South Jutland hosts major European exercise simulating a devastating earthquake in southern Denmark to test cross-border preparedness

According to DR, the Danish emergency services agency Beredskabsstyrelsen is hosting a large-scale European exercise this weekend in the city of Tinglev in South Jutland, simulating a powerful earthquake that causes buildings to collapse and injures a large number of residents, as part of a practical training exercise on managing major disasters.

A catastrophic scenario that bears no resemblance to Danish reality.

According to DR, the training scenario assumed that several cities in southern Jutland were hit by a violent earthquake that caused widespread destruction and many injuries, even though earthquakes are not a common occurrence in Denmark.
The website quoted Per Sloth Møller, deputy director of the Emergency Management Training Center in Tinglev, who confirmed that the choice of an earthquake as a training scenario was due to it being a suitable situation for training rescue teams on techniques and tactics that are known and applicable in different types of disasters.

Extensive European cooperation in the heart of South Jutland

DR reported that more than 350 emergency and rescue personnel from more than 20 European countries gathered in Tinglev to participate in the exercise, with the aim of training in search and rescue operations in major incidents that exceed the capabilities of a single country.
Per Sloth Møller explained that the European Union adopts a system of mutual cooperation between member states in disaster situations, noting that joint training enhances the speed and effectiveness of response when real disasters occur.

Virtual victims test the realism of the training

DR stated that approximately 65 volunteers from retirement clubs and boarding schools are participating in the exercise, playing the role of injured people trapped under rubble.
During the training, rescue teams work to extract these volunteers from the rubble that was specially prepared to simulate the effects of the earthquake, in an attempt to get as close as possible to real conditions.
Per Sloth Møller reiterated that earthquakes, although rare in Denmark, represent a suitable training model for developing technical and tactical skills.

Why isn't there training for a missile attack?

The DR website addressed the question of why scenarios such as a missile attack were not chosen instead of an earthquake.
Per Sloth Møller stated that the basic tactics in rescue operations are largely similar, but training for a missile attack involves many unforeseen factors, whereas earthquakes have known characteristics, making them suitable for organized and effective training.

24-hour training amidst harsh weather

DR noted that the exercise began on Friday afternoon and will continue without interruption until Sunday, i.e., for 72 consecutive hours.
Per Sloth Møller predicted that the cold weather would pose an additional challenge, both for the organizers and for the participating teams coming from abroad, especially since many of the teams are staying in tents and their equipment is exposed to harsh climatic