of the other, incorporating the specific
plans and resources of complementary ministries and agencies.
i) National Approach for International Support
An integrated national approach to civil emergency management in Albania brings
a coherent national approach to encouraging and negotiating international support
for prevention and mitigation. Duplication and waste is avoided, priorities are
addressed first and gaps in prevention and mitigation are filled.
4.4 Additional Measures for Prevention and Mitigation by Hazard

In addition to the general measures described, different hazards and the scenarios that
could be ascribed to them, require specific additional measures to be considered in
prevention and mitigation. These are outlined in Annex A, covering the specific
hazards from which Albania may be at risk. These include: Earthquake, Flood, High
Snowfall, Fires, Technological Emergencies, and Terrorism.
4.5 National Inspectorate of Civil Protection (NICP)
Based on current experience and in the necessity to improve the system of management
of civil emergencies and stressing the preparedness and mitigation measures to be
undertaken by the Civil Emergency structures, we see as necessary the establishment of
an efficient structure for civil emergency prevention.
As part of prevention and mitigation structures, the National Inspectorate of Civil
Protection (NICP) will be present in planning, projects implementation and providing
licenses. With a structure at both central and Qark level, this inspectorate will take the
role for monitoring and reporting on the progress in monitoring all the territory.
The National Inspectorate of Civil Protection will have monitoring, controlling and
reporting roles through supervising the work in progress of all structures relevant to
civil emergencies.
The National Inspectorate of Civil Protection will control the work for planning and
implementation of prevention measures for civil emergencies of all state and private
subjects.
The NICP controlles the state/level of completition, equipment and the level of
preparedness of the operational forces in response to civil emergencies.
In its work the National Inspectorate of Civil Protection will pursue compentences and
responsibilities foreseen in legal and sub-legal documents/acts such as for undertaking
measures against the institutions, structures and subjects which have not correctly
implemented rules, regulations, standards and legal bases for prevention, preparedness,
response to civil emergencies, as well as the activities for recovery and development of
the affected area.
A list of priorities for Prevention and Mitigation are described in detail in: Section 10
Following up the National Civil Emergency Plan.
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5. PREPAREDNESS AND PROTECTION

The second phase of the disaster cycle covered by the National Civil Emergency Plan is
that of Preparedness and Protection.
For the purpose of this National Plan:
Preparedness is defined as:
The undertaking of any measures to prepare people and property to withstand as
effectively as possible, the effects of an identified potential threat or hazard.
Protection is defined as:
The undertaking of any measures to physically protect people and property from the
effects of an identified potential threat or hazard, thereby reducing the risk it presents.
The “Protective Measures” of preparation and protection activities are defined under
Albanian Law 8756 of 26 March 2001 as follows:
“Protective measures include organisational and technical measures as well as other
means for immediate personal and collective protection of people, animals, property,
institutions, cultural heritage and environment against consequences of natural or
other disasters.”
Preparedness and protection activities are closely linked with those activities of
prevention and mitigation, from which protective measures are frequently identified.
This phase is also closely linked to the response phase. In the event of a disaster
occurring, several of the preparation and protection measures seamlessly become the
first activities of the response phase, and the steps taken in the National Civil
Emergency Service System (NCESS).
In this section, there are general and hazard-specific considerations to be taken
regarding the effects of natural and other disasters in Albania. These considerations
reflect the conclusions of the “Disaster Risk Assessment in Albania” 2003, which
expertly assesses the hazards affecting Albania and the risks that they represent.
Effective coordination is again the key to preparing communities to withstand the
effects of a hazard and protecting them from the risks that they pose. In this way, the
impact of an unavoidable civil emergency situation can be reduced and recovery made
more quickly, with minimised losses.
5.2 National Civil Emergency Plan (NCEP) for Preparedness and Protection
The National Civil Emergency Plan already represents one of the key Albanian
resources for Prevention and Mitigation as well as Preparedness and Protection. The
Plan defines roles, functions and responsibilities of relevant institutions in prevention
and mitigation and to some extent, ways of implementation of priority activities.
Together with the other plans at various levels and sectorial plans it present the
theoretical framework of prevention and mitigation measures in the country.
Section 10 Following up the National Civil Emergency Plan, outlines all the Civil
Emergency Priorities for Albania in detail, including measures for prevention and
mitigation.
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5.3 Institutions and Civil Emergency Plans

Departments and organisations with responsibilities for civil emergency issues are
obliged to draw up their own civil emergency plans to meet their responsibilities and
obligations under the National Civil Emergency Plan, which are detailed in Annexe B.
All specific civil emergency plans should be complementary and support the National
Civil Emergency Plan, and should be provided, with subsequent updates, to the
Department for Civil Emergency Planning and Response. Afterwards changes will be
reflected in the National Plan during the update phase.
5.4 Sectorial and Contingency Plans

In addition, as a matter of accepted management practice, all departments and
organisations, public, private sector and NGOs should have an emergency, or
contingency plan to protect their known assets in the event of a civil emergency
situation, provide the best possible service during the emergency situation, and the
most rapid recovery afterwards. The outline and content of civil emergency,
contingency and sectorial plans are provided in the Civil Emergency Manuals, which
are part of the National Civil Emergency Curricula developed by the Ministry of Local
Government and Decentralization.
Plans should cover essential subjects such as:
Sectorial Plans: specific problems, which may be of national, regional or local
importance.
Contingency Plans: are developed by the disaster management structure of central,
regional and local level for specific disasters, which may happen in the near future.
Usually, contingency plans are used for transitory periods until the Emergency
Plans are prepared. Contingency plans may be developed for seasonal or new
risks/hazards or emergency that not covered by the main plan.
Emergency Plans: are specific plans developed to cover important Installations and
facilities pertaining to private or public juridical or physical subject. These provide
protection measures for human life and property and foresee activities to overcome
civil emergencies through available capacities and provision of assistance from
outside, if necessary.
In these plans protection measures are foreseen, mostly environmental safeguards for
hazardous materials management, such as protective walls around oil tanks, fire
prevention measures and containment facilities, safeguard measures for subterranean
and surface waters especially sea waters.
5.5 Identifying Hazard and Risk
At local and national levels, effective preparation and protection requires familiarity
with the specific hazards and the potential risk they pose. The Disaster Risk
Assessment in Albania 2003 provides an expert analysis of the specific hazards and
their risks, including potential losses of life and property in Albania. The Disaster Risk
Assessment identifies specific hazards, the risks they pose to life and property, and the
areas of Albania that they have historically affected and the areas that they are most
likely to affect in the future. The following major hazards affecting Albania are
explained and analysed in the narrative text of the Risk Assessment, supported by
tables and risk-maps of the territory:
Seismic Hazards and Risks
- 34 -
Flood Hazards and Risks

Dam-burst Hazards and Risks
High Snowfall and Avalanche Risks
Forest Fire Risks
Technological Hazards and Epidemics
For more information see Annex A.
At local and national levels, discussion in mitigation committees of the risks posed by
the greatest specific hazard in an area, automatically leads to consideration of measures
to prepare for such an event and how to protect people and property from its effects.
This Preparation and Protection stage is however beyond prevention and mitigation, in
that the existing vulnerability of population and property is assessed, and any
immediate measures to prepare for, and protect against an event, are taken. Different
hazards present very different risks, but some of the general preparedness and
protection measures for one hazard may also be effective for another hazard.
5.6 Awareness of Risk

Awareness of risk and effective monitoring of the situation is a first step to
preparedness and protection. This achieved through ongoing activities, including:
a) Public Awareness and Education Campaigns
The production, of leaflets, posters, hazard maps and other educational materials, and
presenting information through media, public meetings and work in schools and
organisations increases public and organisations’ awareness of specific risk, and
encourages community participation in planning and response. Such activities should
be coordinated by the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response, and
may draw on the capacities of working groups and the support of key stakeholders such
as local level administration, education services, radio television and media, and the
Police. Using appropriate language and approaches, the following groups should be
targeted:
The general public, including more vulnerable groups such as women, children,
large families, the aged, and minority groups
Leaders at Qark, Commune and Municipality levels
Identified urban community groups, rural families and village communities
Government departments with key roles in civil emergency matters
Other key officials and decision makers in public office and in private sector
Volunteer, non profit and non governmental organisations
Diplomatic and donor community
b) Plans and Simulation Exercises
To make possible the civil emergencies plans to be near the reality is neccessary
coordination of the activities between all the relevant institutions. Testing simulation
exercises, evacuation plans as well as operational plans developed based on risk zone
maps, need to be focused on specific risks.
Central institutions and structures at all levels have responsibilities to prepare and
implement simulation exercises to test these plans. Through the simulation exercises
importance will be given to civil emergency structures training.
- 35 -
Other institutions who design and held training and simulation activities on specific
issues relevant to civil emergency management, are obliged to inform and coordinate
their activities with the Civil Emergency System Service.
5.7 Monitoring and Trigger Mechanisms
Systematic monitoring of specific disaster risks requires identified roles and
responsibilities, and clear reporting lines through the local civil emergency structure.
Monitoring procedures are reinforced with clear criteria or indicators to trigger early
warning and the National Activation System. Relevant institutions and structures that
have capacities or subordinate structures for monitoring and early warning have the
duty to provide periodic and specific information to the Department of Civil
Emergency Planning and Response. These criteria or indicators need to be agreed
between the institute or organisation providing the monitoring information, and the
civil emergency structures. In this way, day to day monitoring of, for instance
precipitation, continues until an agreed precipitation trigger level is reached of serious
concern. At this point immediate contact is made with the civil emergency structures,
constant monitoring and transfer of data undertaken, and preparation made for Stage 1
“Alert” of the National Civil Emergency Service System.
Monitoring requirements and trigger points in Albania include:
Monitoring seismological, precipitation and hydrological conditions, with
agreed indicators to trigger National Activation System.
Monitoring water volume projections before maximum safe dam capacities are
reached, requiring overflow release.
Monitoring degradation of unstable or potentially unstable slopes
Monitoring local snow fall, wind speed/direction and temperature conditions
affecting major roads against indicators for road blocking and closure
Monitoring build up of deep snow on steep slopes in risk areas against
indicators for slopes of 30 degrees and more
Monitoring conditions and risks of forest fires in at risk areas
Monitoring safe function of industrial installations and facilities through direct
contacts with civil emergency responsible in each installation or facility
Monitoring of environment pollution
Monitoring of hydro-sanitary and epidemiological conditions
Monitoring of plant and animal diseases.
5.8 Early Warning

Early warning systems include updated lists of roles, responsibilities and contacts, with
direct links to the National Civil Emergency Service System, Stage 1 “Alert.” It is the
responsibility of the Department for Civil Emergency Planning and Response and
concerned local authorities, to ensure that all stakeholders are conversant with the local
and national early warning systems and necessary contacts and procedures. It is also
the responsibility of the civil emergency structures at central level and designated civil
emergency officials at Qark, Commune and Municipality levels, to ensure that timely
and appropriate warning messages are broadcast to the public and institutions, advising
them of the risk and the necessary steps for them to take.
- 36 -
Early warning is duty of all the responsable structures starting form local up to the
central level and of the specialized structures.
5.9 Emergency Public Works and Other Measures
Emergency Public works are appropriate to provide preparedness and protection against
specific or seasonal hazards when mitigation and preventative measures are unable to
reduce the level of risk at the time. Such measures include:
Temporary additional flood prevention measures, such as reinforced dykes,
clearing and dredging channels, adjusting flood gates, providing sand bags
Repairing and reinforcing bridges, protecting unstable slopes and reinforcing
road protection walls
Cutting new fire breaks and clearing overgrown fire breaks
Preventing build up of deep snow on steep slopes over 30 degrees
Drawing forward and relocating specialist equipment, transport capacity and
relief supplies during times of higher risk
Preparing equipment and signs for rapid diversion from, and closure of; roads,
bridges and other transport links
5.10 Seasonal Preparedness and Protection Measures

Preparedness and Protection Measures described in this section may also be selected as
Seasonal Preparedness Measures, to be put in place before the risk season arrives. In
Albania, Seasonal Preparedness Measures reflect the essentially seasonal risks of:
Heavy rainfall and potential flooding (October to April)
High snowfall (December to February)
Forest fires (July and August)
5.11 Roles and Responsibilities
Clear roles and responsibilities at National, Qark, Commune and Municipality levels
are essential. These must be regularly reinforced through coordination procedures, and
be in line with seasonal hazards and risks. All roles and responsibilities refer to Section
2 Organisation of the National System of Civil Emergency Management in Albania,
Section 6 Response, of the National Civil Emergency Plan, and the National Civil
Emergency Service System and Annex B.
5.11.1 At National Level

Line ministries, institutions and structures provide/confirm to the Department of Civil
Emergency Planning and Response through the civil emergency personnel:
Regularly confirm all contact details for essential contacts in: relevant line
ministries and departments, Operational Forces, institutions and public and
private sector organisations, Qark, Commune and Municipal officials, and all
other key stakeholders, including representatives of the UN and international
community.
Confirm all public warning and communication arrangements are in place,
testing them periodically.
- 37 -
Check and update records national stockpiles and availability of food, non food
and medical supplies in state and private storage
Check and update transport logistics details, including numbers of vehicles,
their operational bases and fuel availability and storage
Check and update records of heavy machinery type and location of heavy
machinery owned by both state and private sector
Make arrangements to relocate appropriate relief supplies, transport means and
heavy machinery to potentially isolated areas
Convene regular meetings of those involved in the Civil Emergency Structure to
ensure preparedness and feed into the regular updating of the National Civil
Emergency Plan
5.11.2 At Qark level

The Prefect and Civil Emergency Officer should:
Regularly confirm all contact details for the NOCCE, Qark Disaster
Management Commission, civil emergency structures within the Qark, those
designated officials responsible for civil emergency issues at commune and
municipal levels, and other key contacts in the public, voluntary and private
sectors
Confirm all public warning and communication arrangements are in place
Check and update records of any stockpiles and availability of food, non food
and medical supplies in state and private storage in the Qark
their operational bases and fuel availability and storage in the Qark
machinery owned by both state and private sector in the Qark
Prepare arrangements to relocate transport means and heavy machinery to
potentially isolated areas
Check other appropriate measures have been taken to protect against hazards at
Qark level, including:
o Ensuring primary drainage channels are dredged and clearances
under bridges are clear
o Ensuring community is aware of evacuation routes, emergency
communication/information means and areas of safe refuge and
shelter
o Ensuring community is aware of proper storage of minimum food,
water, fuel and other reserves
o Ensuring measures are in place to ensure safe road access and
alternative routes if necessary
5.11.3 Municipal and Commune Level

The designated officials with civil emergency responsibility should:
Regularly confirm all contact details for the NOC (Tirana Municipality only),
Prefect, Qark Civil Emergency Officer, members of the local Emergency
Planning and Management Commission, and other key contacts in the public,
voluntary and private sectors
Confirm all public warning and communication arrangements are in place
- 38 -

their operational bases and fuel availability and storage in the commune or
municipality
machinery owned by both state and private sector in the commune or
municipality
Check other appropriate measures have been taken to protect against hazards,
including:
o Ensuring drainage channels are cleared and free from rubbish and
debris
o Ensuring community is aware of evacuation routes,
communication/information means and areas of safe refuge and
shelter
o Ensuring community is aware of proper storage of minimum food,
water, fuel and other reserves
o Ensuring measures are in place to ensure safe road access and
alternative routes
5.12 Developing Preparedness and Protection Priorities for Albania

To guarantee a comprehensive and inclusive approach to civil emergency management,
a set of Preparedness and Protection Priorities for Albania are integrated within Section
10 of the National Civil Emergency Plan. The most important areas in Preparedness
and Protection being:
Developing the internal tasks and regulation of the Inter Ministerial Committee
for Civil Emergencies, Technical Advisory Commission for Civil Emergencies,
Civil Emergency Management Team (task force), National Operations Center
for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE)
Establishing a meeting area for the Inter Ministerial Committee for Civil
Emergencies and the Civil Emergency Management Team.
Establishing the National Training Centre for Civil Emergency Management.
- 39 -
6. RESPONSE

The third phase of the disaster cycle covered by the National Civil Emergency Plan, is
that of Response.
For the purposes of this National Plan:
Response is defined as All actions of forces and means for rescuing people’s lives,
livestock and property in a territory stricken by a disaster, as well as providing the
basic living conditions for the population affected by disaster.
Activation of the Response Phase
The Response Phase goes through the following Stages:
Stage 1: Alert. All measures on first notification or information on an emergency
situation and serves as a signal to increase readiness.
Stage 2: Standby. Readiness of all post notification measures or information that an
emergency situation or disaster is imminent or has started.
Stage 3: Activate. Activation arises when an emergency situation has occurred.
Stage 4: Stand Down. Stand Down represents the closure of the Response Phase,
irrespective of how many previous stages have actually occurred.
6.2 Reporting of Emergency Situations

It is the duty of every citizen and organisation in Albania to immediately report new
information regarding a real or potential civil emergency situation to the appropriate
authorities at Local level (Commune, Municipality, Qark), Prefect Administration and
consequently to Central Structures at local and National level. The information of an
emergency situation usually comes by the first person observing in the field, the nearest
Police Officer, the armed forces staff, fire station, monitoring structures or every citizen
and through them to the local, qark and central authorities. Details for all appropriate
such structures should be widely available to departments, agencies, institutions and the
public throughout the territory. All the communication and capacity means existing at
governmental and non-governmental structures is used/will be available.
On receiving the information, official authorities should ensure that the National
Operations Center for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE) is informed immediately.
In case the information is received by the NOCCE directly, it informs the relevant
authority at municipality, commune and qark and demand from them to verify the
information. NOCCE inform the Director of the Department of Civil Emergency
Planning and Response (DCEPR) who informs the Minister of Local Government and
Decentralization for each emergency situation or possibility for occurrence, and
depending on the situation issue the activation of the National Civil Emergency Service
System (NCESS), as explained in the following sections.
6.3 National Operations Center for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE)
Albania benefits from an established National Operations Centre for Civil Emergencies
(NOCCE), under the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response
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(DCEPR), Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization, to which all new

information relating to a real or potential civil emergency situation must be addressed,
where it will be collected and analysed. All the information is collected through the
NOCCE and DCEPR and the NOCCE maintains permanent contact with civil
emergency officers and civil emergency centres of other local and central institutions
and structures, to immediately transmit all information during both phases of
Preparedness and Response. At the same time, this centre keeps permanent contacts
with all civil emergency structures referred to in Annex C.
6.4 National Civil Emergency Service System (NCESS)

The National Civil Emergency Service System (NCESS) is comprised of structures,
human and material resources, governmental and non-governmental, which are
involved in the response to civil emergencies.
NCESS is composed of both permanent and temporary structures, depending on the
activation of the capacities to respond to emergencies. The activation of the NCESS
ensures an appropriate and immediate response to all the types of potential emergency
situations, whether or not the Alert stage has occurred.
6.5 NCESS activation stages

The activation of the NCESS ensures that an appropriate informed response is made to
all types of potential civil emergency situations, whether or not a warning stage has
occurred. In the case of a sudden onset event, the NCESS begins directly at “Stage 3
Activate”. If there is early warning information, all four stages will be pursued in the
following order, to ensure optimum preparedness, maximum effectiveness of resources
and the best possible coordinated national and international response.
Stage 1: Alert
The General Director of Civil Emergency Planning and Response
Department(DCEPR) decides Stage 1 Alert, when a warning or information is received
that an event with potential to cause damage and casualties in Albania may occur.
Stage 1: Alert. Checklist
The General Director of Civil Emergency Planning and
Check
Response Department will:
1. Inform Minister of MoLGD of “Alert” status
2. Contact Prefect and heads of local governance
3. Inform relevant lead departments and agencies
4. Inform relevant scientific agencies and request urgent

updates and forecasts
5. Check NOCCE is fully staffed at and equipped for 24 hour
operations at Alert stage
6. Check communications, mobile telephone numbers,
confirm radios, torches, phones are charged. Requires
additional telephone numbers and inform the communication
operators on the situation.
- 41 -
7.Check DCEPR emergency vehicles are available, equipped

with standard kit, fuelled and carry reserve fuel containers.
8. Request information on the emergency cash reserve of the
Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization.
9. Request State Reserves to confirm stock levels and
locations
10. Provide correct information and ensure appropriate

warnings and appropriate advice is being broadcast to the
public by all available means
11. Prepare consolidated information points, for a basic
briefing, if requested, by Donor Government, UN, Red Cross,
NGO representatives and other stakeholders.
Stage 2: Standby
The General Director of Civil Emergency Planning and Response Department
assesses the need to initiate Stage 2 Standby, when an event likely to cause damage and
casualties in Albania is imminent.
Stage 2: Standby. Checklist
The General Director of Civil Emergency Planning and
Check
Coordination Department (DCEPR) will:
1. Inform Minister MoLG on the situation, and after
consultation the Minister decides to initiate Stage 2 Standby
Status
2. Convene the DCEPR, the Technical Advisory Commission
for Civil Emergencies, which will be prepared for the decision
making process, information meetings for media and partners
3. Contact Prefect and heads of local governance, requesting
to convene the Local Civil Emergency Commissions and start
following up the situation with activation of existing civil
emergency plans/contingency plans.
4. Contact relevant lead departments and agencies in
particular those involved in first response (Public
information/warnings, first aid, accident and emergency,
SAR, fire, evacuation/safe shelter)
5. Contact relevant monitoring institutions and request urgent
updates and forecasts to be sent automatically to Minister
MoLG .
6. General Directorate of Civil Emergency Planning and
Coordination, ensures that all data and information is
forwarded immediately to the Qark Civil Emergency Officer
in the Regional Operations Centers (ROC)
7. General Department of Civil Emergency Planning and
Coordination prepares first situation report, and classified
information which for the Council of Ministers, Institutions
and line Ministries. A summarized situation report to be sent
to the Prefect(s) of affected Qark(s).
- 42 -
8. General Department of Civil Emergency Planning and

Coordination checks and confirms all previous measures have
been completed. The NOCCE is fully staffed, equipped at
Standby Stage for 24 hour operations.
9. Establish a Joint Assessment Team to be deployed to the
affected area, to clarify data and support civil emergency
structures
10. Based on Risk Assessment, information and GIS data on
the affected area, nature of disaster and expected impact,
prepare technical forecast of expected damage and needs, and
relevant operational forces capacities
11. Maintain updated consolidated public and media
information and prepare periodic reports for upper
governmental level, donors, UN, Red Cross and NGO
representatives, and media.
Stage 3: Activate
Stage 3 Activate begins when either a sudden onset event has caused damage and
casualties in Albania, or a slow onset event with similar consequences is underway,
beyond the ability of local capacities to cope. The Minister of Local Government and
Decentralization has the authority to announce Stage 3 Activate, involving only
permanent structures which duties are planning and response to civil emergencies.
If the emergency is a larger scale event, acting on the request of the Minister of Local
Government and Decentralisation, the Inter Ministerial Commission for Civil
Emergencies will be convened (through a Council of Minister Decision) and a Head of
Operations be appointed by that Committee to take overall responsibility for the
coordination of national response and international support if necessary.
Stage 3: Activate. Checklist

For smaller scale emergencies, the Minister of Local
Check
Government and Decentralization will:
1. Ensure activation of response mechanisms and structures
at Commune, Municipality and Qark level, including Qark
Commission for Civil Emergency Planning and Response.
2. Request information from Prefects and General
Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response on
the situation and stage activation.
3. Maintain contacts with international organisations and
donors regarding possible support If necessary, propose to
the Prime Minister to declare a State of Emergency in the
affected areas.
4. Request immediate activation of necessary central
operational institutions and structures.
5. If necessary, the Minister of Local Government and
Decentralization or the Ministry according to disaster nature
proposes to the Prime Minister to declare the State of Civil
Emergency in the area affected.
- 43 -
6. If necessary, request the Council of Ministers to establish

the Inter Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies
(IMC).
The Director of the Department for Civil Emergency
Planning and Response will:
7. If not already done (for sudden emergencies), convene the
Technical Advisory Commission for Civil Emergencies, and
prepare decision-making process, and provide information
meetings for media, donors and partners.
8. If not already done, establish Joint Assessment Teams to
be immediately deployed to the affected area, to provide data
and support Qark authorities
9. Request regular urgent situation updates to NOCCE, from
Joint Assessment Team and Qark Commission for Civil
Emergency Planning and Response and Local Commission
for Civil Emergencies (LCCE)
10. Starts producing Daily Situation Report circulated by
General Director through MoLG to Prime Minister office,
relevant line ministries and institutions, relevant international
organisations. A summary of the Daily Situation Report to
be sent to the Prefect of affected Qark(s)
11. Communicate with monitoring institutions/structures and
request relevant scientific institutions to automatically send
urgent updates and forecasts to the concerned civil
emergency structures, to send to the Ministry of Local
Government and Decentralization.
12. Ensure forwards all relevant urgent scientific institution
updates immediately to the Qark Civil Emergency Officer in
the Regional Operations Centre
13. Ensure the NOCCE is fully operational at Response
Stage for 24-hour operations, and supported by the Civil
Emergency Management Team (task force).
14. Propose to Minister MoLG to request assistance from
existing in country International Organisations, and via
existing agreements with regional partners.
15. Prepare regular updated consolidated information (public
document) for regular briefing for donor governments, UN,
Red Cross and NGO representatives, and media.
For a larger scale emergency, when appointed, the Head of
Operations will ensure that:
16. Check is made that above steps 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
have been taken and in fulfilling point 13 the Civil
Emergency Management Team is fully operational.
17. Depending on needs, the Head of Operations propose to
the Interministerial Committee of CE to request, accept or
refuse international emergency assistance in the form of Cash
contributions, in kind contributions or services (such as SAR,
logistics, field hospitals)
- 44 -
18. Through the Civil Emergency Management Team

(CEMT) lead all the operations of central and international
structures in support of the head of operations at qark,
municipality and commune level.
19. Provide Daily Situation Report (internal document),
circulated by Head of Operation to: Council of Ministers,
Inter Ministerial Committee, relevant line ministries and
institutions, relevant international organisations, and
summary of Daily Situation Report sent to the Prefect(s) of
affected Qark(s).
Stage 4: Stand Down

The announcement for Stage 4 Stand Down is made by the same authority that
announced the previous stages
Stage 4 Stand Down can be reached directly from either Stage 1 or Stage 2 without a
disaster actually occurring, or from Stage 3 when an event has actually occurred. The
Stage 4 Stand Down represents the normal situation in Albania, when no immediate
threat exists.
In any case Stand Down criteria are:
Once a full assessment of the situation has been completed
The threat of disaster has abated
Disaster relief operations gave positive results
The most pressing needs were effectively addressed.
Stage 4: Stand Down. Checklist

The Director of Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Check
Response takes responsibility for Stage 4 Stand Down
1. Contact Prefect/s and heads of local government.
2. Verify and ensure that correct information and appropriate

advice has been broadcast to the public by all suitable means.
3. Advise relevant lead departments and agencies listed in Annex C
of “Stand Down” status.
4. Advise relevant scientific/monitoring agencies of “Stand Down”
status.
5. Prepare final Situation Report for distribution to all concerned
ministries and agencies.
6. Prepare consolidated information points, for final briefing and
confirmation of Stand Down, for Media, Donor Governments, UN,
Red Cross and NGO representatives.
7. Collect all data, reports, maps and correspondence and file under
date/event number/title.
8. Confirm NOCCE is returned to normal resources for standard
24-hour monitoring capacity.
- 45 -
9. Return any borrowed equipment.
10. Confirm NOCCE emergency vehicles are returned to vehicle

pool, standard field kit replenished if necessary, repairs/service
undertaken if needed, and re-fuelled.
11. Return balance of operational emergency finances and submit
accounts.
12. Check communications, mobile telephone numbers, have been
updated where necessary, check stationary and confirm radios,
torches, phones are returned/replaced and all re-charged.
13. Request General Directorate of State Reserves to
check/replenish stock levels.
6.6 Roles and Responsibilities during Response Phase

On first hearing of a disaster or potential event at Regional or local level, the Civil
Emergency Officer, Prefect or designated official will commence similar stages of
activation to support and complement the National Civil Emergency Service System
(NCESS).
The Prefect will: Check
1. Notify NOCCE of potential disaster event (Stage 1 Alert).
2. Provide updated verbal and written reports of evolution of

situation (Stage 2 Standby).
3. Convene Qark Commission for Civil Emergency Planning and
Response (Stage 2 Standby).
4. Appoint Head of the Operations (2 Standby).
5. Prepare daily sitreps and frequent verbal reports to NOCCE

(Stage 2 Standby and Stage 3 Activate).
6. Engage in specific roles and tasks and responsibilities outlined
for Qark level in 6.6.
Prefect Administration
Responsible for Civil Emergency will:
1. Notify Prefect, Qark Operational Centre (QOC) or directly the

NOCCE of potential disaster event (Stage 1 Alert)
2. Convene Local Commission for Civil Emergencies(LCCE)

(Stage 2 Standby)
3. Provide verbal and written reports of situation to Prefect, QOC
or directly to the NOCCE. (Stage 2 Standby and Stage 3 Activate)
4. Engage in specific roles and tasks and responsibilities outlined
for municipal and commune level, outlined in these section.
- 46 -
During the Response Phase roles and responsibilities are as follows:
Overall Coordination: Smaller Scale Emergency:

Overall coordination of national and international response effort is the responsibility of the
Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization.
Overall Coordination: Larger Scale Emergency:

Overall coordination of national and international response effort is the responsibility of the
Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) for Civil Emergencies, which appoints a Head of
Operations. The IMC is directly supported and advised by Department of Civil Emergency
Planning and Response.
IMC maintains a coordinating role with appropriate line ministries, departments and monitoring
institutions. IMC, National Head of Operations and Department of Civil Emergency Planning
and Response will be supported by the UNDAC Team, if deployed in the country.
Activation and coordination of Local Operational Forces:

The activation of local government operational forces is the responsibility of heads of local
government. The activation and coordination of State Police, Fire Protection and Rescue
Service, Armed Forces, Health Service, and other services at Qark level, is the responsibility of
Prefects, advised by the Civil Emergency Officer and the Qark Disaster Planning and Response
Commission (DPRC)
Activation and coordination of Active and Supportive Civil Emergency Operational

Structures:
If not already mobilised, the Head of Operations requests the respective organisations for the
Active and Supportive Civil Emergency Operations Structures. Coordination of Armed Forces,
Police, Fire and Rescue, and Ambulance Service activities is the responsibility of the Head of
Operations supported by the Civil Emergency Management Team.
National and International Search and Rescue (SAR) operations:

National SAR teams can be provided by: Ministry Defence, Ministry of Public Order,
Directorate of Fire Protection and Rescue Service, Ministry of Industry and Energy. All
International SAR teams should have INSARAG accreditation and be notified to the Head of
Operations through UNDAC or Department for Civil Emergency Planning and Response.
Needs Assessment: Smaller Scale Emergency

Coordination and provision of Needs Assessment for smaller events and emergencies, is the
direct responsibility of the Prefect of Qark and the head of local government organisations that
will be supported by the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response, ARC branch
or other joint teams.
Needs Assessment: Larger Scale Emergency

Coordination of Needs Assessment is the responsibility of the IMC, through its Joint
Assessment Team. The IMC Joint Assessment Team is directly supported by the Department of
Civil Emergency Planning and Response, and specialist personnel responsible for Civil
Emergency provided by relevant ministries, departments and institutions including: Ministries
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of Defence, Public Order, Health, Agriculture and Food, Environment, Tourism and Territory
Regulation, other relevant personnel including the Prefect, Civil Emergency Officers,
Commune and Municipal officers, and Albanian Red Cross HQ and Branches.
Joint Assessment Team:

The IMC Joint Assessment Team is lead by a specialist from the most appropriate institution
according to the nature of the emergency. This may be a specialist from one of the ministries of:
Defense, Health, Agriculture, Industry and Energy, Environment, Tourism and Territory
Regulation or Local Government and Decentralization or from a specialist institution.
Damage assessment (Infrastructure and Buildings)

Damage assessment for smaller scale emergencies is coordinated by the Prefect Administration
supported by the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response for smaller events,
and by the Joint Assessment team for larger events. Essential technical support is provided by
the most appropriate specialist departments/institutions for the event, including: Technology of
Construction Institute, Institute of Seismology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, General
Directorates of Roads, of Railways and of Aviation, Albanian Geological Service, General
Directorate of Water and Channels, Land Institution and specialists provided from private
organisations. An overview of functions of each ministry and institution regarding Civil
Emergency Management is listed at Annex B
National Operation Center for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE)

The Overall center for collection, analysis and provision of Information for the emergency
operation is the National Operations Center for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE) of the Ministry of
Local Government and Decentralization. Support and information is provided by all concerned
line ministries, departments, local authorities and the general public. Information regarding all
aspects of international assistance should be immediately directed to the NOCCE.
Providing Operational Information to the National Operations Centre for Civil Emergencies
(NOCCE):
It is the role and responsibility of all concerned ministries, departments, institutions, local
authorities, private sector organisations and (where necessary) the general public, to provide
updated field operational information to the NOCCE. This information make possible to the
Department of Civil Emergency Planning to make relevant proposals to Minister of Local
Government and Decentralization and the IMC. This responsibility includes the provision of
relevant technical and scientific information regarding hydrological, seismological,
meteorological and environmental conditions. Support networks for information flow to the
NOC include the Prefect, Qark Emergency Commission, Civil Emergency Officer, Head of
Qark level operation, Commissions at Municipal level and commune level, and their Head of
operations, and if deployed, the National Joint Assessment Team.
Civil Emergency Management Team (task force)(CEMT)

When the State of Emergency is declared a Civil Emergency Management Team (CEMT) is
established in the NOCCE. Depending on disaster type participants from line ministries and
other central institution are organised in sections as described in section 2.1.8. Representative
of ARC, International Organisations and NGOs work in close coordination with the CEMT. The
CEMT prepare the decision making process of the Head of Operations and IMC.
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Early Warning, First Notification, Public Information and Advice:

The immediate responsibility for essential public information, depending on the speed and scale
of emergency, is that of Operational Forces at the scene, Head of Municipality and Commune,
Prefect, and Civil Emergency Officer. Wider and overall national responsibility for large-scale
events becomes that of the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization. Public
information, warning and advice is provided by; State and Private media, Albanian Red Cross
Volunteers, civil society organisations and other providers of information.
Emergency Transport Facilities Including emergency transport of people, evacuation, SAR

teams, relief items, fuel and water tankers:
The requirements for emergency transport and available capacities are coordinated nationally
by the Head of Operations. The Ministry of Transport and Territory Regulation has the lead role
in providing vehicles of its directorates, of Ministry of Defense, the Directorate of State
Reserves and the private sector. At Qark, Commune and Municipal level, civil emergency
officers maintain inventories of available capacities including those of the private sector. An
overview of national capacities is included in Annex C.
Emergency International Transport Facilities (Air and Sea)

Emergency response activities requiring use of seaport and airport handling facilities are
coordinated through the Head of Operations. The General Directorate of Civil Aviation and
General Directorate of Marine Transport provide direct technical support. Related support is
provided by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Public Order (Police), Finance
(Customs), and specific private sector contractors. An overview of functions of each ministry
and institution including those covering emergency transport, is listed at Annex B
Emergency Access to Affected Area:

Coordination of access issues to affected areas in emergency is provided by the Director of
Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response or the Head of Operations, and the
responsible local authorities. The actual opening and clearing of roads, road bridges, railways
and rail bridges is the responsibility of the General Directorate of Roads, Directorates of Rural
Roads, and General Directorate of Railways. They may require support from the capacities of:
Ministry of Defence including CPB, Ministries of Industry, Ministry of Tourism and Territory
Regulation, Ministry of Agriculture, and Private Sector contractors that have heavy equipment
at their disposal. National Capacities in these areas are listed in 6. 12 In case when the affected
areas includes rural, urban and communal roads as well, responsibility is remains to the
authorities who have these on their inventory, and in case of necessity these are supported by
other structures as above.
In any case, when the response exceed their capacities assistance is given by the Department of
Planning and Coordination of Civil Emergencies and the Head of Operations.
Emergency Border Controls

The responsibility for introducing and implementing Emergency Customs, Immigration and
Border Controls is assumed by the respective structures, especially, Ministry of Public Order
(Directorate of Refugees and Immigration, and Border Police), Ministry of Finance (Customs),
and Ministry of Foreign affairs (International Relations), whose activities are implemented
based on legislation and international covenants. When the State of Emergency is declared IMC
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is responsible for institutional coordination. Support in implementing emergency security and

control measures is the responsibility of the Interministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies.
Primary Health Care:

The Ministry of Health Directorate of Primary Health Care is responsible for providing
ambulances and PHC through the Regional Health Authority for Tirana, and elsewhere, through
directorates of Public Health at Qark level and its 598 functioning Health Centres. Head of
Operations will coordinate necessary requests.
Secondary and Tertiary Health Services:

Secondary and Tertiary Health Services are the responsibility of the Ministry of Health,
Directorate of Hospitals at National and Qark level, through its 3 University Hospitals, 11
Regional hospitals, 23 District/Municipality Hospitals, 8 Rural Hospitals, 4 specialist units, and
29 blood banks. Separate capacity can be provided by the Ministry of Defence, through its
Military Hospital, through the CPB Field Hospital, international relief and private sector.
Requests and needs are coordinated by the Head of Operations. Institutional capacities are listed
in section 6.12
Mass Casualty Management:

Mass Casualty Management is lead by the first responding agency, usually the nearest
operational forces. Depending on the location, First Response is undertaken by the first agency
at the scene. Triage and First Aid is undertaken by the Ministry of Health Emergency Services,
by any of the following, specialists of the Ministry of Defence (including CPB), Ministry of
Education (Faculty of Medicine), Fire Protection and Rescue Service, Albanian Red Cross and
qualified private sector volunteers.
The evacuation of patients for secondary and tertiary heath care is the responsibility of the
Ministry of Health, National, Qark and Municipal Ambulance Services. This capacity is
reinforced by the Ministry of Public Order DELTA (Sea Rescue) and Special Forces, Ministry
of Defense through its units for air and sea rescue, evacuation, urgent and special transportation
and the Air Force SAR Coordination Service, the CPB and the Albanian Red Cross. Local
governmental organisations, Ministry of Health facilities, Police structures and Ministry of
Tourism and Territory Regulation are responsible for identification and mass casualty
management.
Provision of Public Health Services:

The Ministry of Health and its Institute of Public Health has responsibility for monitoring the
quality of potable water, hygiene measures, Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI), and
monitoring nutrition and epidemiological surveillance through the WHO-supported ALERT
system. This capacity is reinforced by the specialists of the Ministry of Tourism and Territory
Regulation General Directorate of Water and Channels, Sewage and Urban Waste, and
specialists of Qark and municipal authorities, for water, sewage and solid waste.
Providing and Making Safe Utilities:

The provision of potable water to the population is the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism
and Territory Regulation, in cooperation with Municipal authorities and associated private
enterprises. Capacity for providing water tankers and cisterns is made available by the Ministry
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of Tourism and Territory Regulation, and supported by the Ministry of Defense.

The alternative energy sources and emergency restoration of the electricity supply is the
responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Energy General Directorate of Electrical Energy
through emergency response teams of KESH for electricity production and transmission,
supported by local government organisations and MoD.
The Private Sector has responsibility for the safety and restoration of gas supply and related
installations for privately owned power stations, outside KESH, and for the safety of Private
Sector bottled gas provision.
The Ministry Agriculture and Food is responsible for the supply and distribution of firewood for
heating, supported in transport by Ministry of Transport and Territory Regulation and General
Directorate of State Reserves.
Evacuation of the Civilian Population:

Deciding at a national level on the emergency evacuation of the civilian population is the
responsibility of the Council of Ministers on the advice of the Minister of Local Government
and Decentralization. The decision to declare a State of Civil Emergency is taken by the IMC,
and the operation is lead by the Head of Operations. At a local level, depending on the situation,
the responsibility is that of the Prefect and municipal or commune administration. In
emergency situations the operational forces at the location (Police, Fire and Rescue) may decide
the immediate evacuation of population in potential danger. Depending on the situation,
essential support roles are played by those operational forces themselves, and additionally by
the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Public Order, Ministry of Transport, Private Sector
Contractors, Albanian Red Cross, and private and public information and broadcasting
organisations.
Public information and local measures undertaken are very important during evacuation
operations.
Safety of Water Bodies Dams, Dykes, Channels, Rivers, Lakes:

The responsibility for maintenance, safety and repair of water bodies containment is shared as
follows:
Ministry of Tourism and Territory Regulation, Technical Secretariat of the State
Committee of Water (watersheds including lakes, rivers and dykes on rivers, Technical
Secretariat of the Committee of Dams (water storage dams)
Ministry of Industry, Directorate of Electrical Energy through KESH (Hydro dams)
Ministry of Agriculture Directorate of Water Management (Agricultural Dams, pumping
stations, primary drainage channels, and dykes), through regional directorates and
contractors.
Technical support is provided by:
The Ministry of Environment (Directorate of water pollution, Early Warning System
and 12 Qark Regional Environmental Agencies). Additional support is provided by
Prefects chairing 6 watershed Committees and local level associations responsible for
secondary and tertiary drainage channels in cooperation with Ministry of Agriculture
and municipal authorities.
Support in heavy equipment, if necessary, is provided by the Ministry of Defense, the
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Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the private sector.

Association of Farmer Water Consumer.
Contractors of water and reservoir users.
Identification and Provision of Safe Shelter:

Pre-identification and provision of safe shelter is lead by the Municipal authorities and Prefect
at local level in the first instance, supported by the Department of Civil Emergency Planning
and Response, or Head of Operations at national level. Support is given by Ministries and
agencies with capacities in buildings for emergency shelter and temporary shelter, including:
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defense, State
Reserves, Ministry of Justice (evacuation and relocation of prisoners) and the Albanian Red
Cross.
National Emergency Relief Supplies:

The coordination of supply, transport, storage and distribution of national and international
emergency relief supplies is undertaken from the Head of Operations and the Department of
Civil Emergency Planning and Response.
The support in provision of those supplies is provided by: The Ministry of Defense, Directorate
of State Reserves, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Ministry of Economy
(business centers) and the Albanian Red Cross.
The distribution of those supplies is coordinated by the Department of Civil Emergency
Coordination and Response or Head of Operations at national level, and locally by Qark and
municipal authorities, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health structures (for Medical
supplies), the Ministry of Social Welfare structures and the staff and volunteers of the Albanian
Red Cross.
International Emergency Relief Supplies

Coordinating requests for, and acceptance of, International Relief Assistance, its receipt,
storage, transport, and distribution is undertaken by the Inter Ministerial Committee with the
support of the Head of Operations and the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and
Response.
The transport of those supplies is coordinated by the Head of Operations at national level to the
point of storage, assisted locally by Qark and municipal authorities. This is undertaken in close
cooperation with the Ministry of Health structures (for Medical supplies), the Ministry of Social
Welfare structures and the staff and volunteers of the Albanian Red Cross at National Qark and
municipal level.
International relief supplies are to be provided and received under the terms described in section
6.8 and 6.9 and taking into account complementary plans such as the United Nations Inter
Agency Contingency Plan for Albania.
Emergency Telecommunications
The Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications has the overall coordination role of
emergency telecommunications, drawing on the support of agencies equipped with emergency
telecommunication networks.
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These include:
The Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response (NOCCE, and the Regional
Centers network )
Ministry of Defense (Joint Operation Center, radio network and mobiles of military
units)
Ministry of Public Order (Operations Center network, mobile units and network of
Police Operations Centers)
Ministry of Finance (Customs Radio Network)
Ministry of Agriculture (radio communication network of Forest Directorate)
Albanian Red Cross (Radio and Wave Mail network and mobile units)
Additional support is provided by the Agency of Frequencies, National Council on TV and
Radio Broadcasting KKSH, National Entity on Telecommunications, Alb telecom, and the
Private Sector communications companies, and NGOs.
Social Welfare Services:

The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare assumes the coordination role in social welfare
issues. For needs assessments, identifying vulnerability and developing appropriate assistance,
it works closely with the Prefect and Civil Emergency Officer at Qark level, and municipal
authorities. It is closely assisted by The Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response
and the Headquarters, branches and sub branches of the Albanian Red Cross, and NGOs.
Maintaining Security and Public Order:

In an Extraordinary Situation, the Office of the President, advised by National Security Council
takes overall responsibility, supported by Ministry of Public Order (Police, and Border Police)
and Ministry of Defence, National Informative Service and Qark, Commune and Municipality
authorities (Police).
In an Large Scale Emergency Situation: the overall responsibility is taken by the IMC,
supported by Ministry of Public Order (Police, and Border Police) and Ministry of Defense, and
Qark, Commune and Municipality authorities (Police).
International Partners and Donor Governments:

Before a civil emergency situation is declared, the responsibility is taken by the Ministry of
Local Government and Decentralization. Should a State of Civil Emergency be declared, the
lead role to arrange and specify procedures and agreements is taken by the Inter Ministerial
Committee, advised and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in accordance with the
international covenants and bilateral agreements signed by Albania.
IMC sets rules on ways these capacities will be used based on the DCEPR and Head of
Operations requests.
Request for National and International Assistance

Request for the activation of national capacities: The lead role is assumed by the Prefect at Qark
level and the Minister for Local Government and Decentralization at a national level.
The international relief: The lead role is assumed by the Prime Minister, advised by the Inter
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Ministerial Committee, itself supported by the Head of Operations and the Department of Civil
Emergency Planning and Response. Appropriate information and support is also provided by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on IMC request.
Emergency Financial Support at all levels:

Emergency State financial support can be activated using the following procedures:
Emergency Financial budget of Communes, Municipalities and Qarks
Ministry of Local Government and Decentralisation Emergency Budget
Other Line Ministries Emergency Budgets
Reallocated Budgets of Line Ministries
Council of Ministers Reserve Fund
The lead role for large-scale financial support is taken by the Council of Ministers under the
request of IMC. Support and advice is provided by the Department of Civil Emergency
Planning and Response, Ministry of Finance and other relevant ministries according to nature of
the emergency situation.
6.7 Public Information Broadcasts

Public information is an essential element of early warning, preparedness and advice to
the general public, and may play an essential role in saving lives and property during a
serious event. Clarity of correct and appropriate information is paramount, and will be
provided centrally by the National Operations Centre (NOCCE), and simultaneously by
the relevant authorities at Commune, Municipality and Qark level.
6.8 International Assistance

Requests for international assistance to Albania will only be made when it is decided
that the level of needs cannot be met from national resources and capacities.
International Appeal is prepared by IMC and procedures are implemented by Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. International assistance can be solicited, or offered, as financial
contributions (earmarked or non earmarked cash contributions), in kind donations
(food, tents, blankets, medical supplies etc), or specialist services (Search and Rescue
Teams, logistics handling teams etc). The Head of Operations, Inter Ministerial
Committee, closely supported by the General Director of Civil Emergency Planning
and Coordination will determine the requirements for international assistance.
The Inter Ministerial Committee will be ensure to donor agencies that emergency
assistance is utilized according to the guidelines of each contribution, and a report on
provided according to the terms and conditions of that contribution.
Some unsolicited assistance may arrive in country spontaneously and without being
requested. This needs to be managed correctly in the same method as the requested
relief assistance.
Non-acceptance of unsuitable or unnecessary national and international assistance is the
responsibility of IMC/ MoLG advised by the Head of Operations and the Department
of Civil Emergency Planning and Response.
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The effective coordination of international assistance places a huge burden on the

national response system. Assistance in this coordination can be requested from the
United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination teams (UNDAC), based in
Geneva. UNDAC can activate a team of experienced disaster managers to be on
standby, and if necessary in country within 24 hours. The role of UNDAC is to provide
support for the national disaster management Agency of a country, for the coordination
of both Search and Rescue teams and other international humanitarian assistance. A
request for an UNDAC team is made through the UN Resident Representative.
6.9 Customs, Immigration and Quarantine

If the request for international assistance is made, Customs, Immigration, Quarantine
and Border Services of Albania are to be advised immediately. The ease of entry into
Albania of international assistance personnel must be facilitated. In particular, the fast
entry of international Search and Rescue Workers, their rescue equipment and rescue
dog teams are a priority. Additionally, tax and duty free clearance must be facilitated
for all donor assistance marked “Humanitarian Assistance” or received for “Disaster
Relief Purposes.” This may also include similar exemption for goods purchased locally
with disaster relief funding and clearance for agricultural or hazardous material imports
if destined for humanitarian purposes.
The Head of Operations/ Civil Emergency Management Team is responsible for
providing information on expected donor assistance to the Customs, Immigration and
Quarantine Services to facilitate this process at entry points. This information will
include as much detail as possible on the type, quantity, source, means of transport,
arrival point and estimated time of arrival. If an UNDAC team has been requested and
deployed, it can provide significant additional support in this area. In the case of an
emergency in neighboring countries, involving displaced people crossing the border,
the customs, immigration, quarantine must be prepared to facilitate the appropriate
measures of the State.
6.10 Financial Considerations

Civil emergency situations bring both short and long-term financial implications, which
must be underwritten, for effective response to take place. Therefore, these potential
costs must be carefully planned for in advance, as much as is possible, at all levels.
The financial implications of the Response Phase can be broken down as follows:
6.10.1 Immediate Financial Implications:
To be credible in practice, all structures that have any responsibilities and obligations in
civil emergency situations must be able to operate at once at any time. Access to
sufficient liquid cash assets to undertake initial assessment and response is absolutely
essential. Vehicles, transport, fuel and communications costs must be accounted for,
and arrangements made in advance by all concerned structures in civil emergencies, so
allowing their personnel to move to the concerned location and start work at once.
6.10.2 Secondary Financial Implications:
As the civil emergency situation develops, greater and longer-term financial
implications arise. These include the costs of additional personnel hours, the costs of
acquiring and operating specialist equipment and transport means, and the costs of
providing safe shelter and medical and more general humanitarian assistance to those
affected by the civil emergency situation. These considerable costs will have long-term
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budgetary implications, and should be planned for in projections, scenarios and

estimates at both national and local levels.
6.10.3 Tertiary Financial Implications:
In addition to the costs of responding to the needs of a civil emergency situation, even
still in the response stage, tertiary financial implications start to arise. These are
frequently linked to efforts to stabilize the situation before the recovery phase can
begin. These may include costs of making safe damaged buildings and infrastructure,
restoring essential services such as water and electricity and providing longer term safe
shelter for those who may be unable to return to their homes.
During the response phase, the following measures should be already planned for, and
in place, for all structures and services involved in civil emergency issues:
A sufficient cash reserve should be maintained at all times for use in immediate
assessment, evaluation and response.
Arrangements should be in place to automatically cover the costs of accessing
vehicles, drivers and fuel for immediate assessment, evaluation and response.
Arrangements should be in place for emergency response personnel to be able to
quickly claim expenses and allowances to cover expenses incurred in sudden
response.
Pre arranged contracts or call down agreements must be in place and drawn upon in
times of civil emergency. Such arrangements allow services, such as those of heavy
machinery, to be immediately requested from the contractor, and payment made at a
later date as agreed.
The potential costs of response to civil emergency need to be estimated through
consideration of previous experience and simulation exercises, and included in the
budgetary planning of the concerned structures and services at both national and
local levels.
Based on these estimations, a percentage of the annual budget must be set aside for
civil emergency response within each concerned structure and service. Rapid access to
these budgeted financial resources then needs to be guaranteed in internal procedures,
by establishing a fast track mechanism to release emergency funds, for flexible uses, in
times of crisis.
6.11 Assessment and Reporting

Reports on the situation are prepared by several institutions and structures. In order to
be unified and reflect relevant information requested, Ministry of Local Government
and Decentralisation have developed the following series of standard assessment tools
which are applied in Albania and included at Annex D:
First Notification Form (Prepared at Prefect Level)
The First Disaster Information Report (Prepared by Joint Assessment Team)
Disaster Situation Report to OCHA
Request for Line Ministries in Case of Emergencies
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Rapid Needs Assessment Reports presented in the Civil Emergency Manuals, are
practical tools completed by respective authorities and help to get immediate
information on the damages and needs.
The Rapid Needs Assessment of a large-scale civil emergency situation must be
undertaken by the Joint Assessment Team. However, prior to this, any possible initial
contributions must be made as far as is feasible, using the same format, by the NOCCE,
the Qark Civil Emergency officer or Prefect, and Commune and Municipal authorities.
In extreme situations, it is possible that initial intervention is made (mass evacuation,
Search and Rescue, medical care and other priority activities) before or during the
Rapid Needs Assessment.
Successive follow up assessments will be made, using the same approach but with
greater detail as information become available, and the situation stabilizes.
6.12 National Response Resources and Capacities

Albania benefits from the capacities of several state agencies that may be made
available in the event of a civil emergency situation. These capacities include those
detailed below, and may be supplemented by additional state and private sector
capacities, potentially available at national and local level. Local level contingency
plans record these in much greater and regularly updated detail.
Some of the key national capacities and concerned agencies are outlined as follow:
Key National Civil Emergency Response Capacities in Albania

Agency Specialty Capacity
Special Response Forces/Teams
Civil Protection Base, Earthquake SAR 2 teams
Minisry of Defence, Tirana. Flood SAR 2 teams
Fire-fighting/SAR 2 teams
Chemical Pollution/SAR 2 teams
Mountain SAR 2 teams
Road clearance from snow and 3 teams
landslide
Air Forces Search and National Airborne SAR Service 56 persons and 7 Helicopters 2
Rescue Unit, Tirana AB-205 and AB-206 with
Ministry of Defense transport capacity 30 people.
Special Commando Air and Marine accident SAR team 1 team
Battalion
Ministry of Defense
NBC Battalion Chemical, bacteriological, 1 team 25 specialists
ecological, nuclear hazard rescue
team
National Military Hospital, Emergency Surgical Teams (each 2 teams
Tirana. of Surgeon, traumatologist,
Ministry of Defense anaesthetist, 3 support staff)
Infectious Disease Team 1 team

(infectionist, epidemiologist, 2
support staff)
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Rapid Reaction Brigade For non specific search and rescue 200 person
Ministry of Defense operations
Institute of Nuclear Physics On radioactivity detetction 2 teams
Specialist Technical Services
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Inspectorate 114 Specialists
Food
Ministry of Industry and Environmental Safety Experts 2 Specialists
Energy Mines Inspectorate 52 Specialists
Environmental Protection and 55 Specialists
Rehabilitation
Electrical Sector Emergency 60 Specialists (KESH)
Response
Fuel Inspectorate 22 Specialists
Central Military Hospital, Specialist Chemical Laboratory. 20 Specialists
Tirana
Transport Capacities and Specialist Equipment
Ministry of Transport and Railway Capacity 25 locomotives, 64 passenger
Telecommunication carriages, 220 freight wagons
Ministry of Tourism and Potable water transport capacity 6 tankers
Territory Regulation Sewage move/transportation 5 sewage tankers
Welding/cutting equipment 5 units
Bulldozer 1 unit
Civil Protection Base Transport Capacity (people) 16 vehicles (total 469 people)
Transport Capacity (Freight) 27 Trucks (total 134 mt)
Heavy Vehicles 2 units at 32 mt each
Tipper Trucks 8 units (total of 100 mt)
Earthmoving 5 units (total of 250 m3), and 6
Equipment/Bulldozers tracked bulldozers (total of 200
m3)
Snow Clearing Equipment 3 Units
Motor Boats 6 units (total of 80 persons), 14
units for freight
Fire Trucks 2 Units at 5 mt each
Generators 8 units (total 396 kw)
Decontamination 1 mobile unit
Welding/cutting equipment 3 units
Military Engineers Brigade Brigade Personnel 50 Specialists
Ministry of Defence, Tirana Tipper trucks 5 units
Earthmoving 8 units excavators, 5 units tracked
Equipment/Bulldozers bulldozers
Crane 1 unit at 15 mt
Rapid reaction Brigade Medium capacity vehicles 8 units
Ministry of Defense
NBC Battalion Decontamination 6 vehicle units
State Reserves Transport 20 light vehicles of 10 mt
Albanian Red Cross Transport 4 heavy trucks, light vehicles in 12
branches in 12 qarks.
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Assistance Services
Civil Protection Base Operational Forces 170 persons
Field Hospital I unit 50 beds, 4 treatment rooms
Potable Water 7 Tankers (total 67 mt) and 11
pumps (total 12 m3/hour)
Water Purification 2 units (total 6,000 l/hour)
Bakery units 2 units (total 2,400 kg/day)
Mobile kitchens 12 units (total 3,000 rations/day)
and 1 kitchen truck 300
rations/day
Shelter Tents for 17,000 people
Personal hygiene 2 showers (200 people per day)
Ministry of Health Transport helicopters 2 helicopters
Surgical Teams 2-3 units
Ambulances Transport (Tirana) 6 vehicles and staff
Hospitalization possibilities 50% of capacities in Mother
Teresa Hospital
Fire-fighting and Rescue Fire extinguisher 80 vehicles
Police, Ministry of Local
Government and Auto ramp 6 auto ramp
Decentralization Search and rescue 2 rescue equipment
Transport 2 ambulances
Fire-fighter personnel 670 persons
State Reserves Tents For 30.000 people
Ministry of Local Temporary shelter 28,000 m2 for 6,000 people in
Government and warehouses
Tents for 30,000 people
Decentralization
Oil storage warehouse 14,000 mt
Warehouse storage Total of 43,000 m2 for goods
Fuel storage for 14 mt
Albanian Red Cross Food Rations 8,000 people for 1 month
Temporary Shelter 2,000 people
Family links Tracing service linked to ICRC
international tracing system
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7. RECOVERY

The fourth and final phase of the disaster cycle covered by the National Civil
Emergency Plan is that of Recovery.
For the purpose of this National Plan;
Recovery is defined as:
The undertaking of any measures to restore the lives and property of the affected
community to the levels enjoyed before civil emergency event occurred.
The issues of recovery are referred to in Albanian Law 8756 of 26 March 2001, for
which: “The term “Recovery” means measures and actions taken to set the area as it
has been before stricken by the disaster.”
Although Recovery emerges from the aftermath of Response, Recovery is also closely
linked to the first phase of the disaster cycle, Mitigation. The Recovery Phase is
frequently a time to promote actions of mitigation, and in the aftermath of a civil
emergency situation, to actively solicit support for mitigation in the future, while the
memory of the consequences is still fresh for all stakeholders. Recovery is also a time
to assess effectiveness of preparedness plans and the actions taken in response.
Therefore an integral part of the Recovery Phase is a Review of the civil emergency
event. This is fully described in Section 8. Finally, while recovery starts from the
declaration of the end of the civil emergency situation, it may take days, months or
years for full recovery to be made. There are unfortunate occasions when full recovery
may never be attained due to loss of life, livelihood or home, which cannot be regained.
Therefore issues of recovery have both short and very long term implications.
7.2 Roles and Responsibilities

The Recovery Phase emerges directly from the Response Phase and the Stage 4: Stand
Down of the National Activation System. Therefore the roles, tasks and responsibilities
of the concerned stakeholders remain the same as those detailed in 6.6, until, one by
one, each task is undertaken and completed by the concerned stakeholder.
The following sections guide the steps that stakeholders will take as the response phase
develops into a situation of recovery.
During recovery specialized groups/teams carry out damages and needs assessments of
immediate and long-term needs. These assessments serves as base for development of
recovery and development projects and plans. Considering the Recovery as a phase
where perspective project and plans are made, we create the possibilities for reshaping
prevention measures in the affected areas.
This implies that development of infrastructures, and protection and prevention
measures will be reviewed and conceived in a way to be ready and reduce the effects in
case of potential future emergencies with similar parameters.
All the line Ministries and agencies have duties and responsibilities during the recovery
phase.
60
7.3 Coordination and information
The Recovery Phase starts with the declaration that the civil emergency situation is
over and that, dependent upon immediate safety factors, the affected public and
organisations can start to return to their normal situation. This information is to be
provided by the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response at a National
level, by the Prefect and Civil Emergency Officer at the Qark level and by the
designated officials for civil emergency management at Commune and Municipality
level. This remains an anxious time, and strong coordination and clear flow of
information is required from the civil emergency authorities at national and local levels
to confidently give the correct messages.
The next sections highlight particular priority issues to be addressed in effective

coordination and information flow in the immediate and longer-term recovery phase.
7.4 Removal or Reduced Force of Primary Hazard

Precise technical assessment and information is required to ensure that the risk posed
by the primary hazard causing the civil emergency situation is no longer evident or
reduced to safer levels, and that there is no indication of immediate return to recent
levels of intensity. Depending on the hazard in question, Albanian institutes such as
those of Seismology, Meteorology and Hydrology have important roles to play in
assessing hazard-risk, and their analysis may draw on, and be reinforced with, their
links with regional scientific institutions.
This information is complemented by the observations and collected data compiled and
analysed by the civil emergency authorities in the affected area, as part of their
coordinating role.
This includes information on:
The depth of river, channel and flood waters upstream
Local wind speed/direction patterns
Local precipitation levels
Local temperatures fluctuations
Monitoring of local installations of potential hazard
7.5 Stabilization of Risk of Secondary Hazards

The stabilisation of any relevant secondary hazards is essential to ensure safety of
return and recovery. Specific technical appraisal and advice is required by the civil
emergency coordination from the agencies with necessary specialist competences to
assess secondary hazards. These specialist agencies include General Directorates and
Directorates of:
Ministry of Agriculture and Food (Forests and Pastures, Water Management and
Irrigation, Veterinary Services)
Ministry of Transport (Roads, Railways, Civil Aviation and Sea Transportation)
Ministry of Health (Primary Health Care, Institute of Public Health, Hospitals,
Pharmaceutical Service)
61
Ministry of Public Order (Sector of Emergency Operations, Border Police,

Refugees and Road Police)
Ministry of the Environment (Environmental Inspectorate and Institute of the
Environment)
Ministry of Industry and Energy (Mineral Ore, Industry, Electrical Energy
(including KESH), Fuel)
Ministry of Tourism and Territory Regulation (Technical Secretariat of National
Council of Major Dams, National Technical Secretariat of Water, Building
Police, Water and Channels, Institute of Building Technology)
Ministry of Education and Sciences (Faculty of Engineering Science)
Albanian Academy of Sciences (Hydrology, Meteorology, Seismology)
When the risk of secondary hazards occurring is assessed as ending, then procedures
can take place for the safe and orderly return of the population to the affected area. The
following additional measures will need to be taken before public announcements to
instruct people to return are made.
7.6 Procedures for Safe Return or Resumption of Normal Access

The coordination role of the civil emergency authorities at the Qark, Commune and
Municipal levels, assisted by the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and
Response, requires a number of actions to be taken as population return to the affected
are or regain normal access to it. These actions are:
Safety Checks. Ensuring safety-checks are undertaken in each section of
affected area before population return. This includes checks for broken
electrical wires and installations, unmarked holes in the ground, leaking raw
sewage, hazardous materials, deep or fast flowing water, sources of potential
fire risk, and similar safety issues
Safe Access. Ensuring provision of safe access for civilians to the affected area.
This includes cordoning off dangerous areas and unstable buildings revealed
during standard safety checks (above)
Making-safe Return Areas. As soon as possible, ensuring the safe removal of
damage, wreckage, dangerous or hazardous materials, blockages to roads and
access and anything that may pose a secondary risk or hazard
Safe Shelter. Ensuring provision of continued (possibly alternative) safe shelter
for those unable to return to their homes in the short term
Public Information. Providing clear public instructions regarding return,
including priority groups and areas of return routes for return and, if necessary,
means of return
Warning Information. Ensuring provision of public and institutional warnings
regarding minor remaining hazards, including broken electrical wires and
installations, unmarked holes in the ground, leaking raw sewage, hazardous
materials, deep or fast flowing water, sources of potential fire risk, and similar
safety issues
62
Public Health. Ensuring provision of relevant public advice on public health

matters, sources and treatment of potable water, availability and location of
primary health care facilities
Vulnerable Groups. Ensuring provision for vulnerable groups, such as the
elderly, single parent or large families, people with injuries, special needs and
those displaced far from home and family
Public Services. Ensuring awareness of public information and utility points,
registration and distribution points, information regarding provision of
humanitarian assistance
Family Links. Ensuring provision of information in support of local authorities
and the Albanian Red Cross regarding the tracing of missing persons and
restoring family links
7.7 Restoring Essential Public Utilities

Guided by the Damage Assessment undertaken during the Response Phase, it is the
responsibility for the coordinating civil emergency structure at national and local levels
to ensure that the full restoration of public utilities is undertaken by each concerned
technical agency. This requires as soon as possible, the return to full function of:
Piped potable water supplies
Water storage extraction, treatment facilities, reservoirs and channels
Sewage evacuation and treatment facilities
Domestic and industrial electrical power supply
Piped gas supplies
Telecommunication connections
Road circulation
7.8 Destroyed and Damaged Structures

Destroyed structures and facilities, and those damaged at least beyond immediate repair
are inevitable challenges in the recovery phase. This means that part of population will
not be able to immediately return to their normal home or work lives. Destroyed
environmental areas also present limits to normal return, such as areas destroyed by
fires or areas of farmland washed away by flood waters or alternatively covered with
fluvial deposits. The lack of buildings insurance in Albania means that the home,
security and livelihood of a previously self reliant household can be instantly destroyed
by a civil emergency event, leaving them destitute and dependant on state and
humanitarian assistance.
Such factors require the following steps to be taken in recovery, with overall
coordination still undertaken by the concerned designated civil emergency officials at
Commune and Municipality Level, Prefect and Civil Emergency Officer at Qark level
and Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response at National level:
Advice. Ensuring provision of relevant information and advice to households
unable to return to their homes or home areas
Shelter. Ensuring the provision of resources for immediate and continued
shelter until more permanent accommodation can be found
63
Assistance. Ensuring the continued provision of appropriate humanitarian

assistance until the concerned households, groups or community are able to
regain a measure of self reliance and dignity
Reconstruction. Ensuring that all possible avenues are explored to provide
reconstruction materials and services where reconstruction or part
reconstruction is possible.
Demolition. Ensuring that dangerous damaged and functionally destroyed
buildings are made safe and demolished if necessary.
Relocation. Where return is not possible, ensuring that all possible means are
provided to relocate the household to a suitable location, safe from the same, or
other, civil emergency risks.
Compensation. Ensuring that the affected households, groups or community are
helped and effectively represented in subsequent claims for additional
humanitarian assistance and compensation from the State and/or private sector
enterprises if applicable.
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8. REVIEW AND EVALUATION
8.1 Introduction
For the purposes of this National Civil Emergency Plan, a review is regarded as an
internal analysis of the actions taken leading up to, during and immediately after a civil
emergency event. The aim and objective of a review is to gather together all the
relevant information and viewpoints, and from this establish the positive and negative
aspects of the actions which took place, and point to improvements to strengthen the
civil emergency approaches for the future.
An evaluation has similar aims and objectives, but is more detailed in approach, may
address a specific aspect of the civil emergency function, for instance; Coordination,
and may be undertaken by professional external evaluators, working to specific terms
of reference
8.2 Operational Debriefings

Operational debriefings should be undertaken as soon as possible after the civil
emergency event. It is important to exchange views while the details of the event and
the response are still fresh in the mind and all stakeholders in the same positions. It is
the responsibility of the Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response to
arrange an operational debriefing after an event, and to document the conclusions. The
conclusions of the Operational Debriefing will form the basis for a Post Disaster
Review or Evaluation. The Operational Debriefing should be an open debriefing
including:
Discussion and analysis of operational procedures in the Department for Civil
Emergency Planning and Response, including the National Operations Centre
Review communications procedures, effectiveness and speed of response with
other stakeholders, and representatives of the civil emergency structures at
National, Qark, Commune and Municipality levels
Within Qark, Commune and Municipality civil emergency structures, assess the
impact of measures taken in response, and communications with other
stakeholders and civil emergency structures
Identify constraints in resources and capacities and agree priority issues to
tackle before another civil emergency event occurs
Agree clear action points to build on achievements to date, and make
improvements in coordination, communication and response
Document and share the conclusions and action points, and distribute to all
stakeholders
8.3 Review
The Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response, the Qark Commission for
Civil Emergency Planning and Response, the Local Commission for Civil Emergencies
and the Civil Emergencies Commissions in the line Ministries are responsible to ensure
that a thorough review is made at the end of a significant civil emergency situation. The
review should involve inputs from all stakeholders including the affected population
and organisations. The review should be documented and shared with stakeholder
65
agencies in a round table meeting, and additional copies be available on request. An

important aspect of the review is that it can accurately highlight concerns to be
incorporated in future planning. The review can provide clear action points to be taken
by stakeholders to prevent and mitigate against future events, and to improve
preparedness and protection.
The review may take a variety of formats until a most appropriate format is decided
upon. However, it should be as comprehensive as possible and take into account the
following:
The status of prevention and mitigation plans before the event, and impact and
appropriateness of any prevention and mitigation measures that had been
undertaken
The effectiveness of preparedness, protection and response plans during the
event
Effectiveness of communications procedures
Implementation of the National Civil Emergency Service System (NCESS)
(Section 6)
Effectiveness of early warning and public information procedures
Effectiveness of National and Local level civil emergency coordination
arrangements, including acquisition and analysis of information, decision
making and provision and dissemination of information to concerned agencies
and to the public
Effective undertaking of Roles and Responsibilities by identified stakeholders
(Section 6)
Effective drawing on national capacities and their use in response
Information flow and effectiveness of coordination at National and local levels
Speed and effectiveness of combined responses for: SAR, Mass Casualty
Management, evacuation, providing safe access, clearing roads and transport
access, making safe and restoring essential services.
Effectiveness of arrangements for emergency health, safe shelter, food and non
food assistance
Use and effectiveness of international assistance arrangements and relationships
with international organisations
Impact and value of training programmes in strengthening response
Effective provision of information and resources for recovery
Special additional factors presented by this civil emergency situation
Conclusions and action points to be followed by identified responsible
stakeholders
Presentation of the review to the Technical Consultative Commission
8.4 Evaluation
An internal or external evaluation will take into account the same issues as an internal
review, but may be requested to provide a more detailed analysis undertaken by a
66
evaluators who are experienced in civil emergency planning, but who have not been
directly involved in the specific response being evaluated. The evaluation team will
work to specific agreed terms of reference and report to the Technical Consultative
Commission for Civil Emergencies.
8.5 Follow Up
The action action-points or recommendations that have been agreed on a review of
evaluation are undertaken with follow up steps. It is the responsibility of the
Department for Civil Emergency Planning and Response to pursue the implementation
of these action points and recommendations, which should be reported back to the
Technical Consultative Committee. The follow up steps may include:
Amendments, revision or updating of the National Civil Emergency Plan
Amendments to existing measures and new measure to be introduced in:
o Prevention and Mitigation
o Preparedness and Protection
o Response
o Recovery
Changes to the operational structure of the Civil Emergency System
Revision of specific issues within civil emergency management, such as; early
warning, public awareness, primary roles and responsibilities, coordination
mechanisms, links with international response mechanisms and training
initiatives
Specific factors to feed into local and national development plans, including
those with international support
67
9. TRAINING
9.1 Introduction
Training, desktop simulations and field exercises are important components of the
national policy of civil emergency management in Albania. These dynamic inputs are
necessary to work effectively through the four main phases of the disaster management
cycle, including the critical activities to be undertaken both before and after civil
emergency events. These training activities ensure that preparedness, mitigation against
loss, and reconstruction after immediate life-saving response, are fully incorporated into
the overall civil emergency management strategy of Albania. The grasp of all phases of
the disaster management cycle needs to be tested and strengthened through training and
exercises, to maximize skills and capacity in real civil emergency situations.
The undertaking of the “Disaster Risk Assessment in Albania” and the development of
the National Civil Emergency Plan, are closely linked to the National Civil Emergency
Training Strategy. The training strategy will continue to be developed and reviewed
according to the experience of real situations and needs, which is provided by the
feedback from National System of Civil Emergencies. The Civil Emergency Training
Strategy will continue to progressively feed into the process of strengthening the
National Civil Emergency System, and will be an important tool for the improvement
of the emergency plans at national, regional and local levels.
9.2 Purpose of the National Civil Emergency Training Programme
Training aims to strengthen Albanian national, regional, local and institutional

capacities to manage and effectively respond to civil emergency events. This aim will
be achieved through the implementation of the National Training Curriculum and
supporting activities, developed by the Ministry of Local Government and
Decentralization, which reflect changing Albanian needs, structures and contexts. These
activities in this national curriculum will be constantly improved, adapted and included
in the Civil Emergency Training Strategy.
9.3 Training Developments

9.3.1 Current National Training Status
The Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization according to the Law 8756 on
Civil Emergencies (art. 8.5), has the task to: “ Develop national strategies and programs
for civil emergency planning and crisis management and submit to the Council of
Minister for approval. Elaborates educational and training programs in the area of
protection against natural and other disasters”.
In fulfilling these requirements, over the last two years the Ministry of Local
Government and Decentralisation has designed and implemented the national Civil
Emergency Training Curriculum comprised of eight training manuals. It has
undertaken seven training activities and organised conferences at national and regional
level. The training manuals are entitled:
⇒ Fundamentals of Disaster Management in Albania (including the Disaster
Management Glossary)
⇒ Disaster Response Planning
68
⇒ Local Disaster Preparedness and Response

⇒ Disaster Damages and Needs Assessment
⇒ Coordination of Disaster Response Operations
⇒ Disaster Relief Logistics and Distribution
⇒ Disaster Management Trainer’s Guide
⇒ Design Guide for Emergency Preparedness, Desk-top Simulations and Field
Exercises
The eight training manuals were developed through a long and thorough consultation
process with all the relevant institutions in Albania, and were further tested and
improved in the field through several training activities at local level. They contain
national and international civil emergency standards and guidelines, and draw on
expertise and case studies from Albanian reality.
Through the Training of Trainers initiative, Albania now has its own core group of civil
emergency trainers. They have increased the capacities and confidence in designing and
organising training activities for different target groups at national and local level.
A list of priorities for Training of the National Civil Emergency Service System
(NCESS) are described in detail in Section 10: ”Following up the National Civil
Emergency Plan”.
9.3.2 Future Training Strategy

Despite the considerable progress made in strengthening the civil emergency capacities
of Albania to date, there remains much work to be done in future. The National Civil
Emergency Plan is the reference point for launching the second stage of development in
training, that is, of enrichment of the National Civil Emergency Training Strategy. This
strategy will make possible the institutionalisation and standardisation of disaster
management initiatives. It will also lead to a strengthening of the capacities of
operational staff and planning in general, making a more effective response to future
civil emergency situations possible. The current training priorities are:
⇒ Institutionalising the Civil Emergency Training Curriculum through a
Ministerial order, and setting clear guidelines for staff training requirements.
⇒ The curriculum is continually tested and improved through feedback using
different methodology tools at national, regional and local levels.
⇒ Establishing the National Civil Emergencies Training Centre.
⇒ The Civil Emergency Training Strategy is subsequently further developed by
the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization, and an Annual
Training Plan is designed and periodically updated, on the basis of: policy
priorities, needs of the target groups and regional developments.
⇒ All personnel involved in civil emergency management activities (planning and
operational roles), including civil society representatives and volunteers, receive
civil emergency training. Training promotes the application of standardized
criteria in field operations, and ultimately, compliance with EU and other
International standards.
69
⇒ Planning and operational personnel are trained to the respective international

standards to improve their skills, knowledge and experience of international
response mechanisms and risk reduction methods.
⇒ Joint training activities with all relevant governmental and non-governmental
stakeholders at all levels are organized, and include activities with counterparts
from other countries in South East and Central Europe. Bilateral and
multilateral agreements facilitating training and exercise activities should be
promoted.
⇒ Ensuring inclusion and coordination of other stakeholders in civil emergency
training and simulation exercises arranged by other organisations
9.4 Testing the Emergency Plans

The most effective testing of the National Civil Emergency Plan, Contingency and
Regional Plans occurs during a real civil emergency situation. However, this does not
imply that these plans cannot be tested in non-emergency situations. Testing can be
used to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of both individual sections of the
plans or of the plans in their entirety. The objectives of testing, review and evaluation
are to gather together all the relevant information and viewpoints, establish the positive
and negative aspects of the actions that took place, and decide on further improvements
to strengthen civil emergency approaches for the future. The methodology of
conducting review and evaluation is mostly undertaken through training and exercises.
Even through an evaluation of one specific aspect of the civil emergency function, such
as coordination, issues may be addressed and the system improved for making effective
steps across all phases of disaster cycle.
Depending on the changing requirements in practice, testing and evaluation of civil
emergency plans will be undertaken in the following ways:
⇒ Testing and evaluation of individual elements of civil emergency plans. For
example concerning the Response phase, coordination and the assignment of
responsibilities might be tested.
⇒ Testing the civil emergency plans based on specific hazards affecting the
country as a whole, such as earthquake, or in one area, such as floods.
Training and exercises are considered as being both supporting tools for testing all
phases in the disaster management cycle, and necessary for testing emergency plans at
local and regional levels, including the sectoral plans of relevant specialist institutions.
9.5 Training Methodology and Target Group

Training methodology is selected based on several factors such as: real situations, high-
risk areas needs, and the civil emergency priority issues that may arise from these.
Plans at all levels are tested and strengthened through following methods:
⇒ Training Activities
⇒ Tabletop Exercises
⇒ Functional Exercises
⇒ Full- scale Exercises
70
The target group of these activities includes operational forces and civil emergency
management personnel, and other personnel from relevant governmental and civil
society institutions related to disaster management issues.
9.6 Tabletop Exercises, Functional Exercises, and Full-scale Exercises

9.6.1 The Tabletop Exercise
The tabletop exercise is a simple exercise requiring minimal preparation. It is an
excellent vehicle for training officials and other key responders and decision-makers in
selected areas such as coordination, assignment of responsibilities, post-event
mitigation priorities and similar issues. The tabletop exercise is conducted in a "no-
fault" environment. Its purpose is to detect potential problems with coordination, and to
determine the appropriateness of assigned responsibilities. It also reveals problems in
response procedures, and can help determine requirements for further training, plan or
policy revision, and further exercise design.
9.6.2 Functional Exercises or Drills
This type of exercise is more complex, requires more resources than the tabletop
exercise and may require several months to develop. This exercise is designed to test an
individual emergency response function, such as public warning and evacuation
control, or multiple functions, such as decision-making, warning, direction and control.
The functional exercise (which normally includes the use of pre-designed written,
telephone, or radio messages) can also be used to test and evaluate selected activities or
scenarios within a function, such as message flow and radio communications within the
direction and control system. Another example would be the use of simulated advice
from the national meteorological centre to exercise the decision-making process for a
developing flood. A functional exercise often includes testing and exercising the
direction control, and warning functions coupled with a realistic activation of the
central planning control function such as an Emergency Operations Center or
Command Post.
9.6.3 Full-scale Exercise
The full-scale exercise is the highest level of exercise and the culmination of a
comprehensive exercise program. It also requires the most planning, resources and time
from emergency managers. This type of exercise involves testing a major portion of
approved emergency response plan and system elements and organizations in a
realistic, highly stressful environment. Physical mobilization and movement of
personnel and resources are required to demonstrate coordination, response and
recovery capability.
The full-scale exercise is designed to evaluate the operational knowledge, skill and
capacity of the emergency management system over a period of time. It tests all of the
major components and minor components of the emergency response plan and system,
through a dramatic enactment of realistic scenarios that create a high-stress
environment. The cycle of running this type of exercise might be once every few years.
Emergency operations centers and on-site command posts are normally fully activated
as part of the full-scale exercise. Since these full-scale exercises are usually highly
visible to both the media and the local community, the emergency management team
should provide timely public notification of the exercise and be prepared to address any
concerns that might be raised.
71
10. FOLLOWING UP THE NATIONAL CIVIL EMERGENCY PLAN
The National Civil Emergency Plan for Albania represents another significant step in
the establishment of a National Civil Emergency Service System (NCESS). The
committed follow up of this National Plan will pave the way for greatly improved
skills, coordination, and investment in the civil emergency system, with a consequent
disaster risk reduction for the nation. The follow up steps for the National Plan do not
stand lone however, but are incorporated within the wider responsibilities of the “Civil
Emergency Priorities for Albania”. These priorities are the key to making the most
effective civil emergency management system possible for Albania, through which the
National Civil Emergency Plan will continue to guide all stakeholders.
The Civil Emergency Priorities for Albania are explained as follows:
Measures for strengthening the National Civil Emergency Service System
Measures for Prevention and Mitigation
Measures for Implementing the National Civil Emergency Plan.
Matrix of Civil Emergency Priorities for Albania
Tasks Responsibility Timeframe Comments
a. Measures for Strengthening the National Civil Emergency Service System

1. Establishing and monitor Ministries, December
functioning of Civil Emergency Institutions, 2004
Structures in all line Ministries and Department of Public
other institutions according to CM Administration
Decision 655 of 18.12.2002 (DAP)
2. Establishment and monitor MoLGD, M. of 2005-2006
functioning of the National Defense M. of
Training Centre for Civil Education and
Emergency Management Science, M. of
Finance
3. Establishment of the National MoLGD, M. of Second half of
Inspectorate of Civil Emergency Finance, Department 2005
Management of Public
Administration
(DAP)
4. Line Ministries will review Line Ministries, December
National Civil Emergency Plan and Central Institutions 2004
identify and address any gaps in
their legislation regarding civil
emergencies
5. Review of legal base for state MoLGD, M. of First half of
intervention in covering damages Finance, M. of 2005
caused by civil emergencies Justice
6. Review of legal base to facilitate M. of Foreign February
crossing border procedures, ports, Affairs, M. of 2005
72
airports for humanitarian relief, Finance, M. of Public

support teams, temporary Order, M. of
immigrants in case of emergency Agriculture and
Food, M. of
Economy
7. Review the legal base to facilitate M. of Finance, M. of June 2005
financial procedures of ways of use Economy, MoLGD
funds for civil emergency situations
8. Develop and update the Data Base MoLGD (DPCCE), Periodically
System of the Department of Line Ministries and
Planning and Coordination of Civil other Institutions
Emergencies, including GIS data.
Starting exchange and update
data/information with the other line
Ministries
9. Undertake international training MoLGD(DPCCE), Starting DFID
and acquire INSARAG M.of Defence, M. of January 2005 requesting
accreditation for Albanian SAR European Integration, this training
Teams M. of Health, M. of via UN
Public Order OCHA
10. Undertake UNDAC training for key MoLGD Early 2005 DFID
members of the General Directorate requesting
of Civil Emergency Planning and this training
Response be provided
via OCHA
11. Informations on Line Ministry Civil All concerned Line Each year in
Emergency Contingency Plans, Ministries December
programs and training sessions will
be sent to MoLGD for review and
coordination of the activities with
other institutions
12. Establishment of contacts and Line Ministries and During 2005
building working relationships other Institutions
between line ministries and
institutions an international partners
in the field of civil emergency
management
13. Develop and apply the project of MoLGD, M. of 2006-2007
Integrated Communication System Public Order, M. of
–112 according to CM Decision Health, Technical
663 Advisory
Commission for Civil
Emergencies-TACCE
14. Review the existing and add new Institute of 2005 Developme
measures for establishment, Seismology, Institute nt of
strengthening of the monitoring, of Hydrology, projects/pro
early warning and evacuation Ministry of Industry grams and
systems of: and Energy, M. of initiatives
73
a. Seismologic network Territory Regulation for

b.Hydrometeorology network and Tourism preparing
c. Landslide cases (Secretariat of Dames new
d.Condition/status of dams and and Dykes), M. of legislation,
dikes Environment as well as
e. Level of pollution in hot spot (Environment resource
areas Inspectorate) mobilisation
activities.
b. Measures for Prevention and Mitigation
15. Provide to MoLGD(DPCCE) Line Ministries and December
changes in capacities of the privat Prefect of Qarks of each year
and public sector relevant to civil
emergencies
16. Update the Matrix of National Civil MoLGD (DPCCE) November Ensures
Emergency Plan and monitors of each year changes are
implementation of tasks by relevant reflected in
institutions and ministries and the National
inform the CM Civil
Emergency
Plan
17. Assessment of high risk areas and Line Ministries, other December
hazards, according to Central Institutions, 2004
their(ministries/institutions) field of Prefects of qarks,
operations. Undertaking monitoring Councils of Qarks,
measures, organising early warning Municipalities and
systems and inform the public in Communes
the areas under jurisdiction
18. Undertake assessments and write M. of Agriculture and August each
reports on the conditions of: Food, M. of Industry year
a. Primary, secondary and tertiary and Energy, M. Of
drainage channels Territory Regulation
b. Dams, dykes, bridges, other and Tourism, M. of
protection measures and barriers Education and
c. System of power lines and Science, M. of
transmission equipment. Environment, M. of
Provide secondary power lines Public Order, Qarks,
for pumping stations and other Municipalities and
important structures Communes
d. Guarantee safety road, air, sea
transport
e. HAZMAT condition in high
risk areas and
bodies/institutions administring
these materials.
19. Provide reports/information to Institutions, December
MoLGD of periodical assessments Secretariats listed in of each
and special reports, showing Section 4, other year, and
preventive and mitigation measures relevant structures at cases by
74
in respective field of competence, various levels. case

areas of jurisdiction and responsible
institutions
20. Development of codes/standards Line Ministries and 2005
and norms to achieve EU standards other institutions
according to the field
of competence
c. Measures for Implementing the National Civil Emergency Plan and other Plans
21. Developing, updating of Civil Line Ministries,
Emergency Plans of the Line Governmental and
Ministries and Non-governmental Non-governmental
institutions according to the Institutions, MoLGD
National Civil Emergency Plan
22. Integration/coordinate activities MoLGD (DPCCE) March 2005
foreseen of Civil Emergency Plans
developed by line Ministries,
Governmental and Non-
governmental institutions.
23. Test Civil Emergency Plans of the Line Ministries, May 2005
Line Ministries and Non- Governmental and
governmental institutions and other Non-governmental
central institutions Institutions
24. Testing the National Civil MoLGD (DPCCE), June 2005
Emergency Plan through desktop Civil Emergency
simulation exercise Management Team
(Task force)
25. Testing Section 6 of the National MoLGD (DPCCE), October
Civil Emergency Plan through a M. of Defence(CPB), 2005
field simulation exercise State Police, Qark of
Shkodra
26. Reviewing and updating National MoLGD (DPCCE), December Will require
Civil Emergency Plan Line Ministries, of each year inputs from
Governmental and all concerned
Non-governmental line
Institutions ministries,
directorates
and
institutions
27. Developing, updating and testing Prefects of Qarks, June 2005
Qark contingency plans Qark Disaster
Planning and
response
Commissions, and
Civil Emergency
Officers
28. Developing, updating and testing Head of Communes May 2005
Commune and Municipality and Municipalities,
75
Contingency Plans Civil Emergency

Officers in Qarks,
municipalities and
communes)
29. Tirana Municipality: developing, Tirana Municipality May 2005
updating and testing Municipal Unit and all Municipality
contingency plans Units
30. Updating and reviewing Airport M. of Tourism and May 2005 In the same
Contingency Plans and submitting Territory Regulation, rhythm,
to CAA. Updating and reviewing Mother Teresa taking into
Port Authority plans and submitting Airport. consideration
to IOM. Update these plans Port Authorities of international
considering international standrds. Durrës, Shëngjin, regulations
Saranda and Vlora
31. Developing and updating Specific MoLGD, M. of June 2005
Civil Emergency Plans and Education and
integrate them with civil emergency Science, M. of
plans of lla levels Health, M. Of
Tourism and
Territory Regulation,
M. of Public Order
32. Provide information to MoLGD Line Ministries and January of
(DPCCE) on developing, updating other relevant each year
and testing Civil Emergency Plans institutions in their
of private and state industrial units respective field of
and facilities operation
76
ANNEXES
ANNEX A
A. HAZARDS AND FACTORS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
A.1- EARTHQUAKES
A.1-1. Earthquake Hazard

Albania is situated in an Alpine-Mediterranean seismic belt comprising the zone of
contact between the lithospheric plates of Africa and Eurasia, which extends from the
Azores to the eastern border of the Mediterranean basin. Its most active part is the
Aegean Sea and the surrounding area. This region (33-430N, 18-300E) is characterized
by almost annual occurrences of at least one earthquake of Ms ≥ 6.5, located in;
Albania, Greece, Montenegro, Macedonia, southern Bulgaria or western Turkey. The
foci of Albanian earthquakes are concentrated mostly along active faults, and a recent
chronology of seismic events to effect the country are detailed below:
Major Earthquakes Occurring in Selected Scenario Earthquake Zones
Scenario
Year (N) (E) Depth (km) Io MOcc maxMexp
Earthquake (MSK-64)
Lezha-Ulqini Coastal Seismic Source Zone
Petrovac 1979 42.16 18.87 16 9 6.9 7.2
Shkodra 1905 42.02 19.50 17 9 6.6 6.8
Lezhe 1985 41.69 19.47 10 7 6.0 6.2
Periadriatic Lowland Seismic Source Zone
Tirana 1988 41.24 19.83 1 7 6.0 6.0
Durres 1926 41.30 19.50 11 9 6.6 6.8
Berat 1959 40.85 19.96 25 8+ 6.6 6.8
Ionian Coastal Seismic Source Zone
Vlora 1962 40.70 19.60 27 8 6.6 6.8
Himare 1930 40.20 19.60 10 9 6.6 6.6
Tapelene 1920 40.35 19.95 13 9 6.6 6.8
Saranda 1920 39.60 20.30 9 6.6 6.6
Kukesi-Peshkopi Seismic Source Zone
Kukes 1998 41.94 20.40 5 5.5 5.7
Diber 1942 41.65 20.45 14 9 6.0 6.2
Ohrid-Korca-Leskovik Seismic Source Zone
Ohrid Lake 1911 40.90 20.70 21 9 6.7 6.9
Leskovik 1919 39.70 20.70 10 8 6.1 6.3
Elbasan-Diber Seismic Source Zone
Elbasan 1967 41.32 20.34 10 9 6.6 6.8
Mocc – Occurred magnitude, maxMexp – maximum expected magnitude, I0 – Epicentral Intensity
To reliably estimate the scale of possible seismic impacts in Albania, the Disaster Risk
Assessment in Albania adopted an exposure of 50 years (+ or – 10% probability) or a
return period of 475 years of the estimated effect, in compliance with Eurocode 8. The
use of the attached Seismic Zoning Map is designated for designs of ordinary buildings
with a height of up to 6 stories. For other structures (dams, power plants, buildings
higher than 6 stories, long bridges, schools, hospitals, airport terminals and other
important construction works) site-dependent seismic design parameters are quantified
in legal codes and zoning. Detailed seismic microzonation studies, as a base for urban
planning and design, are also available for seven cities (Tirana, Durres, Korca,
Pogradec, Vlora, Fier and Shkoder). The evolution of seismic protection measures in
Albania suggest that three characteristic construction periods can be distinguished:
Pre-1960 – no or a very low level of seismic protection
77
1960-1990 – low and quite insufficient level of seismic protection

Post-1990 – KTP-N.2-89 protection level that, does not comply with the seismic
environment of the country, and is therefore insufficient.
Seismic zonation map of Albania
78
A.1-2. Basic Characteristics

Basics characteristics on earthquakes in Albania include:
Earthquakes usually occur without warning, but may be followed by a series of
aftershocks that can continue for hours, days or weeks.
Aftershocks are of a lesser magnitude than the main event, but may still cause
significant impact, especially to already damaged structures.
Earthquakes occur at different depths and with vertical, lateral or combined motion.
Usually measured on the Richter Scale, the magnitude of an earthquake does not
indicate the intensity at a specific location.
Earthquake damage depends on many factors. These include the depth of the event,
intensity of aftershocks, the geological structure concerned, the type of structures
affected and secondary effects.
Casualty figures are dramatically affected by the resilience to seismic shocks of the
building stock, and the local time when the main event strikes. The time of day or
night determines the number of people inside buildings at that moment, and hence
vulnerable to the effects of structural collapse.
Secondary effects may also have serious consequences. These include landslides
and other types of land instability, flooding due to damaged water-bearing
structures, the release of toxic waste and hazardous materials from industrial
locations, and seismic-driven tidal waves known as tsunamis.
The sudden collapse of a major dam from seismic shocks would have a catastrophic
impact on communities downstream.
In the case of Albania, out of 55 reported large earthquakes spanning the period of
the last 2000 years, 36 took place in the nineteenth century. This fact indicates that
the number of strong historic earthquakes affecting Albania is underestimated.
A.1-3. Factors to consider in Prevention and Mitigation

It is almost impossible to prevent an earthquake or seismic event from occurring,
but in areas of high risk, it is possible to significantly mitigate against the worst
effects on life and property
Investment in, and coordination of, awareness campaigns by institutions and the
general public encourages mitigation and reduction of risk.
Improvements, adherence and enforcement of building codes to withstand seismic
shocks reduce the risks to people and damage to private and public property. Such
mitigation measures also reduce potential damage to supporting infrastructure
(health structure, essential public buildings, roads, railways, bridges, airport, water
and sanitation systems, safe shelter) which will be essential for response and
recovery in case of a seismic event.
The new construction of essential facilities (such as a hospital) in areas at risk of
seismic events, to withstand greater seismic shock than standard codes require, is a
worthwhile additional investment. It is cheaper than retrofitting existing structures.
The development of mitigation committees at local and national level is important
to draw together stakeholders, raise awareness and develop strategies and the
implementation of existing and improved codes and standards.
79
Such committees clarify an overview of high risk areas and the populations and
installations within those areas. It is essential that existing facilities at risk, such as
dams, health and public and private infrastructure, are kept maintained to at least
the original intended standard, and lobbying made at the highest level to ensure
maintenance and if necessary retrofitting and improvements to structures completed
without delay.
A.1-4. Factors to consider in Preparedness and Protection

Early warning is usually not possible with earthquake or seismic events, but special
preparation can be made in areas if identified high risk of seismic events.
Public awareness of what to do in the first moments of earthquake or seismic event
is paramount to saving lives. All possible means to engage with public and
institutions must be made in this respect. Schools, public administration, hospitals,
private industry, local and public media must commit themselves to maintaining
simple coherent messages, through all communication means.
Emergency response planning at local and national level for every concerned
institution and authority must be developed, linked directly to the overall
coordination and resource mobilisation accessed through the Republic of Albania
National Disaster Plan.
Emergency response plans should be exercised through desk top and simulation
exercises.
All emergency contacts, lines of communication, roles and responsibilities should
be clarified, updated and tested on a regular scheduled basis to ensure instant
effective response.
A.1-5. Factors to consider in Response

Immediate Search and Rescue (SAR) action is usually undertaken by the affected
community, with the majority of people being rescued by family, friends and
neighbours.
Immediate medical response will be required to deal with the injured. A large scale
disaster will require a Mass Casualty Plan to be put into action, to perform triage
and treatment in situ and if necessary evacuation of stable cases to medical facilities
outside the affected area.
A Rapid Needs Assessment is also needed immediately to gather the most basic
information on casualties, damage and needs.
If people remain trapped in damaged structures, then professional SAR must be
initiated as soon as possible, with the first 24 to 48 “golden hours” after the main
event likely to see the most people saved.
Depending on several factors, including temperatures, SAR may continue
successfully for 65 hours or more after the event. Despite high profile examples
from major events, the numbers of survivors rescued after four or five days is
actually extremely low, although still possible.
If substantial structural damage has been sustained and large numbers of people
remain trapped, international SAR assistance may be requested. This may be
requested through UN OCHA in Geneva, either directly or via the UNDP resident
representative in Tirana.
80
International SAR may also be offered directly from States, or may arrive
unannounced in country. Generally, only INSARAG accredited teams should be
requested or accepted.
Request will be made by UN OCHA to deploy an UNDAC team to provide support
to the National Disaster Agency of the affected country, in dealing with the arrival
and deployment of International SAR teams.
The arrival of SAR teams will place considerable stress on national air and road
transport facilities during the effort to deploy them to the affected area as soon as
physically possible.
International SAR teams sometimes arrive equipped with field hospitals. Field
Hospitals may also be offered as international assistance. There are specific issues
that must be clarified before accepting/requesting a foreign field hospital for early
emergency trauma/medical care. Refer to PAHO-WHO Guidelines for the Use of
Foreign Field Hospitals in the Aftermath of Sudden-Impact Disasters. These
guidelines can also be viewed on www.paho.org/disasters
Even during the immediate medical and SAR response, secondary risks also need to
be assessed, and structural assessment of buildings of public utility (Hospitals,
schools, administration) is needed to establish whether they can function safely.
This is related to continued needs assessment of access to safe drinking water, safe
shelter, food and non food provision, and the registration and tracing of missing
persons.
Logistical support is essential to successful response. The road network, airport,
communications and other infrastructure need to be functioning as soon and as well
as possible despite the constraints.
During severe events, specific problems may arise, such as dealing with hundreds or
even thousands of dead in a traumatic situation. Linked to the Mass Casualty Plan,
specific steps can be put in place to effectively manage such a situation in a
sensitive manner. PAHO-WHO Guidelines on the management of dead bodies in
disasters are also available on www.paho.org/disasters
A.1-6. Factors to consider in Recovery

Essential public services including potable water, wastewater, road access and
electricity supplies must be made safe and restored as the very basis on which
recovery will start.
Rapid decisions also have to be made regarding essential buildings of public utility
(including health facilities and schools) that may have been destroyed or heavily
damaged. Buildings beyond repair must be demolished and temporary or
permanent replacements considered.
Rapid decisions have to be made regarding safe shelter for the affected population.
Temporary shelter such as tents may be suitable for the short term, but not for the
medium term in colder climates.
A large-scale emergency will have brought international assistance and potential
financial support. There will be a short window of opportunity to provide a concise
coherent international appeal based on needs and the most appropriate response for
recovery. It is essential for the affected nation to set the pace, effectively coordinate
donations against priority needs, and to be in an informed position to be able to
refuse inappropriate donations or offers of support.
81
Industrial and agricultural facilities may have been damaged or destroyed. The
restoration of these resources is an essential part of economic recovery and
employment for community. Additional innovative approaches may be needed to
kick start the local economy again, and if necessary replace traditional types of
employment which may not be possible again.
A serious earthquake will leave its effects for a generation or more, and the affected
region will be in need of national support for the longer term before it can regain
self-reliance. Planning for recovery needs to reflect this.
Finally, recovery is an opportunity for mitigation and prevention. Despite the huge
pressures to restore shelter and services as soon as possible, every opportunity must
be taken to build new installations of a standard to withstand seismic shock, to draw
on careful land use zoning and the maintenance of essential services, especially to
the health service, during even minor seismic events.
The retrofitting of existing structures should be encouraged when undergoing repair,
especially heavily occupied buildings such as schools and hospitals. In the case of
health structures, retrofitting should ensure full functioning at all times, including
installing independent short term potable water supplies, and back up facilities such as
generators and emergency lighting.
82
A.2- FLOOD
A.2-1. Flood Hazard

Eight main Albanian rivers, grouped in six watersheds, transverse the country from east
to west. Floods in Albania are generally of pluvial origin and occur in the period
November to March when the country receives about 80-85% of its annual
precipitation. The consequences of this, which could once be overcome by prevention
measures, can be significantly more serious in Albania today. This is due to the
deterioration of dike systems, drainage channels, high water collecting facilities,
pumping stations and other flood-control facilities and installations, which lack regular
maintenance or repair.
West Plain Flooding: Albania has a long record of damaging West Plain floods.
Turkish chronicles from nineteenth century indicate that 11 serious floods have
occurred in the period from 1854 to 1871, each of them causing considerable damage of
property. Historically, the flooding from November 1962 to January1963 is considered
the largest single recorded event, and is detailed below:
Zones Flooded in Winter 1962 –1963
Flooded Area Duration
Flooded Zone
(Ha) (Days)
1. Plains of Zadrima of Shkodres and Lezha, Bregu 18,575 22
Bunes
2. Plains between rivers Drini of Lezha and Mati 3,122 10
3. Plains between rivers Mati and Ishmi 5,825 7
4. Plains downward Rogozhina on both river banks 6,896 7
of Shkumbini
5. Plains on both river banks of Semani 26,738 35
6. Plains on both river banks of Vjosa downward 3,538 20
Ura of Mifoli
From 31 December 1970 to 1 January 1971 the Vjosa
river flooded about 14,000 hectares. The flooding
caused almost the same overall effects and damage as
the Vjosa flooding of 1962 to 1963. This included
BAJRAM
BAJRAM CURRI
CURRI
BAJRAM CURRI
BAJRAM
BAJRAM CURRI
CURRI
SHKODRA
SHKODRA
SHKODRA
SHKODRA
SHKODRA damage and destruction of dikes, irrigation channels,
KUKES
KUKES
KUKES
KUKES
KUKES
bridges, pumping stations, homes and inundation of

agricultural land. The most recent serious flood
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
events in September 2002 inundated the cities of

BULQIZA
BULQIZA
BULQIZA
BULQIZA
BULQIZA
Lezhe and Berat. Nearby villages, other rural areas

DURRES
DURRES
DURRES
DURRES
DURRESTIRANA
TIRANA
and a total of approximately 30,000 ha of agricultural
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN lands were also flooded.
FIER
FIER
FIER
FIER
FIER
FIER
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
POGRADEC
POGRADEC
POGRADEC
POGRADEC
POGRADEC
Presenting these impacts in the form of a map (left)
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
provides what could be considered as the West Plain
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
100 year return period potential flood. The National
Civil Emergency Plan reflects this hazard risk, and
takes into account that with the present lack of
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
RiveSAR
SA
SA
SA
SARRANDA
SARANDA
ANDA
RANDA
RANDA
ANDA
resources, Albania may face flood events with a lower
Lak return period than the 100 years illustrated.
Flooded
West Plain 100 Years Return

Period Flood Risk
83
Although the details are summarized completely in the Disaster Risk Assessment in
Albania, the 100 year return period of West Plain Flooding would adversely affect:
20 Districts
341 villages
110 Communes
85,500 Buildings covering 7,900,000 m2
565,000 people
Flood Risk of Smaller Rivers and Torrents: Floods caused by rivers and torrential
floods also frequently occur in the valleys of northern, central and southern Albania,
affecting several cities, road networks and inundating agricultural land.
Flooding Risk of the Principal River System: A scenario of simultaneous multiple-
basin flooding in Albania would present drastically increasing figures for those at risk.
Preparedness for such a scenario is beyond the present economic potential of Albania,
as it would also be for many more economically developed countries as well. If such a
scenario were realized, then international assistance would be of the utmost importance.
Dam-Burst Risks: The construction of dams and dam engineering in Albania started
approximately 50 years ago, primarily for; agricultural and irrigation needs, flood
control, hydropower; and recreation. Most dams are built for several purposes.
Presently there are 630 dam-reservoir systems in the country, of which 307 are
recognized either as high dams (higher than 15 metres) or as Large Dam-Reservoir
Systems (World Register of Dams, ICOLD, 1998). Albania has the most dams per
10,000 population in the world, and ranks 18th in the world for high dams. All high
dams in Albania are of the earth-fill type, and the Fierza Dam with a height of 167
metres is the highest dam of this type in Europe.
Dam design and construction is based on a thorough analysis of all natural and man-
made factors that can affect the operational safety of the dam itself, and of the entire
dam-reservoir system as well. To ensure the designed safety margins during the entire
lifetime period, regular maintenance of systems during their exploitation is of utmost
importance. Regular and efficient maintenance, including in-time rehabilitation, are
particularly essential for earth and rock-fill dam-reservoir systems. As dams become
older, safe performance becomes a concern. This requires more attention in the form of
inspections, evaluations, modifications, and upgrades of older dams so they meet
current technology standards and regulations. The National Secretariat of Large Dams
conducted a dam survey and evaluation on the state of 429 dams in Albania in 2001. At
this time, the migration of population and urban expansion had led to increased
concentrations of population and material property in dam downstream areas. The
evaluation indicated that:
246 dams could affect a population greater than 100 individuals
156 dams could affect population centres larger than 500 inhabitants
57 dams could affect one or more villages larger than 2,500 inhabitants
8 dams could affect entire towns (Elbasan, Divjake, Lushnje) or communes
(Gostime)
Of 157 high potential impact dams, 70 are evaluated as damaged, of which 13 are
heavily damaged. Intense migration over the last decade has led to the establishment of
84
new inhabited centers, some of them even under existing dams. About 60% of the large
dams are constructed in the Tirana and Durres districts, which are both exposed to the
most intense migration processes from the remote zones of the country. Construction of
infrastructure (water supply, sewer, and other ground excavation works) as well as
other human activities performed in the tail-water zone of existing dam structures, can
also seriously affect the overall dam stability and safety.

Basics characteristics on flood in Albania include:
Flash flooding is rapid and destructive but the main force may subside rapidly, in a
matter of hours.
Casualties and damage in flash floods are frequently more related to speed of
floodwater, debris and the collapse of flood defences, than to depth of floodwater.
However, if the floodwater subsequently inundates a wider area, the initial impact
may be less but deeper floodwater may have significant impact on peoples lives and
property, and take a far longer time to subside.
Even with successful evacuation plans, longer standing flood waters leave people
stranded from home (dependent on assistance) and kill livestock and crops, as well
as damaging property.
Prolonged heavy rain and planning based on experience of previous events allows
effective early warning of some types of flash floods and of larger scale events.
In the case of water storage dams, the decision may have to be made to release
waters causing widespread inundation of an area, rather than risk catastrophic
collapse of a water bearing structure. Careful monitoring, analysis and early
warning are essential in these cases.
Water-borne diseases are a risk associated with flooding, due to contamination of
potable water supplies that is not always obvious.
Persistent flood events cause environmental degradation and economic
marginalisation of the population. Some such areas may become unviable for
continued settlement and other solutions beyond flood defence, such as
resettlement, may have to be considered.
In the case of Albania, the greatest flood risk is presented by the river system, with
flooding being generally of pluvial origin. November to March is when 80% to 85% of
the annual precipitation occurs, and Albania has a long history of both west plain
floods, and more localised torrential floods in the valleys of northern, central and
southern Albania.

Such factors include:
Flash flooding is frequently related to climatic change, environmental degradation
and increasing urbanisation.
Flash flooding may be compounded by poor maintenance of secondary and tertiary
channels, dykes and flood defences.
Major existing flood defences may therefore be placed under greater stress than
they were designed for, leading to inundation, collapse and more widespread effects
causing secondary and tertiary problems across areas not experienced in flood
defence or response.
85
High dams represent a specific risk of catastrophic flood through collapse. Limited
retrofitting can be undertaken to prevent collapse due to a major seismic event, but
responsible maintenance and repair of the structure and management off the
watershed reduces the stress on the existing structure.
The management of watersheds, channels, rivers and water related structures is
often shared across many agencies. Coordination and informed decision making at
the national and local level is essential to provide measurable indicators during
times of concern, the sharing of information and effective early warning and
response measures to reduce the impact or even prevent flood waters rising.
Areas without long histories of flood problems are now becoming at greater risk.
Planning, land use and people’s behaviour need to reflect the realities of life in a
now flood risk area, and flood events should become regarded as being likely or
possible, rather than simply unconsidered.

Such factors include:
Coordinated information, an established early warning system and a public
information plan are essential to saving lives and property in flood risk areas.
The public and institutions must be aware of an evacuation plan if needed, and of
identified areas of safe shelter and refuge.
Specific plans for rapid evacuation of the population living downstream from major
dams are important safety measures when a dam is placed under stress and water
may have to be rapidly released.
Planning must include as a priority, the provision of essential public health services
including water and primary health care. Advice to the public should include the
necessity to boil water for ten minutes and to discourage children from playing in
flood waters.
Secondary and Tertiary Health Care services must have contingency plans for
maintaining an electricity and potable water supply for a designated period of time
with an increased number of patients due to the effects of the flood event.
Depending on the foreseeable conditions, an inventory of high clearance vehicles,
any suitable small boats and equipment such as water bowsers, water pumps and
tanks, should be developed and maintained at local level to provide support during
flood events.
Contacts to the nearest or most appropriate SAR service must be kept updated and
the contacts familiar with each other and the locations at risk, including shared
maps and other information.

Main factors to be considered during the Response are as follows:
The immediate need is the timely, organised evacuation of both affected and
otherwise vulnerable population to safe areas, and if necessary, safe shelters.
Providing information for, and receiving information from, the population is crucial
at this stage. Genuinely missing persons need to be identified by name and last
location, and if necessary SAR undertaken as soon as possible.
86
The provision of shelter, potable water, food rations and blankets and possibly
warm clothing will be rapidly needed for the evacuated population. An equitable
distribution plan and criteria need to be quickly established.
As soon as possible, an environmental health assessment needs to be made of water
supplies and other sources of contamination before the public can be adequately
informed of the risks and factors involved in their subsequent return home.
In this respect, it may still be necessary to provide temporary supplies of water
(including from temporary tanks and bowsers) for the short term, for the affected
population even when they return home.

The list of these factors include:
The physical damage of buildings, structures and communication links needs to be
assessed and analysed as the basis for recovery. Any damaged water bearing and
water defence structures must be repaired to at least the same standard as before the
flood, and preferably strengthened to withstand an even greater flood event in the
future.
Only after the area protected by such structures has been considered, should the
reconstruction and rehabilitation of homes and buildings of public utility be dealt
with.
Rehabilitation is an opportunity to improve the physical and structural functionality
of buildings. Building retaining walls and gates may reduce serious inundation, and
function may be maintained by including emergency water and isolated temporary
electricity supplies in health facilities for instance.
A full review at local level should be made of the flood event, pointing to causes,
both man made and natural, and the appropriateness and timeliness of the responses
made.
The findings of the review will directly feed into initiatives for prevention and
mitigation, including the identified responsibility and maintenance of drainages
channels, pumping stations, watercourses and watersheds themselves.
Review of specific mitigation plans for high dams may be necessary, and informed
from the experiences of the response event.
87
A.3- HIGH SNOWFALL

Basic Characteristics of High Snowfall in Albania include:
High snowfall is likely to happen in specific areas of the country, on a seasonal
basis. Short-term predictability is usually possible through standard weather
forecasting and meteorological reports.
Rapid weather changes can nonetheless be unpredictable, especially with regard to
wind speed and direction that can cause rapid deep drifts of snow, even with
relatively light precipitation in the affected area.
The principal effects are felt on road and rail networks, rapidly isolating
communities. Only 10cm of snow may interrupt normal traffic, and especially in
mountainous regions hamper emergency services too. A deposit of 25 to 30 cm can
completely block a road to normal traffic. Power and telephone lines, transmitters
and other communication links may also be quickly affected.
The impact is usually short term without long lasting economic consequences on the
population. However, freezing conditions and high snow can persist for days and
even weeks, beyond the time when populations can sustain themselves indoors until
the hazard passes. A blockage period of 30 days is critical for civil emergency
planning, after which time community food stocks will be exhausted.
Closely related ice storms and plunging temperatures can have a catastrophic effect
on electrical power lines and render roads impassable and/or dangerous.
Very cold temperatures can also freeze water supply and sewage facilities and
adversely effect the running of diesel powered road vehicles and buildings heating
systems.
Secondary effects relate to flash floods after a rapid thaw, and refreezing causing
treacherous road conditions and blocking communications once more.
Avalanche is a specific hazard occurring on steep slopes of more than 30%, with
more than 30 cm of snow depth and certain other parameters. Their force is
immediate and extremely destructive to life and property.
In the case of Albania, high snowfall is characteristic of the Albanian Alps, and the
central and southern mountainous regions (table below). It is a rare phenomenon in the
west plain and along the south-western part of the Albanian coast. The highest risk time
for heavy snowfall is from November until late March. Avalanches also frequently
occur in Albania, causing in 1885 alone, the deaths of 68 people and destruction of
1,604 houses.
Average Values of Snow-related Climatic Indices
Region ANSD (Days) MANDSC (Days) MDSC (cm)
Western Plain, south western Albania and the sea coast 0-5 <1 (4-5)1) <255)
Mountain zones – west (seaward) orientation 5-15 5-20
Mountain zones – east (inland) orientation 15-30 40-702)
70-1003), 4)
Albanian Alps 30 – 50 Maximum, > 100 100 – 1506)
1) Characteristic for Shkodra region, only; 2) for altitudes about 800 m ASL; 3) for altitudes about 1,000 m ASL; 4) On higher altitudes
the snow cover remains all over the year; 5) MDSC < 25 cm is characteristic for some zones in north-western and southeastern pats of
Albania like Korca region, valley of Drini i Zi; 6) Zones of MDSC = 100 – 150 cm are also characteristic for Mt. Korabi, Mt. Shishtaveci,
Mt. Fushe Lure, Mt. Cermenke and others.
ANSD - average number of snowy days; MANDSC - mean annual number of days with the snow cover; MDSC - maximum depth of the snow cover
88

Factors to consider in Prevention and Mitigation in case of snowfall include:
Early warning is frequently
possible, and the population should
be alerted immediately through a
BAJRAM
BAJRAM
BAJRAMCURRI
BAJRAM
BAJRAM
BAJRAM CURRI
CURRI
CURRI
CURRI
standard and practised system.
While heavy snow cannot be
SHKODRA
SHKODRA
SHKODRA
SHKODRA
SHKODRA KUKES
KUKES
KUKES
KUKES
KUKES
KUKES
prevented, avalanche can be
predicated with some accuracy and
prevented. This is highly
specialised work requiring
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
consistent monitoring and other
BULQIZA
BULQIZA
BULQIZA
BULQIZA
BULQIZA
means including controlled
explosions to reduce dangerous
snow build up in vulnerable areas.
DURRES
DURRES
DURRES TIRANA
TIRANA
Simple messages need to include the
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN importance of stocking a modest
non perishable food supply, a means
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
POGRADEC
POGRADEC
POGRADEC
POGRADEC
POGRADEC
of heating food and shelter, having
BERAT
BERAT
FIER
FIER
FIER
access to warm clothes and
blankets, and to potable water. The
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA population need to be discouraged
as much as possible from needing to
travel outside during the high
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO snowfall event.
RP - 2, AP=50%
RP - 5, AP=20% An information means, such as a
RP -10, AP=10%
SAR
SAR
SAR
SA
SA
S ANDA
ANDA
ANDA
ARANDA
RANDA
RANDA Type of roads local radio station, needs to be
RP -20, AP=5%
RP>20, AP<5% National maintained during the event,
Regional
advising the population of the
30 cm Snow Deposit Road blockage
situation, and how assistance can be
requested if necessary.

Such factors are listed as follows:
• Specific plans must be in place for the closure of schools and non essential services.
• As much as possible, pre-identification should be made of people and households
who are particularly vulnerable to severe weather, including the elderly and isolated
households.
• Specific plans should be made for the reinforcement of essential services such as
health facilities, to be able to maintain functionality through the event with heating,
independent electricity and fuel supply, lighting, food, potable water and sufficient
personnel on duty and on call.
• An inventory should be made and maintained at local level of available high
clearance, multi wheel drive or tracked vehicles for emergency transport, snow
clearance machinery and other essential equipment. Contacts should be familiar
89
with each other, and call down contracts agreed with private contractors if
appropriate.
• Contacts to the nearest or most appropriate SAR service must be kept updated and
the contacts familiar with each other and the locations at risk, including shared
maps and other information.
• Contingency plans should be put in place to provide wide scale assistance if severe
conditions persist. This may include food rations and other types of assistance,
including emergency shelter for those stranded from home, and rescued from
stranded vehicles.
• Contingency plans may benefit from the mapping and zoning of areas at risk of
snow drifts and avalanche, to aid preparedness of vulnerable communities and
access routes.

The immediate need is the timely flow of information to ensure all the population at
risk are aware of the situation and encouraged and assisted to go to, or remain in a
safe warm shelter area. In the case of rapid heavy snow, it may be necessary to
open safe temporary shelters.
Exchange of information from the population is crucial at this stage. Genuinely
missing persons need to be identified by name and last location, and if necessary
SAR undertaken as soon as possible.
There is specific risk for people trapped in vehicles, who must be rescued by
competent properly equipped SAR teams, and taken to pre-identified places of safe
shelter where they may remain until the risk has reduced.
Disrupted transport links are a priority to re open. Restrictions may be placed on
the types of vehicles to favour snow clearance machinery, emergency services
vehicles and emergency supply vehicles as priorities.
If the event persists, the provision of shelter, potable water, food rations and
blankets and possibly warm clothing will be rapidly needed for the population in
temporary shelter, and increasingly for households isolated in their homes.
After a short time, high population density institutions such as hospitals and
collective homes will also require additional assistance as their full functionality is
essential despite possible isolation from road access and services.
At any time, a failed heating system, shortage of fuel or electrical energy can render
part of the population extremely vulnerable to effects of cold and isolation. The
situation must be constantly monitored and reviewed, and rapid action taken where
necessary.
It is often easier to evacuate and assist people in a collective safe shelter if access to
them becomes otherwise problematic or unpredictable.

The physical damage of ordinary buildings and structures is usually not severe.
This is with the important exception of power lines, water and sewage installations
and road surfaces that can be seriously damaged from freeze-thaw actions.
Secondary flooding from rapid thaw is an immediate factor to consider in the
recovery stage, and can represent a second civil emergency event.
90
For this reason, maintaining good information flow with the population is essential,
through the same means, such as local radio, that was used during the response
phase.
The restoration of transport and communication links is an absolute priority, and
there may be opportunity to strengthen systems and mitigate against the effects of
future high snow falls.
A full review at local level should be made of the high snowfall event, examining
how plans were appropriate to the actual event and the appropriateness and
timeliness of the actual responses made.
Action points should be agreed and these will feed into mitigation and preparedness
for future events.
91
A.4- LANDSLIDES
A.4-1. Assessment of Landslides Hazard

Albania is characterized by massive land instabilities triggered by natural (mechanical
action of surface and underground waters, precipitation, seismic action, physical and
chemical conveyance, etc.), natural-anthropogenic and solely anthropogenic factors.
Engineering interventions on slopes, construction of dams and large water retention
reservoirs, and construction of roads, tunnels and other related infrastructure facilities
are factors of typical anthropogenic origin.
Land instabilities in Albania primarily occur following massive torrential rains or
snowfalls.
The following forms of land instabilities occur on Albanian territory:
Rockfalls are characteristic of the mountainous regions of the Albanian Alps,
limestone slopes exposed to cold climate conditions and abundant rains at the foot
of Mt. Melesini and Mt. Nemercka, the deep valleys of Mt. Shala and Mt. Valbona,
the limestone massive of Mt. Gjallica (Shtren-Kukes), the Qafa Llogorase-Palase-
Vuno road. The most recent cases are rockfalls in the Kruje and Gjirokaster
fortresses.
Collapses (rock and/or debris topple) are also characteristic for mountainous
regions of Albania. A classical example is an instantaneous collapse of about 12
million cubic meters of limestone in Kaparielit (Gjirokaster, 1977).
Rotational slides (rock slump and earth slump) are characteristic for slopes of
schistose rocks or clay molasse and conglomerate slopes with an inclination over 45°
and inclination of strata in opposite direction (Currila Durres, Kryevidh, Kepi i
Rodonit, Dukat etc). Other examples of rotational slides are slides in the region of
Shenpal-Blinisht-Mashterkor, the slide in Porava, slides in the Libohove-Dhoksat
(Gjirokaster) region. This slide group includes monolithic displacement of carbonate
rocks over schistose depositing such as the big limestone block in Vlora camp,
limestone blocks on the left riverbank of the Shkumbini river in the Qukes-Librazhd
sector.
Translation slides (rock slide, earth slide and earth bloc slide) are the most
frequent slides in Albania. They are characteristic for the transport of relatively
thin covers (~ 5m) formed over slopes of acid, middle-acid, and basic magmatic
rocks, in crushed tectonic zones or on the schistose rocks, schists and molasses
in the regions of Kruje, the Ionian sea, but especially in the Krasta-Cukali
region. Quite often they appears as slides with the plane of stratigraphic
splitting, tectonic destruction, or schistose stratum inclined at an angle of over
25° toward the valley. This form of sliding is characteristic of strong rocks
(limestone or schistose strata) and is frequent in the valley of the river Curraj
(close to the village Curraj i Eperm), the valley of Cemi, Valbona etc.
Flows (earth flow and rock flow) are characteristic for the schistose zones of
Krasta Cukali, Kruje and molasses of inter mountainous holes. Surface flows in
the form of lahars (unstable slope solid particles lubricated by torrential waters
during heavy rainstorms) may be transported for tens of kilometers. They are
characteristic of Albanian mountainous areas with an annual rainfall surpassing
200 cm and torrential valleys of a steep inclination such as Dukagjin, Lezhe and
92
others. Lahars are often problematic for inhabited centers, even for larger ones
like Elbasan, Permet, Korca, etc.
The mostly flow-affected areas in
Albania are the regions of Erseke
(Kolonje), Mokra, Elbasan, and
Tirana, and the hills of the seaside and BAJRAM
BAJRAM CURRI
BAJRAM
BAJRAM
BAJRAM
BAJRAM CURRI
CURRI
CURRI
CURRI
the region of Tepelene.

In 1977 a flow of this kind,
SHKODRA
SHKODRA
SHKODRA
KUKES
KUKES
KUKES
transporting deposits of flysch and

snowmelt, destroyed 120 houses in
the village of Moglica (Korca PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
PESHKOPI
district). This flow, moving 4-5 mph

ended in the Devoll river. BULQIZA
BULQIZA
BULQIZA
The geotechnical zoning of the territory

of Albania was completed in 1997. The TIRANA
TIRANA
DURRES
DURRES
DURRES
DURRES
DURRES
DURRES
geotechnical map (See the figure),

compiled on a scale of 1:200,000,
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
ELBASAN
divides its territory into three zones of POGRADEC

POGRADEC
POGRADEC
natural slopes stability: FIER
FIER
FIER
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
BERAT
Stable terrains are widely spread, KORCA

KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
KORCA
covering about 56.6% of the VLORA

VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
VLORA
country. Stable zones are

composed of strong rocks
represented by intrusive and GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
GIROKASTRO
effusive magmatic rocks, G – Limestone

I – Magmatic
limestone’s of different ages, Rocks
F – Flysch
dolomites, breccias, and Gi – Gypsum
SARANDA
SARANDA
SARANDA
SARANDA
SARANDA
SARANDA Stability Shading
conglomerates of carbonate and M – Molasses

Dh – Cohesive
Stable
siliceous cementation,
Relatively Stable
Soils
Re – Cohesionless Unstable
metamorphic rocks, and schists. Rocks
Relatively stable terrains covers Geotechnical Map of Albania

about 33.6% of the territory of
Albania. They spread from the northwestern part in the direction of central and
south Albania. The zone is mainly composed of conglomeratic, effusive-
sedimentary, schistose, sand schists and evaporitic rocks.
Tectonic destruction in these rocks serves as a sliding plan. Characteristic of this
type is a slide of some million cubic meters in Porava, which was partly stopped
by lake Fierza. That’s why the Fierza dam has been increased by 10m.
Anthropogenic intervention in these relatively stable rock masses often creates
slope stability problems, especially if the slope heights exceed 12 m. A large
number of Albanian villages are settled in this zone.
Naturally unstable terrains cover about 9.8% of the territory. They are
characteristic for the zones of Bushtrica (Kukes), Librazhd-Qukes, Librazhd-
Okshtun, Vau i Dejes, Kallmet-Lezhe, Durres-Bishti i Palles, Spille-Kryevidh,
Ndroq-Peze-Baldushk (Elbasan), Moker-Opar-Leskovik, Lenije-Moglice, Tragjas-
Dukat, and Ballsh-Tepelene.
93
A.5- FOREST FIRES

Fires are usually smaller scale events with dramatic impact on life and property for
the victims but not regarded as a civil emergency event. The exception is wide
scale bush or forest fires that can cause devastation over a wide area.
The main causes of fires are man-made, including negligence, poorly controlled
agricultural activities such as pasture-burning, accidents and to a small extent,
arson. Natural causes such as lightening are possible, and it is usually dry or
coniferous forests that are most at risk.
Therefore specific areas at risk are easily identified and prevention, mitigation and
protection and preparedness is possible and can have significant risk reduction
effects.
Once widespread fires are ignited, the consequences are very difficult to control
beyond man made or natural fire-breaks, and wind direction is a particular factor in
their unpredictability.
In the case of Albania, the greatest risk of forest fires is at the end of spring, and during
the dry summer periods. Since 1992 the forest fire danger in Albania has considerably
increased in both frequency and size of areas affected. The rise reached its peak in
2000 due to unfavourable conditions of high summer temperatures and dead and dry
vegetation cover.

Prevention factors such as public and institutional awareness campaigns can have a
significant impact in reducing risk. These can be undertaken at national level, but
also at local level, tailored to the specific risks in that area.
The public and institutions need to be aware of existing legislation prohibiting the
lighting of fires in high risk areas, and the rules be provided as simple messages.
A diligent forest patrol system helps build awareness and enforce legislation.
Changes may be needed in agricultural practices in view of increasing risks.
Alternatives and options and guidance may need to be provided to discourage
pasture burning at times of high risk.

Encouragement and enforcement of existing protection measures such as fire
prevention barriers, forest monitoring towers and a strengthened forest patrol
system is key to protecting large areas from fires which can be contained at an early
stage.
Supporting and reinforcing the existing permanent observation-signalisation
network (with several fire towers per district) provides that essential early response.
Investment and training in the use of technical fire suppression equipment can
provide effective early response before the situation gets out of human control.
Continued development in forest management, forest fire management capacity and
forest research will build strength in mitigation, preparedness and response.
94

Speed of response is the ultimate factor in preventing a small forest or bush fire
becoming a large scale civil emergency.
Communication networks between those responsible for management and
emergency response must be regularly exercised and backed up with a contingency
plan based on experience of actual events.
The route of the fire is highly unpredictable, and all resident and working
population in any possible risk must be made ready for evacuation, preferably
according to an existing and tested contingency plan.
Safe areas for evacuation must be identified or pre identified, along with safe routes
to access those areas in the existing or possible changed fire direction scenario.
The public and institutions must be kept well informed through appropriate means
(such as a local radio station) and only be allowed or encouraged to return to their
homes when the situation is absolutely safe again.
In fire emergencies of exceptional scale, international fire fighting means are
possibly available, such as powerful water cannons and modified heavy aircraft and
helicopters. The cost of such assistance is usually prohibitive and the impact not
guaranteed.

Damage to transport and electrical power and telecommunications links may have
been sustained and will be a priority to restore as soon as the situation is safe to do
so.
The situation should be monitored extremely closely for unexpected flare-ups of the
original fire, or secondary fires, caused by the same initial cause or, from wind
blown burning materials.
Recovery brings opportunity to learn from a full review of causes and impact of the
event, the timeliness and appropriateness of early warning, and response.
A full review is certain to highlight potential improvements in response, but also in
prevention and mitigation.
The economic loss resulting from the fire should be presented with the potential
cost of mitigating against a repeat event, as a means of soliciting investment in
prevention.
The immediate post event stage may present an opportunity to apply for additional
resources for prevention, mitigation, and protection.
95
A.6- TECHNOLOGICAL EMERGENCIES

Technological emergency situations can arise from either the failure of industrial
facilities, such as mines, refineries, storage centres, pipelines or transport, or as a
secondary effect of a natural disaster such as a seismic, landslide or serious flood
event.
Technological risks are both environmental as well as potential civil emergency
concerns.
The inclusion of a technological hazard within an existing natural disaster situation
can create a very unfavourable environment for response.
The direct threat may take the form of fires, explosions, severely contaminated
ground water, collapsed buildings, facilities and mine shafts, and the release of
poisonous gases.
Economic constraints may not allow the retrofit and safety upgrade of existing
industrial plants, but preparedness and organisation for protection and response can
significantly mitigate the effects of an emergency of this nature.
In the case of Albania, although the industrial production of Albania has declined
considerably since 1991, there remain in storage quantities of hazardous materials,
substances and products, invariably kept in unsuitable conditions.

A national and local identification of risk areas and technological type is an
effective way to zone risk according to population.
Within these zones, national and local contingency planning, including public early
warning system and evacuation plans can be invaluable should an event occur.
This information needs to be included in other contingency plans for seismic events,
landslide and flood, as there could be serious secondary effects of a technological
nature, which should not come as a surprise on the spot during response.
A national plan of action for retrofitting or making installations safe helps to
prioritise installations according to the risk they present to population and
environment. Despite limited resources, in this way, at least the greatest threats can
be reduced one by one as funding allows.

The direct response to technological disasters is a highly specialised work, which
only qualified or experienced units, such as those specialised in NBC should
undertake.
Apart from the planned evacuation of the immediate population, wide ranging
effects may be unpredictable. Modelling of the possible secondary effects to water
catchments and atmosphere should be a basis to planning for maximum impact
events. Many agencies may be involved in ensuring the safety of the population
and environment downstream or down wind from the disaster site. Strong
coordination of response is essential in this respect.
96
Health needs may be very specific, and scenario planning must include specific
healthcare input and resources for both prevention and treatment.
For extreme scenarios, expert international assistance is potentially available via the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) via UNDAC. The UN Resident
Representative facilitates their deployment on request of the government of the
affected nation.

The immediate evacuation of the affected and potentially affected population is
essential. Public warning and information systems need to be maintained
throughout the event.
Highly specialised SAR may be needed to free trapped people.
Rapid evacuation to health facilities must be considered, with special health
requirements including burns and other complications being specifically planned
for.
An immediate technological assessment is required to determine existing effects
and potential effects, including widespread environmental contamination.
The initial cause of the event must be stabilised and made safe or safer than before
the event. A repeat scenario must be avoided.
Secondary effects must be minimised, drawing on the strongest coordination of
concerned agencies.
The health sector and fire and rescue services in particular may require immediate
additional support. Potential support resources should be a key element in
contingency planning at local and national level.

The evacuated population must be kept aware of the risks until such time as it is
safe to return. This includes specific risks such as that posed by contaminated water
supplies.
There are incidences where a population have been unable to safely return to their
homes, and suitable alternative provision has to be made for them.
It is essential to assess wider scale or longer-term environmental impacts, the
effects on wildlife, livestock, crops and groundwater. Timely appropriate advice
must be given to the affected population through public education means.
There may be opportunities for mitigation for the affected site and similar sites
during recovery operations. The building of inexpensive retaining walls or dykes,
sealing concrete floors and catchments, and checking and repairing damaged
existing safety features and agreeing indicators for early warning may have
significant impact in preventing a repeat event.
97
A.7- TERRORIST ATTACK
It must be noted that Albania is fortunate to have not experienced a terrorist attack.
Albania is also not generally regarded as being at particular risk of such an event.
However, the incidence of terrorist attacks has been increasing in Europe and recent
experiences in Kenya, Spain and Turkey demonstrate that “soft” targets may be under
greater risk than in previous times. Therefore some very general features regarding
terrorist attack have been outlined in this annexe.

Expertise on terrorism and its prevention is highly specialised work, involving
intelligence services, specialised units of police and armed forces and frequently
involves international specialised networks and surveillance. These issues are
therefore outside the responsibilities and working parameters of those responsible
for civil emergency matters.
However, should a terrorist attack on structures and people occur, then it is the
standard civil emergency response mechanisms which will have to respond, in the
same way as to a natural disaster.
Bomb blasts and explosions may require immediate SAR and mass casualty
management, to rescue and save lives in a similar way as in the aftermath of a small
earthquake. In many terrorist threat situations, rapid mass evacuation of civilians
has been required to guard against an uncertain or perceived threat, even against a
specific warning. This is, in some ways, a similar response as is needed as for an
impending flood hazard for instance.
There are additional special factors to take into account however, including
secondary attacks after an apparent main event, and unfamiliar hazards such as
NBC attacks which most nations have no practical experience of dealing with.
Such threats and patterns of attack require very specialised support and guidance to
the civil emergency services response
By their very nature, terrorist attacks usually occur without warning, or with a last
minute warning, but may be followed by a series of related, sometimes coordinated
events, causing panic and placing huge stresses and danger on the public and on the
emergency services.

From the standpoint of those involved in civil emergency services, it not their role
to be involved in prevention activities, as this is specialised and sensitive work.
However, the coordination of civil emergency response is that of the civil
emergency services, although special guidance may be required to ensure safety and
appropriate action in the circumstances.
Therefore coordination of response remains key, and coherent information flow and
awareness campaigns for civil emergency procedures will strengthen resilience. It
will encourage the relevant agencies and the general public to be as prepared as
possible for any civil emergency and therefore at least mitigate the impact on life
and property.
98
Terrorist attack is so unpredictable that it is preferable to plan for general response

to any civil emergency event, and be able to flexibly draw on those plans should an
event occur. Therefore the evacuation procedures, public information plans,
identification of safe shelter and emergency humanitarian assistance, logistical
support and all the connected responsibilities should be drawn from the response
section of the National Civil Emergency Plan, and the contingency plans developed
at local level. This is the same for any naturally occurring event.

Early warning is usually not associated with terrorist attack, although last minute
warnings, sometimes received by telephone, can happen. In which case, the rapid
mobilisation of operational forces must be triggered from the standard central
coordination mechanism, as for a naturally occurring event. Rapid safe evacuation
and sealing off the threatened area would usually be the priority, unless there is
special reason to do otherwise.
It is the decision at the highest level of government to build specific public
awareness regarding terrorist threat. However should that decision be made, to
build awareness, vigilance and knowledge of what to do in the event of attack, then
this is paramount to saving lives, in the same ways as these activities would for an
earthquake or flood event. Therefore all possible means to engage with public and
institutions must be made in this respect. Schools, public administration, hospitals,
private industry, local and public media must commit themselves to maintaining
simple coherent messages, through all communication means, based on coordinated
advice from national and local authorities.
The emergency response planning at local and national level for every concerned
institution and authority developed for natural disasters will be applicable to the
unlikely event of a terrorist attack. Such planning is linked directly to the overall
coordination and resource mobilisation accessed through the Republic of Albania
National Civil Emergency Plan.
Emergency response plans exercised through desk-top and simulation exercises for
natural disasters, would also have value in the unlikely event of a terrorist attack.
For an emergency scenario. all emergency contacts, lines of communication, roles
and responsibilities should be clarified, updated and tested on a regular scheduled
basis to ensure instant effective response.

Immediate Search and Rescue (SAR) action is usually undertaken by the affected
community, with the majority of people being rescued by family, colleagues,
friends and neighbours.
Immediate medical response will be required to deal with the injured. A large scale
disaster will require a Mass Casualty Plan to be put into action, to perform triage
and treatment in situ and if necessary evacuation of stable cases to medical facilities
outside the affected area.
A Rapid Security Assessment and a Rapid Needs Assessment is also needed
immediately to gather the most basic information on casualties, damage and needs
as well as possible secondary threats.
99
Maintaining public order and clear public information is essential to restore calm
and reduce further confusion and casualties.
It may be necessary to evacuate the entire population from the affected area, or
from other areas that may be understood to be at immediate high risk. This requires
strong maintenance of public order, clear information, messages and instructions to
the population, and pre identified safe evacuation areas.
If people remain trapped in damaged structures, then professional SAR must be
initiated as soon as possible, with the first 24 to 48 likely to see the most people
saved.
International highly specialised SAR may also be offered directly from States, or
may arrive unannounced in country. The arrival of an SAR team will place demands
on national air and road transport facilities during the effort to deploy them to the
affected area as soon as physically possible.
Even during the immediate medical and SAR response, secondary risks also need to
be assessed, and structural assessment of any affected buildings.
This is related to continued needs assessment and the registration and tracing of
missing persons.
Logistical support is essential to successful response. The road network, airport,
communications and other infrastructure need to be functioning as soon and as well
as possible despite the constraints.

Security, removal of any hazardous materials or contamination, and the immediate
safety of damaged structures must be guaranteed before the population can safely
return to the affected area.
Essential public services including potable water, wastewater, road access and
electricity supplies must be made safe and restored as soon as possible.
Rapid decisions also have to be made regarding essential buildings of public utility
(including health facilities and schools) that may have been destroyed or heavily
damaged. Buildings beyond repair must be demolished and temporary or
permanent replacements considered.
Rapid decisions have to be made regarding safe shelter for the affected population.
Temporary shelter may be needed.
A large-scale emergency will have brought international assistance and potential
financial or material support. Despite the shock to the nation involved, there may
be an opportunity to make concise coherent international requests for support, based
on sound assessment of needs and the most appropriate response for recovery. It is
essential for the affected nation to set the pace, effectively coordinate donations
against priority needs, and to be in an informed position to be able to refuse
inappropriate donations or offers of support.
100
ANNEX B
B. ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND LEGAL BASES OF MAIN
MINISTRIES AND AGENCIES CONCERNED WITH CIVIL EMERGENCY
ISSUES
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD (MoAF)

Involvement of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in preventing, alleviating,
responding to and rehabilitating the zones damaged due to a natural calamity or any
other disaster, is based on the functions and duties provided for in Law No. 8756, dated
March 26, 2001 on “Civil Emergencies”, and the following laws:
Law No. 7623, dated October 13,1992 on “Forests and Forestry Police
Services”,
Law No.7662, dated January 19,1993 on “Plant Protection Service”,
Law No 7941, dated May 25, 1995 on “For Food”,
Law No. 8681, dated November 2, 2000 on “Designing, Construction,
Exploitation and Maintenance of Dams and Dikes”,
Law No. 7674, dated February 23, 2003 on “Veterinary Service”,
as well as other legal and sub-legal acts related to matters of prevention and
overcoming civil emergencies.
MoAF, its central structures and those on a local level, constitute indeed the principal
structures which appropriately exercise respective functions and duties in the field of
civil emergencies:
Flooded zones, with the aim to prevent, alleviate, overcome, and rehabilitate;
Rotect forests and pastures from fires,
Protect citizens’ health from the use of expired food,
Protect land from powerful erosions,
Protect water sources and water supplies,
Protect animals from contagious diseases and preventing the spread of eventual
epidemies,
Be coinstantly informed of the phyto-sanitary situation of the agricultural
cultures on a national scale and draft the appropriate strategy to fight plant
diseases,
Ensure stability, maintenance and exploitation according to water supply
regulations
Provide optimal conditions for the production, storing, marketing and usage of
food and agricultural goods, and undertaking food inspections,
Inspect conditions of storing, marketing and use of products for the protection
of plants
Exercise control in border patrol areas to prevent transporting diseased plants
and animals, and hence, transmmision of diseases across borders.
101
Maintenance, monitoring and readiness of channels, dikes, dams and pumping

stations.
Recovery of flooded areas.
In performing its mission, MoAF coordinates its activities with other structures:
Ministry of Industry and Energy, to guarantee appropriate rhythms of supply
with electric power of the pumping stations, and prompt repair of defects,
Ministry of Tourism and Territory Regulation and Ministry of Industry and
Energy, to control, inspect and exercise qualified intervention in water
collection dams and dikes,
Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization and the Directorate of
Police for Fire Protection and Rescue, as well as the Ministry of Defense to
provide adequate structures to extinguish forest fires,
Ministry of Defence, the private sector to undertake massive earth
displacements and excavations,
Ministry of Health and other research-scientific institutions to deal with infected
areas that pose a danger to plants and animals and eventually to human beings.
Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization and local governance
bodies to determine those zones that pose a danger to be flooded, suffer
breakage of water collection dams and dikes, ultimately planning evacuation in
time of the threatened population,
Ministry of Finances, the Ministry of Health to exercise control on food and
guarantee proper consumption.
Ministry of Environment to controll water pollution.
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (MoD)

The Ministry of Defence, its structures and resources, are considered active and
supporting potential capacities in the process of undertaking operations of preventing,
alleviating, responding and rehabilitating disaster-stricken zones and performing duties
and functions to support other structures. The role of the MoD is provided for in Law
No.8756, dated March 26, 2001 on “Civil Emergencies”, and in:
Law No.8671, dated October 26, 2000, on Powers and Authorities of the Armed
Forces of the Republic of Albania,
Law 7978, dated July 26, 1995 on Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania,
changed
Document of the Policy of Security and Defence,
General Military Doctrine,
National Plan of Action for Membership in NATO,
Defence Directive
Ministry of Defence:
Is involved in search and rescue, evacuation, treatment of injured persons and
their transport in the areas after recovery in cooperation with the Ministry of
102
Local Government and Decentralization, other line ministries and local

government bodies.
Coordinate the activities of sea rescue through Coast Guard and on occasion of
air accidents through SAR service.
In the event of emergency caused due to terrorist acts, involving use of poisonous
matter, bacteriological weapons and radiological materials, engages at once its
specialized squads to:
identify the materials that have been used,
Isolate the infected zone, and further treat the infected persons and victims,
Provide medical aid
Decontaminate the infected area and infected persons,
In the event of other emergencies, MoD ensures and makes available the:
Necessary search and rescue teams for all types of operations,
Specialised health services
Necessary means of mass transportation,
Means of airborne transportation,
Means of digging and transporting inert materials,
Fire extinguishing means and forces,
Additional indispensable logistics to assist in operations of clearing blocked
highways, clearing inert materials, as well as other tasks to reconstruct roads,
bridges, electric power and technological plants, water supply pipes,
Its telecommunication installations,
Permanent and temporary installations when the need arises for mass
accommodation of the population.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH (MoH)

The Ministry of Health is the institution that plays the principal role in the area of
medical and health care, in the event of any kind of disaster, as well as in aggravated
medical conditions, all these aiming to prevent, alleviate, respond and rehabilitate
disaster-stricken zones.
The functions and duties of the MoH are achieved in the framework of the duties and
responsibilities provided for in Law No. 8756, dated March 26, 2001 on “Civil
Emergencies”, as well as other legal and sub-legal acts:
Law No. 7693, dated February 12, 1992 on “State Sanitary Inspectorate”,
Law No. 7761, dated October 19, 1993 on “Prevention and Fighting of
Contagious Diseases”,
Law No. 9106, dated July 17, 2003 on “On Hospital Service in the Republic of
Albania”,
Law No 8032, dated November 16, 1995 on the “Service of Blood Transfusion
and Control of Blood, its Products and Transplants”,
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The MoH guarantees cooperation among all health structures at different levels and the
private sector in the area of public health, and offers:
Medical first aid and emergency ward aid to the injured,
Health care in all levels to injured citizens,
Establishment of health care and emergency teams,
Service with pharmaceutical medicaments in stock in the event of mass
emergencies,
Prevention of contagious diseases,
Treatment of individual contaminated with radioactive materials,
Proclamation of health quarantine,
Management of operations for the evacuation of patients in damaged hospitals,
Evacuation of injured people to other hospitals outside the damaged,
Transport of injured people via road and airborne transport,
Ensuring of additional health equipment and blood reserves,
Treatment of infected victims,
Control and treatment of drinking water quality, and household use,
Appropriate supply of patients with food,
Maintenance of health hygiene,
Treatment of contaminated zones,
As well as provision of assistance to the structures dealing with citizens housed
in collective shelters.
Control of drugs in borders, ways of distribution and their use.
In executing its duties, MoH cooperates closely with the:
Ministry of Defence, to make available the teams of physicians, hospitals and
permanent and field military clinics, transportation of patients, safeguarding of
infected zones, application of a regime of quarantine, treatment of victims, road
and airborne transportation, supply with additional foodstuffs, as well as a
specialized treatment of contaminated persons in case of a disaster caused from
the use of mass destruction weapon,
Albanian Red Cross, in providing medical first aid, treatment and follow-up of
the health condition of the injured people, in enabling stationing of international
medical teams in Albania, and providing foodstuffs and medicaments from the
international aid supplies,
bodies to create proper conditions for evacuation, enlisting and recording the
patients to be evacuated outside the damaged zone.
Ministry of Public Order, to guarantee expedite transport of emergency cases, a
normal and quiet environment in hospitals and clinics of any kind, as well as the
treatment of arrested individuals detained in police stations,
Ministry of Justice, in cases when medical aid is requested in the prisons.
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the identification and treatment of foreign

injured persons or victims, as well as other procedures facilitating the
international teams of medical aid and field hospitals.
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER (MoPO)

The Ministry of Public Order plays a primary role in the event of emergencies caused
from terrorist acts of any sort. The Ministry of Public Order also involves itself in
natural and other kinds of emergencies. The duties, functions and responsibilities of this
Ministry are provided for in Law No. 8756, dated March 26, 2001 on the: “Civil
Emergencies”, as well in other legal and sub-legal acts:
Law No. 8553, dated November 25, 1999 on the ”State Police”,
Regulation of Operative Management of Emergencies for the State Police, No.
1604, dated December 22.12.2001
MoPO drafts and coordinates the involvement its structures and other structures in civil
emergency Ministry of Public Order and the State Police structures in cooperation with
other structures provide the following activities:
Search and rescue,
Providing first aid,
Evacuation and securing the zone,
Isolating the zone
Maintaining law and order
Providing normal road traffic,
Control at border checkpoints
Cooperates in undertaking additional investigation actions
Accompanying evacuation and emergency means, and loads of aid supplies,
Makes available means, material and human resources to carry out operations in
the damaged zones
Providing assistance to wire-radio communication,
Organizes a reinforced control service in all objects of special importance, as
well as in border checkpoints, seaports, airports, and central institutions,
Guarantee normal work conditions to foreign aid and relief teams, mass media
crews, exercising an activity in the damaged zone
In the event of civil emergencies the Ministry cooperates with the:

Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization, and local government
bodies for evacuation and search and rescue operations.
Ministry of Defence undertakes specialized analysis in terms of the nature of
materials resorted to in the course of an act of terrorism, involvement of the
specialized forces in search and rescue operations and engagement of the means
of clearing of inert materials
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Ministry of Health to provide medical first aid; with the local governance bodies
to follow up the health condition of the injured people and victims.
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT (MoE)

Considering the fact that natural disasters of any kind are immensely consequential to
environment, and indeed some of them are caused from the use of hazardous
substances, the Ministry of Environment plays an important role in all disaster phases.
The activity of the MoE during a civil emergency, along with the tasks involved, is
performed pursuant to the criteria provided for in Law No. 8756, dated March 26, 2001
on the Civil Emergencies”, in other legal and sub-legal acts:
Law No. 8934 dated September 5, 2002 on the “Protection of Environment”
Law No. 9115 dated July 24, 2003 on “Environmental treatment of water
polluted”,
Law No. 8897 dated May 16, 2002 on “Protection of air from pollution
Law No.9010 dated February 11, 2003 on “Environmental administering of
inert wastes”,
Council of Ministers Decree No. 103 dated March 31, 2002 on “Monitoring of
environment in Republic of Albania”.
The Ministry of Environment:
Plays a primary role in preliminarily estimating a situation susceptible to cause
an environmental emergency of immense proportions, with negative effects on
the environment in general, on the life of citizens and livestock, private and
public property and cultural heritage,
Along with engaging active operational monitoring, informative and supporting
structures, also submits a request for specialized international structures to
engage in the mission, pursuant to bilateral covenants and agreements.
Ensures the necessary technical for the teams of intervention, facilitating their
receiving and accompanying them to the operations sites.
The MoE coordinates its activity with the:
bodies, for evacuation,
Ministry of Health in prepare and sent the health services in the area
Ministry of Industry and Energy, in the event of occurrence of industry-related
and other accidents involving presence of hazardous substances and
hydrocarbons
Ministry of Defence, in the event of hazards involving explosions, poisonous
substances of mass action,
Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health and the Academy of Sciences in the
event of an aggravated presence of radioactivity
Ministry of Agriculture and Food in the event of contamination of the
environment of internal waters and in cases of forest fires
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Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication, the Ministry of Defence and the

Ministry of Public Order, as well as local governance bodies, in the event of a
mass contamination of the environment of waters and coasts of the Adriatic and
Ionian Seas
Ministry of Tourism and Territory Regulation in the event of a mass
contamination from urban waste.
Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Finances, in cases when pollution of the
environment is due to the way the hazardous substances are imported, exported,
shipped and transported, stored and handled by users.
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTS AND TELECOMMUNICATION (MTT)

The Ministry of Transports and Telecommunication executes its functions and duties in
conformity with the tasks and criteria provided for in this plan, as well as pursuant to
the articles provided for in Law No. 8756, dated March 26, 2001 on the “Civil
Emergencies”, and:
Law No. 9096, dated July 3, 2003 “Some amendments to the Law no. 8308
dated March 18, 1998 “For road transport”
Law No 8378, dated July 22,1998 “Code of Highways of Republic of Albania”
Law No 9251, dated July 8, 2004 “Code of Seas of Republic of Albania”
Law No 7224, dated June 22, 1988 “Code of Railroads of Republic of Albania”
Law No 8038, dated November 23, 1995 “For telecommunication in the
Republic of Albania”
Law No 8530, dated September 23, 1995 “For the Postal Service in the
The MTT:
Is the principal structure that shoulders core problems as maintenance, repairing
and construction of highway and railroad infrastructures,
Is the principal coordinator of the activities of the communication between
operators, to guarantee the communication with the effected areas and between
all the actors involved in response to emergencies. The Ministry guarantee low
cost tariffs communication for the structures directly involved in search and
rescue operations and those providing the first medical aid.
Is responsible for the engagement, management and supervising of the means of
transport indispensable for the transportation of the persons evacuated out of the
damaged zones and transport of relief items until storage, in cooperation with
MoLG, local governmental bodies and private sector.
In case of complex air, sea and road accidents and for search and rescue
operations in difficult remote areas coordinate the activities with the MoPO and
the MoD.
Is responsible for the normal functioning of seaports, the loading and unloading
structures, for defining and providing accelerated procedures (helped by the
Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to process maritime means
of transport of aid and relief (in cooperation with MoPO).
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In the event of an accident at sea and when aid and assistance is indispensable
and requested, the Ministry cooperates with the MoD, the MoPO, MoLG and
MoH to provide emergency aid, to provide medical assistance and ensure
accommodation and transportation to destination of injured people and victims.
In cooperation with MoD and MoPO, plays a primary role in the event of an air
accident, and adopts due actions and implements necessary procedures as
provided for in international covenants and agreements and is responsible for
informing airborne transport agencies and companies with regard to aircraft
capacities to carry aids and the regime of flights, and airport procedures.
Cooperates with the Ministry of Industry and Energy to ensure a non-stop
supply with electric power for the loading and unloading means and facilities
Requests specialized and logistic assistance from foreign states and bodies,
pursuant to international covenants and agreements.
MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND ENERGY (MoIE)

The Ministry of Industry and Energy defines its task on the basis of the duties and tasks
provided for in this plan, and takes into consideration Law No.8756, dated March
26,2001 on “Civil Emergencies”, and other legal and sub-legal acts:
Law No. 9126, dated July 29, 2003 on the “Civil Use of Explosive Substances”,
Law No.8741, dated February 15, 2001 on “Safety Measures in Mining
Operation”,
Law No. 7664, dated January 21, 1993 on the “Protection of Environment”,
Law No. 8736, dated February 12, 2001 on “Security of Pressure Equipment in
Operation”,
Law, No. 7796, dated February 17, 1994 on “Albanian Mining”
The Ministry of Industry and Energy:
plays a primary role in warning, alleviating, and overcoming civil emergencies
due to accidents that occur in the sistem of industry, mining and energy, and is
charged with additional duties and tasks to overcome civil emergencies due to
disasters of any kind.
Establishes a system of warning and intervention by its structures in readiness,
in the event of accidents in the system of industry that are likely to or are caused
by explosions, release of poisonous gases in atmosphere, leaking of chemical
reagents, thus endangering the health of inhabitants, livestock, and polluting the
environment.
In urgent intervention operations, it cooperates with the structures in readiness
of the extinguishing and rescue missions, the service of health emergency, and
the service in readiness of the state police, as well as with other structures
organising technically rapid reaction of the operational forces.
Cooperates with relevant Ministries and bodies of local governance for the
evacuation of the population, to provide medical and health aid, to secure the
zones of accident and the populated zones, with the Ministry of Environment for
assessment of pollution and measures for recovery of the area affected.
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In the event of accidents in mines, massive earth shifts and tectonic subsidence,
the Ministry operates with the assessment and mines rescue teams.
Manages the system of production, transmission and distribution of electric
power supply, and as such also organizes and manages the system of securing
certain objects of particular importance in this system, the system of warning for
any eventual breaks of dams, it organizes and manages the system of flowing
discharges of hydropower stations, informs relevant structure accordingly, and
guarantee uninterrupted production of electric power and the system of
informing the public in the case of a programmed electric power outage.
MINISTRY OF TERRITORY REGULATION AND TOURISM (MTRT)

The duties of the Ministry of Territory Regulation and Tourism in the field of civil
emergencies have been defined according to the duties provided for the Law No. 8756,
dated March 26, 2001 on the “Civil Emergencies”, and other legal and sub-legal acts:
Law No. 8093, dated March 21, 1996, on “Water Reserves”
Law No. 8681, dated February 11, 2000, on the “Design, Construction and
Exploitation of Dams and Embankments”,
Law No 9232, dated May 13, 2004, on “Social Programmes for Resettlement of
the Population in Urban Areas”,
Law No 8402, dated September 10, 1998 on ‘Control and discipline of
constructions”,
Law No 8405, dated September 17, 1998 on “Urban Planning”,
Law No. 8934, dated September 5, 2002 on the “Protection of Environment”,
Law No. 9010, dated February 11, 2003 on the “Environmental Administration
of Solid Matter Disposal”,
Law No. 8094, dated March 21, 1996 on “Public Removal of Waste Matter“,
Law No. 8408, dated September 25, 1998 on the Construction Police,”
Law No. 7893, dated December 22,1994 on “Sciences and Technological
Development”.
The MTRT:
Ensures support and organises damages and resistance of structures assessment
in residential and public facilities, water-supply facilities, and channels.
Ensures support to guarantee supply with and quality of drinking water.
Approves new plans for temporary constructions. Advises and provides support
in management of urban wastes in case of emergencies.
Provides information and support to tourists and tourist zones, in the event of a
situation of civil emergency.
Cooperates with local governmental bodies and other institutions to provide
necessary areas for massive graves, in case when as result of disaster event there
will be mass casualties.
To perform the above-mentioned functions and duties, it cooperates with:
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MoD, to perform engineering tasks and massive removal of urban disposal,

MoAF to compute the danger of basins, and define tasks to repair both them and
the deviations of water beds,
MoIE, to envisage and adopt instant measures of protection against eventual
dam breaks,
MoH, to measure the quality of and treat drinking water, as well as to treat
victims,
ME, to deal with the environmental pollution from urban disposal, inert matter,
and determines sites of discharge,
Other scientific institutions, to draft development projects and outline the
criteria and standards aimed at protecting various objects and facilities against
eventual disasters in the future.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE (MOES)

The functions of the Ministry of Education and Science are based on the duties and
tasks provided for in this plan, which, on its part, is in accordance with Act No. 8756,
dated March 26, 2001 on “Civil Emergencies”, as well as other legal and sub-legal acts:
Law No. 8872 dated March 29, 2002 on “Education and professional Training
in the republic of Albania”
Law No. 8461 dated February 25, 1999 on “University education in the
The Ministry of Education and Science:

Is involved in response to civil emergencies as support/complementary
structure. It preliminarily drafts programs of education, training and readiness,
and operates in accordance with in case of civil emergencies.
Cooperates with MoH and MoD providing first aid to the injured through
involvement of educational, scientific and universities institutions,
Cooperates with MTT, MoD, MoPO and private sector to take care of high
school and university students during their transport and evacuation. With the
MoLG, the ARC and bodies of local governance to register the names students
evacuated, and send them to their families,
Cooperates with MoH to provide first aid, to ensure transport to hospitals and
provide necessary hygienic conditions for the people sheltered in schools and
dormitories, and additionally charging students with tasks related to health care.
Cooperates with MTRT, MTT, MoAF, MoLG, the Prefects of Qarks and bodies
of local governance, to involve specialized pedagogical staffs and college senior
students in performing estimations and tests, in public work, thus helping in
overcoming civil emergencies
Cooperates with MoF, the MoLG and bodies of local governance to make
available funds to repair school buildings, and take measures that students
attend classes in other temporary facilities or settings.
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MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (MOLSA)

The duties and obligations of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs are provided in
the Law No. 8756, dated March 26, 2001 on “Civil Emergencies” and:
Law No. 69, dated February 11,1999 on the “Program to Promote Employment
of Unemployed Job-seekers“,
Law No. 7703, dated May 11,1993 on “Social Securities in the Republic of
Albania”,
Law No. 7710, dated May 18, 1993 on “Social Care and Assistance”,
Law No. 7995, dated September 20, 1995 on “Promotion of Employment“.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in cooperation with other ministries and
institutions:
Preliminarily draft and create a system of protection and a financial, treatment,
employment, and social assistance and care system for the citizens who, due to a
civil emergency, have lost their home, work place.
provide first aid to the damaged persons in the facilities in its charge,
Provide help to evacuate people from care centres (retirement centres, foster
homes) and establish hygienic conditions in the temporary shelters,
Help in provision of temporarily shelter these persons and follow up their
condition,
Support search-and-rescue operations for persons trapped under ruins or lost,
Organize and engage groups of unemployed people in public works during a
situation of civil emergency and make funds available to pay them,
Make funds available and provide social assistance to traumatized persons,
Promote programs for the development of private businesses,
Involve Non-Profit Organizations to provide aid and assistance to the damaged
zones,
makes available the list of groups/persons who can provide public works and
their specialities and in cooperation with the local governance bodies provides
for the registraton and treatment of the persons sheltered in other families.
MINISTRY OF FINANCE (MOF)

The commitments and obligations of the Ministry of Finance in overcoming civil
emergencies derive from the provisions of Law No. 8756, dated March 26, 2001, on the
Civil Emergencies”, and other legal and sub-legal acts such as:
Customs Code of the Republic of Albania, Law No. 8449, dated January
27,1999;
Law No. 8901, dated May 23, 2002 “On Bankruptcy”,
Law No. 8081, dated March 07, 1996 on the “Security and Re-security
Activity”,
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Organic Budget Law No. 8379, dated July 29, 1998, on “Development and
implementation of the State budget in the Republic of Albania”,
Law No. 8560, dated December 22, 1999, on “Tax procedures”,
Law No. 7928, dated April 27, 1995 on “Added Value Tax”,
Law No. 7979, dated July 26, 1995 on “ Investment funds”,
Law No. 8873, dated March 29, 2002 on “Deposits safety”,
Law No. 8210 dated April 23, 1997 on “Exclusion from taxes and duty of the
emergency humanitarian relief”.
The role of the Ministry of Finance in all the phases of disaster management is mainly
linked with the management of financial resources, application of legal customs
procedures, and control of business activities when the national civil emergencies is
declared.
The Ministry of Finances is charged with:
Preventing import, export, transit, deposit, production, and merchandise of
prohibited materials and goods,
Creating proper conditions for facilitating and expediting customs procedures
and regimen for goods, materials, groups and individuals, and their equipment,
when there is proof that their arrival is for the purpose of overcoming national
civil emergencies.
Facilitating establishment and efficient exploitation of the necessary material
basis in the event of a national civil emergency, by removing customs and tax
barriers
Forecasting and intervening in the annual planned budget to make funds
available to solve additional tasks deriving from the activities of institutions in a
situation of civil emergency
Drafting and making due modifications to the annual budget for the fast
implementation of the basic investments, with the purpose of bringing human
activity back to normality
Adopting specific measures that enable cooperation with the National Bank of
Albania to ensure stability of inflation and avert eventual financial collapses.
To achieve these tasks, the Ministry of Finances cooperates with all the Ministries
involved as active actors in this plan, as well as other subordinate institutions, bodies of
local governance and private businesses.
MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DECENTRALIZATION

(MoLG&D)
The Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization, playing the principal role in
coordination of all the central and local governmental bodies, is the institution involved
in all the phases of disaster management cycle. The legal base for the Ministry work in
relation to civil emergencies is as follows:
Law No. 8756, dated March 26, 2001, on the “Civil Emergencies”,
Law No. 8766, dated April 5, 2001, on “Fire Protection and Rescue”,
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Decision No. 531, dated August 1, 2003, on the “Organization, Functioning,

Duties and Responsibilities of Civil Emergency Service”,
Decision No. 654, dated December 18, 2002, on “Temporary application of
taxes for private business vehicles by the government bodies in a situation of
civil emergency”.
Decision No 664, dated December 18,2002 on the “Criteria and procedures
dealing with proclamation of a state of civil emergency“,
Decision No.663, dated December 18,2002 on the “Constitution, Functioning
and Responsibilities of the Technical-Advisory Commission of Emergency
Specialists”,
Decision No. 532, dated August 1, 2003 on the “Responsibilities and Duties of
the Department of Planning for and Overcoming Civil Emergencies“,
Decision No.533, dated August 1, 2003 on the “Involvement of Citizens in
Prevention and Overcoming Civil Emergencies”.
This Ministry:
Coordinates the activities of institutions, monitoring, informative, planning and
response structures at central and local level, ARC structures, volunteers, donors
and local governmental bodies.
Manages the central system of collecting and providing information through the
DCEPR (including NOCCE), as well as creates normal work conditions for the
IMC and the Head of Operations and their supporting staff.
Coordinates the activities of national and international SAR teams and damage
and needs assessment teams. Administer the humanitarian relief and defines the
rules of accept and delivery of humanitarian aid and financial donations.
Prepare and propose requests for help to specialized national and international
organizations, and adopts appropriate measures for storing and handling the aid
and relief that has been offered.
Coordinates the activities of the Prefects of Regions and bodies of local
governance with those of other Ministries and institutions, in compliance with
the responsibilities provided for in this plan, and monitors the procedures of
evacuation and other measures in support to this operation.
Coordinates the activities for provision of temporary shelters for the evacuated
population.
Coordinates the activities to provide transports to destination and distributes
food and other products offered as aid.
Provides support to children who have lost their parents and to persons without
family in cooperation with the ARC and MoPO.
Organizes the system of the registration of the population displaced from their
permanent residence areas, registration of dead and lost persons.
Ensures availability of various services, and satisfies the basic needs of the
damaged population.
Establishes temporary structures to retrieve and further process information.
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MINISTRY OF CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS (MCYS)

The legal base for the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports work in relation to civil
emergencies is as follows:
Law No. 9048 dated April 7, 2004 on “ The Cultural Heritage”.
Law No. 8114 dated March 28, 1996 on “The sports”, with respective
amendments.
In case of civil emergencies the Ministry is involved in:

Overcoming, alleviating, responding to and rehabilitating cultural facilities,
libraries, sports settings, as well as in protecting monuments of culture and
preserving their values.
Adopting the necessary measures to establish adequate standards and criteria, to
pay respect to and install effective networks of protection and security in the
event of a disaster.
Organising during the emergency situation, the evacuation of viewers and the
population, evacuation from its institutions, storing and preservation of
important materials and pieces of art, of monuments of culture, of the funds of
the libraries and storing and preserving museum objects.
Engaging of teams of different specialists in specific search-and-rescue
operations and missions. Makes available sports settings to use as temporary
collective shelters.
Organising various activities to alleviate the shock and stress the damaged
citizens has been gripped.
After the civil emergency situation contributing in reconstruction of the social-
cultural facilities.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MoFA)

In normal time and in the event of a civil emergency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
establishes necessary relations with foreign states, bodies, and structures, which offer
aid and assistance of any kind to overcome such civil emergencies.
This Ministry:
Facilitates furnishing with relevant documents and accelerate visa procedures,
for the international emergency personnel and their equipments when deployed
in the country.
Facilitates procedures of bringing humanitarian aid to Albania without obstacles
and in an expedite manner.
Makes contacts with foreign embassies to Albania to identify, treat and return to
their countries of foreigners who happened to be in Albania during a disaster
and were either injured or had died.
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Retrieves information, cooperates and coordinates actions with the Ministry of

Local Government and Decentralization, as well as other Ministries and
institutions concerned in response to civil emergencies.
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE (MoJ)

MoJ in case of civil emergency acts based on the civil emergency legislation and other
legal and sub-legal acts relevant to its activity. According to the contingency plans MoJ
is involved in:
Issue of the special legal instruments in the relation to a civil emergency
situation.
Evacuation of detainees out of the affected areas.
Organisation of SAR operations in the damaged detention facilities.
Establishing security measures to guard detainees in the evacuation site.
In relation to these responsibilities MoJ cooperates with all the line Ministries and
relevant institutions.
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY (MoE)

MoE plays an important role in all the phases of disaster management and especially in
prevention, mitigation and recovery of the damaged areas.
The Ministry of Economy:
Identification of private companies, mainly their capacities, productive output,
dislocation sites, and the capability of these companies to respond to disasters,
through cooperation with the Union of Chambers of Commerce (UCHC) and
the Chamber of Commerce at district level.
Collection of information in relation to emergency needs to determine
intervention in public investments of critical infrastructure, aiming at
programming funds according to priorities, directly from the line Ministries and
the bodies of local governance or through the MoLG.
Elaborates the information received by line Ministries and the local
governmental bodies, to make possible prompt/emergency intervention in
critical infrastructure rehabilitation, which poses potential risk for the
population, the public and private economy, and foresees construction fund
requests, especially through the donor community funds.
During recovery phase MoE functions are to display the general situation on:
o Needs and priorities of damaged public facilities and infrastructure and
ensure coverage funds from foreign donors.
o Establishes supportive measures for the reactivation of damaged private
companies in a short period of time and in full capacity.
To perform its functions and duties, MoE cooperates with:

MoE, to receive and program foreign financial aid, encourage incentive of funds
from international donors in the affected areas.
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MoLG and local governmental bodies to determine priority needs in

rehabilitation of the damaged infrastructure and identification of these facilities
in the immediate recovery programs.
ALBANIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (AAS)

(Institute of Hydro-meteorology, Seismology, Nuclear Physics and Geography)
The Academy of Sciences and its subordinate institutes, guarantee monitoring,
assessment and informative scientific institutions in normal time as well as issue
information/warning before emergencies occurs.
The Academy of Sciences and its institutions:
Through a national network of monitoring emergencies, its field squads and
laboratory teams, it follows the emergency situation in the country, and
proposes measures of security and protection against the consequences of
accidents.
Provide technical assistance in different emergency situation and when asked,
are directly involved in assessment and elimination of emergency consequences.
Deliver information and expertise to all the civil emergency structures,
Ministries and relevant institutions and to local government bodies.
Compile and record multi-year statistics and data about the activity they
monitor.
Compile new methodologies of observation, elaboration/processing and
assessment of data and information.
Are involved in studies and update of risk assessment in the country.
ALBANIAN RED CROSS (ARC)

ARC is a voluntary organisation, which operates in all the Albanian territory (Tirana
Head Quarters, 12 branches and 40 sub-branches at Qark, Commune and Municipality
and District level), has a radio-communication system, as well as considerable
capacities to respond to civil emergencies. The activity of the ARC is based in Law
7894,dated September 29, 1994 on “The Albanian Red Cross”.
ARC:
Based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between MoLG, DMEP
UNDP in Albania and ARC, the organisation coordinates the activities in
prevention, mitigation and response to civil emergencies in cooperation with the
DCEPR MoLG, while at local level with the administration of qarks and local
governmental bodies.
Cooperates with Directorate of Fire-fighting and Rescue Police (DFRP), MoPO,
MoH on information in case of accidents, provides first aid training as part of
driving license training.
In case of a civil emergency, ARC establishes information centres, carries out
damages and needs assessment, provides first aid and pychosociall
assistance/service, undertakes relief distribution and ensures normal living
116
conditions for the affected population, is involved in the tracing of of mission

persons and family reunion in cooperation with the International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC). . Moreover, if necessary, organises education activities
with the community, providing information and counselling for different types
of emergencies, especially public health and environmental issues.
After carrying out damage and needs assessment and ARC evaluates that the
emergency overcomes its national capacities to cope, it prepares and
International Appeal presented through the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Cresecent Societies (IFRCI. Response to this appeal may be in
cash, kind or services, including Emergency Response Uunits (ERU (field
hospitals, logistical support teams, air assistance support teams and teams to
search for missing persons). ARC requests asks for assistance through
coordination of the South East Europe Regional Disaster Response Team
(RDRT) or through international Field Assessment and Coordination Teams
(FACT), and cooperates closely with UNDAC in the field.
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ANNEX C
C. READINESS STRUCTURES AND CHARTS OF INFORMATION AND
NOTIFICATION FLOW IN CASE OF CIVIL EMERGENCIES
The monitoring, information and response structures concerned with civil emergency
issues, operate for 24 hours per day or can be activated at any time.
With the first notification, processed information and prompt response to activate their
respective system, these structures enable other structures to assess the situation and
intervene in due time for its normalization.
These services provide essential inputs during early warning, as well for timely
response through their readily available means and capacities they have for the response
phase.
The National Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE) is one of these structures, which
is surrounded by a number of other organizations. In it is concentrated and processed all
information coming from other similar 24 hours in duty centers and available
organizations.
The centralized processing of information to the NOCCE does not mean avoidance of
communication between interdepended structures in line ministries and other
organizations.
C.1- DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CIVIL EMERGENCY

READINESS STRUCTURES
The duties and responsibilities of the Civil Emergency Readiness Structures are as
follow:
C.1-1. The National Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE)

The NOCCE is the central structure of preparedness in Albania. It monitors situations
(or potential situations) of civil emergencies in the entire territory of the country, and
serves as a contact point for the collection and processing of all information relating to
that situation. This includes emergencies, accidents and incidents affecting or
endangering the life of the community, private and public property, and cultural
heritage. The NCCE maintains contact with all other civil emergency structures in
readiness for a civil emergency event, and inform regularly relevant organizations and
media on the civil emergency situation. The NOCCE regularly updates the contact
points and notification system for these structures for readiness, while also maintaining
regular contacts with them.
C.1-2. Disposable Personnel in any time.

Personnel of National System for Civil Emergency Planning and Response, as well as
the one of Police of Fire-Fighting and Rescue are designated as Disposable Personnel in
any time. They maintain permanent contacts with the civil emergency readiness
structures, and advise decisionmakers in differnet levels on the measures to be taken.
118
C.1-3. The Centre for Information and Evacuation (CIE) at the Ministry of Public
Order (MPO) and the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) at the Ministry of
Defence.
These two structures constitute the two principal cooperating centres in providing
information, and especially response, to overcome a situation of civil emergency. As
the Police structures and those of the Armed Forces have a large geographic
distribution and availability to receive and transmit information in a fast and accurate
manner, they also use this capacity to collect information and respond in a prompt way
to civil emergencies. It is required that these two structures submit information on
actual or potential civil emergency situations, on every occasion, to the NOCCE.
With receipt of information from the NOCCE they consider it for action, and follow
their iner guidelines and rules to deal with the information and activate, if needed, the
appropriate operational structures. These structures are then duty bound to inform and
account to the National Centre for Civil Emergencies about their subsequent actions.
C.1-4. Armed Forces (AF), State Police Structures, Ambulances, Police of Fire-
Fighting and Rescue (PFFR) and other operational forces.
In compliance with the nature of their missions in their duty locations, once these
structures receive information about an event that has brought about a civil emergency,
they are placed in readiness. Depending of the status of the emergency, they may
initiate actions on the request of the respective Prefect of the Region and orders by their
supervising bodies. The information sent by the NOCCE or the Regional Operations
Centres (ROC) and received by these structures, should be considered as the basis on
which to take further action.
Once these structures are involved in overcoming a situation of civil emergency, they
establish and maintain contacts and exchange information with their own command as
well as with the NOCCE, which, on its part, also coordinates actions with other
structures and bodies of local governance.
C.1-5. The monitoring and warning structures, such as the Institute of Seismology
(IS), the Institute of Hydro-Meteorology (IH), the Institute of Nuclear
Physics (INPh), and other relevant institutes, inspectorates and
organizations.
These structures receive and provide information to the NOCCE, through their
networks, on eventual dangers or threats, and in the case of an emergency, coordinate
activities to assess the situation and estimate the needs. In addition, they provide
continuous information to, and cooperate with, the other structures of civil emergencies
in analysing and monitoring the situation, and providing regular information.
C.1-6. Networks in readiness, such as transport, potable water supply,

communication and electro-energy services
Through their permanent and temporary structures operating on a 24 hour basis, besides
contacts with their own supervising body they have, maintain contacts with the NOCCE
and the Regional Operational Centres (ROC) for Civil Emergencies, and furnish them
with information about events that have already happened or are likely to cause an
emergency. They also request from them, assistance to involve other structures in
handling and responding to civil emergency situations. These structures cooperate with
other regional relevant structures, which operate in the same region.
119
Emergency Standby Structures in Albania
Dispatch unit Ambulances Albanian

of Electro- and Central/ Telecom
(landline
energy Regional company) and
Corporation Hospitals other Mobile
Operators
Mines Rescue Medical National Roads Railway

Team Evacuation Maintenance Maintenance
Helicopters (General (General
(Ministry of (Ministry of Directorate of Directorate of
Industry) Health) Roads) Railways)
Civil Forest
Emergency Protection
Offices in
line Police
Departement for Civil Emer
ministries Planning & Response
Civil Emer National Fire-fighting
Planning & Operational & Rescue
Directoratee
Coordinat. Center
Directorate
Civil Emerg. Koordi Fire-
Offices under
Prefects, fighting
and at & Rescue
Municipalities
Stations
Joint Centre for
Information and
Civil Operation Evacuation State
Protection Center (JOC), (CIE) Police
Min Public Order Stations
Base, MoD
MoD and Units
SAR Service Harbour Academy of 24 hours service

& Control Authorities Science at Water
(Durresi, Vlora, Institutes and Management
Tower at the Shengjini and other Directorates
Nat. Airport Saranda sea Monitoring under MoA&F
ports) Institutes
Other relevant Albanian Red

Inspectorates Cross and
and Polices other relevant
NGOs
120
Hereafter there are charts on how the information and notification flows for some of
specific emergencies. The NOCCE and all other relevant structures prepare charts and
tables on points of contact for different emergencies, and update them periodically.
C.2- CHART OF INFORMATION AND NOTIFICATION FLOW IN CASE

OF EARTHQUAKES
Potential sources of information on the event acsertainment:
Direct from citizens
Institute of Seismology
Local Government
Structures of State Police
Armed Forces
Fire-Fighting and Rescue Stations
Seismological Stations/Intitutes and CE Departments
from other countries
Other
Concentration/Collection of Information
National Operational Center (personnel on duty)

Spread/Flow of Information
Prime Minister
Civil Protection Base JOC, MoD
SAR Teams
CIE, MoPO
Minister of LG&D
Ambulances + Med-Evac Ministry of Health
Helikopter
Director of CEPR Dep.
Mines Rescue Team Ministry of Industry
and Energy
Director of CEPC
Fire-Fighting &Rescue
Stations
Director of Fire-Fight.
Albanian Red Cross Ministry of Transportation
and Telecominication
Head of NOCCE
KESH, GDR, GDWM Ministry of Agric, Food
Nat. Secr. of High Dams MTRT
In case of an earthquake, the following sources may provide information for the
National Operation Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE): Citizens, Institute of
Seismology, Prefecture Administration, State Police Stations, Fire-fighting and Rescue
Service Police, civil emergency practitioners, Local Authorities, units of the Armed
Forces, and others. This information should be transmitted immediately to:
Minister of Local Government and Decentralization, General Director of Civil
Emergency Planning and Response, Director of Civil Emergency Planning and
Coordination, Director of Fire-fighting and Rescue Service, and Head of National
Operation Center for Civil Emergencies.
At the same time the National Operation Center for Civil Emergencies must inform:
The Joint Operations Centre (MoD), the Civil Protection Base (CPB) and other Search
and Rescue Teams in concerned departments, according to the inventory of capacities
121
outlined in this plan (section 6.12), the Center of Information and Evacuation (MoPO),
Ministry of Health, Ambulance Service, Mines Search and Rescue Unit (MoIE), KESH,
MTT, General Directorate of Roads, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, General
Directorate of Water Management (MoAF), Ministry of Territory Regulation and
Tourism, Directorate of Water Supply and Sewage (MTRT), and the Secretariat of
High Dams Committee.
The National Operations Centre of Civil Emergencies compiles the information as
above explained and the same institutions should keep this centre updated on the event.
Format of contact points to be used by the NOCCE:
Institution Tel Fax Cel √
NOCCE
Minister of LG&D
General Director of CEPR
Department
Director of CEPC Directorate
Director of Fire-Fighting and
Rescue Directorate
Head of NOCCE
Civil Protection Base (CPB)
Airborne SAR Team
Ambulances + Medical
Evacuation Helicopters
Mine Rescue Teams
Fire–Fighting and Rescue
Stations
Albanian Red Cross (ARC)
General Directorate of Water
Management (MoAF)
National Secretariat of High
Dams Committee
Joint Operation Center (JOC),
MoD
Centre for Information and
Evacuation (CIE), MPO
Ministry of Health (MoH)
Ministry of Industry and
Energy (MoIE)
Ministry of Transportation and
Telecommunication (MTT)
Ministry of Agriculture and
Food (MoAF)
Ministry of Territory
Regulation and Turism
(MTRT)
122

OF INDUSTRIAL INCIDENTS
State or Private Enterprise under incident
Local Government
Armed Forces Structures
Ministry of Environment Protection
Ministry of Industry and Energy
Relevant Monitoring or CE Centers from other
countries
Prime Minister Surrounding Fire-Fight. St.
CPB
Minister of LG&D
SAR Unit of Air Forces JOC, MoD
Gen.Dir. of CEPR Dep.
NBC Batalion
Dir of CEPC Direct.
Military Hospital
Director of Fire-Fight.
Ambulances + Med-Evac.
Head of NOCCE Helicopters Ministry of Health
“Mother Tereza” University

Hospital Center/Reg. Hospit
Mines Rescue Team Ministry of Ind. and Ener
Ministry of Env. Protect.

Relevant Inspectorates
CIE, MoPO
ARC Prefect of Qark
Mayor/Head of Comm.
In case of an industrial incident, the following sources may provide information for the
National Operation Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE): Citizens, private or state
entities at risk, relevant inspectoriates, Prefects, Local Authorities, Monitoring
Structures, State Police Stations, Fire and Rescue Service Police, civil emergency
practitioners, units of the Armed Forces, and others. This information should be
transmitted immediately to:
123

In addition, the National Operation Center for Civil Emergencies must inform:
Nearest Fire-fighting and Rescue Station, Ministry of Industry and (MoIE), Ministry of
Defence (MoD), Ministry of Health (MoH), Ambulance Service and Medical
Evacuation Helicopters, Ministry of Environment Protection (MoEP), Ministry of
Public Order (MoPO), the Prefect of the respective Qark and the Head of affected
Communes/Mayor, Albanian Red Cross, and others.
124

OF HAZMAT TRANSPORTATION INCIDENTS
Transportation Enterprise under incident
Qark Environment Inspector
Local Government
Ministry of Transportation and
Telecommunication
Ministry of Health
Prime Minister Surrounding Fire-Fight. St.
Trafic Police CIE, MoPO

Minister of LG&D
NBC Batalion
Director of CEPR Dep. JOC, MoD
CPB
Director of CEPC Dir.
Ambulances + Med-Evac
Dir. of Fire-Figh.&Res. Helicopters
Ministry of Health
Head of NOCCE Radiation Protection Office
Relevant Inspectorates Ministry of EP
Ministry of IE
Institue of Nuclear
Physics
General Direct. of Roads Minmistry of TT
Prefect of Qark
Mayor/Head of Comm.
In case of a HAZMAT transportation incident, the following sources may provide

information for the National Operation Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE):
Citizens, transporters, private or state entities at risk, relevant inspectoriates, relevant
Prefects and their administrations, Local Authorities, State Police Stations (particularly
Traffic Police), Fire and Rescue Service Police, civil emergency practitioners, units of
125
the Armed Forces, relevant inspectoriates, and others. This information should be
transmitted immediately to:
Nearest Fire-fighting and Rescue Station, State Police (especially Traffic Police),
Ministry of Industry and (MoIE), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Civil Protection
Base, General Directorate of Roads, Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication
(MTT), Ministry of Health (MoH), Committee of Radioactivity Protection, Institute of
Nuclear Physics, Ministry of Environment Protection (MoEP) and State Inspectorate of
Environment, Ministry of Public Order (MoPO), the Prefect of the respective Qark and
the Head of affected Communes/Mayor, Albanian Red Cross, and others.
126

OF SEA INCIDENTS

Ship/SeaTransportation Enterprise under incident
Media
Harbour Authorities
State Police Structure/Border Police
Local Government
Armed Forces/Navy Districts/Coast Guards
Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication
Ministry of Health
CE Operational Centers from neighbour countries
Prime Minister
Directorate of Border Police CIE, MoPO

Minister of LG&D
Navy/Coast Guards
Director of CEPR Dep. JOC, MoD
Delta Force, CPB

Gen. Dir. of Transportation

Dir. of Fire-Figh & Res Ministry of TT
Harbour Authorities
Headm of NOCCE
Ambulances + Med-Evac.
Helicopters Ministry of Health
Nearest Reg. Hospitals

Ministry of Env. Prot
Nearest Fire-Figh.Stations
Min. of For. Affairs
Relevant International
Organizations Prefect of Qark
Mayor/Head of Comm.
In case of a sea incident, the following sources may provide information for the
National Operation Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE): Citizens, transporters,
private or state entities at risk, media, Sea Port Harbour Authorities, relevant Prefecture
Administration, Local Authorities, State Police Stations, civil emergency practitioners,
127
Navy units of the Armed Forces, Genral Directorate of Transport, relevant International
Organizations, and others. This information should be transmitted immediately to:
Center of Information and Evacuation in the Ministry of Public Order (MoPO),
Directorate of Border Police (MoPO), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Navy Command
(especially Coast Guard), Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication (MTT),
General Directorate of Transport (MTT), Ministry of Health (MoH), Medical
Evacuation Helicopters (MoH), Regional Hospital, the Nearest Sea Port Fire-fighting
and Rescue Station, Ministry of Environment Protection (MoEP), Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MoAF), the Prefect of the respective Qark and the Head of affected
Communes/Mayor, and others.
128

OF AIR INCIDENTS

Media
SAR Service
“Mother Tereza” International Airport
Air Company under incident
State Police Structure
Local Government
Ministry of TT (General Directorate of Civil Aviation)
Ministry of Health

General Dir of Civil Aviat Ministry of TT
Prime Minister Air Force, CPB
Airborne SAR Team

Minister of LG&D JOC, MoD
SAR at“MotherTereza” Airp

Dir. of Border Police
Dir. of Fire-Figh & Res
CIE, MoPO
Gen. Dir. of State Police
Head of NOCCE
Airport Fire-Figh. Station Alb. Intelligence Service
Min. of For. Affairs
Prefect of Qark
Mayor/Head of Commu.
In case of a air incident, the following sources may provide information for the
National Operation Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE): Citizens, media, Albanian
Service of Traffic Air Control, State Police Stations/Structures, Armed Forces units and
structures, Local Authorities, relevant International Operation/Information Centers,
and others. This information should be transmitted immediately to:
129

Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication (MTT) and the General Directorate of
Civil Aviation in that ministry, Ministry of Defence (MoD), Airborne SAR Service of
Armed Forces, Nearest Fire-fighting and Rescue Station, Ministry of Public Order
(MoPO) and State Police, Ministry of Health (MoH), Medical Evacuation Helicopters
(MoH), other Armed Forces units, the Prefect of the respective Qark and the Head of
affected Communes/Mayor, and others.
130

OF TERRORIST ACTS

Media
State Police Structures
Intelligence Service of Albania Structures
Local Government
Ministry of Health
Etc.
State Police Structures CIE, MoPO
Prime Minister Albanian Intelligence Serv.
Special units/teams for JOC, MoD

Nuclear, Bacteriological and
Minister of LG&D Chemical Contamination;
CPB Relevant Line
Ministries
Nearest Fire-Fight St.
Ambulances + Med-Evac Ministry of Health
Helicopters
Head of NOCCE
In case of a terrorist atack, the following sources may provide information for the
National Operation Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE): Citizens, media, State
Police Stations/Structures, Fire-fighting and Rescue Service Police, civil emergency
practitioners, Local Authorities, Armed Forces units and structures, State Informative
(Intelligence) Service, and others. This information should be transmitted immediately
to:
Nearest Fire-fighting and Rescue Station, Ministry of Public Order (MoPO) and the
Center of Information and Evacuation in that ministry, Ministry of Defence (MoD) and
Civil Protection Base (CPB), Special units (NBC, etc.) of Armed Forces, State
Informative (Intelligence) Service, relevant line ministries, Ministry of Health (MoH),
131
Ambulance Service and hospitals in the region, the Prefect of the respective Qark and
the Head of affected Communes/Mayor, and others.
132

OF DAM AND DYKE COLLAPSE

Dam/Dyke Guard/Administrator
Media
State Police Structures
Relevat Structures/Organizations under:
o Ministry of Territory Regulation and Turism
o Ministry of Food and Agriculture
o Ministry of Industry and Energy
Nat. Secret. of High Dams Ministry of TRT

Prime Minister
Gen. Dir. of Water Manag. Ministry of AF

Minister of LG&D
Fire Fighting Stations Prefect of Qark
Mayor/Head of Comm.
Nearest AF Units; CPB JOC, MoD
State Police Stations CIE, MoPO
Head of NOCCE
Regional Hospitals
Ministry of TT
Alb. Electr. Corp (KESH) Ministry of IE
Min. of Educ.Science
In case of dam or dyke collapse, the following sources may provide information for the
National Operation Centre for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE): Citizens, site workesrs and
other imployes, media, state and private entities at risk, relevant Prefect
Administrations, State Police Stations/Structures, Fire-fighting and Rescue Service
Police, civil emergency practitioners, Local Authorities, Armed Forces units and
133
structures, Joint Operations Center (MoD), Center of Information and Evacuation

(MoPO), and others. This information should be transmitted immediately to:
Ministry of Territory Regulation and Tourism (MTRT), Ministry of Agriculture and
Food (MoAF) and General Directorate of Water Management in that ministry, nearest
Police Stations and MoPO, Ministry of Defence and nearest military units, Ministry of
Industry and , KESH, Ministry of Health, Ambulance Service and Medical Evacuation
Helicopters, Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication, Ministry of Education and
Science, other relevant ministries, the Prefect of the respective Qark and the Head of
affected Communes/Mayor, and others.
134
ABBREVIATIONS
AF Armed Forces
AGS Albanian Geological Service
AoS Academy of Sciences
ARC Albanian Red Cross
CE Civil Emergency
CEMT Civil Emergency Management Team
CEO Civil Emergency Operations
CES Civil Emergency Service
CES Civil Emergency Situation
CES Civil Emergency Structures
CHO Central Head of Operations
CIE Center of Information and Evacuation (MoPO)
CM Council of Ministers
CPB Civil Protection Base
DCEPC Directorate of Civil Emergency Planning and Coordination
DCEPR Department for Civil Emergency Planning and Response
DPUK General Directorate of Water Supply and Sewage
EU European Union
GDR General Directorate of Roads
GDSR General Directorate of State Reserves
ICCE Interministerial Committee of Civil Emergencies
IH Institute of Hydrometeorology
INP Institute of Nuclear Physics
INSARAG International Search and Rescue Advisory Group
IS Institute of Seismology
JOC Joint Operations Center (of MoD)
KESH Albanian Electrical Energy Corporation
KRRTT Commission of Territory regulation and Tourism
LCEC Local Civil Emergency Commission
MoAF Ministry of Agriculture and Food
MoCYS Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports
MoD Ministry of Defence
MoEP Ministry of Environment Protection
135
MoE Ministry of Economy

MoES Ministry of Education and Science
MoF Ministry of Finance
MoFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs
MoH Ministry of Health
MoIE Ministry of Industry and Energetics
MoJ Ministry of Justice
MoLG&D Ministry of Local Government & Decentralization
MoLSA Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
MoPO Ministry of Public Order
MTRT Ministry of Territory Regulation and Tourism
MTT Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication
NCEP National Civil Emergency Plan
NHE National Habitat Enterprise
NICE National Inspectoriat of Civil Emergencies
NOCCE National Operation Center for Civil Emergencies
NTC National Training Center
OF Operational Forces
PMNZSH Fire-fighting and Rescue Police
QCCEPR Qark Commission on Civil Emergency Planning and Response
QHO Qark Head of Operation
QOQ Qark Operation Center
SAR Search and Rescue
SAV Active Opeartional Structures
SCEM System of Civil Emergency Management
SCEM System of Civil Emergency Management
SM Supporting Structure
TACCE Technical Advisory Commission for Civil Emergencies
UNCP United Nations Contingency Plan
UNDAC United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
UPI Urban Planning Institute
WHO World Health Organization
136
PEOPLE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED AND CONTRIBUTED IN THE

NATIONAL CIVIL EMERGENCY PLANNING PROCESS
1. Working Group:
1 Mr. Pajtim Bello Dep. Minister, Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization
2 Mr. Sadedin Stankaj Dep. Minister, Ministry of Defence
3 Mrs. Saemira Pino Dep. Minister, Ministry of Health
4 Mr. Eduart Andoni Dep. Minister, Ministry of Education and Science
5 Mr. Arben Demeti Dep. Minister, Ministry of Territory Regulation and Tourism
6 Mr. Proletar Roshi Dep. Minister, Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication
7 Mr. Thoma Miço Dep. Minister, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
8 Mr. Ymer Tola Dep. Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Food
9 Mr. Gjergj Liqejza Dep. Minister, Ministry of Industry and Energetics
10 Mr. Thoma Jano Dep. Minister, Ministry of Public Order
11 Mr. Besnik Baraj Dep. Minister, Ministry of European Integration
12 Mrs. Etleva Canaj Dep. Minister, Ministry of Environment
13 Ms. Adriana Berberi Dep. Minister, Ministry of Finance
14 Mr. Enis Hoxha Secretary General, Ministry of Economy
15 Mr. Edmond Dragoti Dep. Minister, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports
16 Prof. Eduart Sulstarova Scientific Secretary General, Albanian Academy of Sciences
17 Mr. Zamir Muço Secretary General, Albanian Red Cross
18 Mrs. Manjola Banja Deputy Director, Institute of Hydrometeorology
19 Ass.Prof. Llambro Duni Deputy Director, Institute of Seismology
137
2. Technical Group
1 Mr. Bujar Kapllani Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization

2 Mr. Alfred Kristuli Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization
3 Mr. Sokol Hajro Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization
4 Mr. Alfred Prifti Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization
5 Mr. Agim Bregasi Ministry of Industry and Energetics
6 Mr. Agim Selenica Institute of Hydrometeorology, Academy of Sciences
7 Mr. Gramoz Bregu Ministry of Education and Science
8 Mr. Vasil Premçi Ministry of Territory Regulation and Tourism
9 Mr. Armand Skapi Ministry of Foreign Affairs
10 Prof. Salvator Bushati Academy of Sciency
11 Mr. Gavrosh Qatipi Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization
12 Mr. Musa Hyka Ministry of Finance
13 Col. Ferjat Janushaj Ministry of Public Order
14 Mr. Gjergji Sotiri Ministry of Agriculture and Food
15 Mr. Arjan Avrazi Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports
16 Mr. Dhimiter Dervishi Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication
17 Mr. Arjan Bundo Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication
18 Mrs.Silva Bino Ministry of Health
19 Mr. Sami Bidollari Ministry of Health
20 Mr. Hysen Gjyli Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
21 Mr. Nexhmedin Dumani Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
22 Ltc. Thanas Tane Ministry of Defence
23 Ltc. Nazmi Cahani Ministry of Defence
24 Mr. Vojo Tasho Ministry of Environment
25 Mrs.Fatbardha Zenelaj Ministry of European Integration
26 Mr. Thoma Rusha Ministry of Economy
27 Mr. Fatos Xhengo Albanian Red Cross
28 Mr. Hajredin Kurti Prefect of Tirana Administration
29 Mr. Ruzhdi Baxhaku Tirana Municipality
3. Technical Secretariat
1 Mr. Bujar Kapllani Directorate of Civil Emergency Planning and

Coordination, MoLG&D
2 Mr. Adrian Bala Directorate of Civil Emergency Planning and
3 Mr. Xhuvanaq Gjylameti Directorate of Civil Emergency Planning and
4 Mrs. Valentina Golemi Directorate of Civil Emergency Planning and
5 Ms. Dukate Dodaj Directorate of Civil Emergency Planning and
138
4. Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness project of UNDP

Albania
1 Mr. Mihallaq Spirollari National Project Officer

2 Ms. Sonila Aliaj National Training Coordinator
3 Mrs. Entela Ifti Project Assistant
5. International Consultant for National Civil Emergency Plan
Mr. Lawrence Neil Barry International Consultant

UK
139
140
Ministry of Local Government and Decentralizationt

Departmet of Civil Emergency Planning and Response
Rruga “Mihal Duri”, Tiranë
Tel: +355 4 233542; Fax: +355 4 233544
Web site : http://www.mpvd.gov.al/dpppec/index.htm
141

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NATIONAL CIVIL EMERGENCY

PLAN OF ALBANIA November 2004

NATIONAL CIVIL EMERGENCY PLAN

Adopted by the Council of Ministers Decree No. 835, dated 03/12/2004

7.3- Coordination and information 61

A. HAZARDS AND FACTORS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 77

natural sources of water and environmental pollution, increases vulnerability of the

1.2 Aim, Objectives and Principles

1. The Plan will focus on the agreed clear Overall Objectives.

1.3 Legal Basis

1.4 Links to Other Key Plans

draws existing plans together in a spirit of cooperation and most importantly,

2. ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT OF

2.1 Responsibilities on a National Level

Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies

Ministry of Local Government and Head of Operations at Central level

Active Operational Structures

2.1.2 Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies

2.1.3 Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization (MoLGD)

Ministry of Local Government and

Line Ministries/Institutions Department for CE Planning & Response

Directorate of CE Planning & Coord.

The Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization will:

• Coordinate the actions between the relevant institutions concerned with,

2.1.4 Department of Civil Emergency Planning and Response (DCEPR)

2.1.5 Line Ministries

Civil Emergency Planning & Response Commission in this ministry

Active and Supportive Operational Structures

Institutes and other dependant structures

Central Government Structures on a local level

Specialized teams and squads

Other/Various Public Entities

Private Business as per Area of Expertise

2.1.7 The Head of Operations at Central level

Be assisted by the Civil Emergency Management Team (CEMT)-task force who

Central Head of Operations

Emergency Menagement Team (Task Force)

Head of Operations on a Regional Level

Head of Operations on a Municipality/Commune Level

Active Operational Structures on a Central Level

Supporting Structures on a Central Level

International SAR and Relief Teams

Albanian Red Cross, NGOs and Vouunteers

2.1.8 National Operations Center for Civil Emergencies (NOCCE)

Central Head of Operations

NCEOC (Information section)

MoD, Joint Operationale Center

Min. of Public Order, Information and Evacuation Center

Information and Monitoring Institutions

Head of Operations on a Qark/Municipality/Commune Lev.

Active Operational Forces

Emergency Supporting Structures

International System Operations Centers

Civil Emergency Management Team function through four essential sections,

2.2 Responsibilities on a Regional (Qark) Level

2.2.1 The Prefect of Qark

2.2.3 Regional Level or Qark Head of Operations

CE Planning and Response Commission at Qark Lev.

Head of Operations at Qark Level

CE Commission at Local Government Level

2.2.4 On a District Level

The Under-Prefects, who represents the Prefect at District Level, will:

2.2.5 Regional Council ( Qark Council)

2.3 Responsibilities on a Municipal and Commune Level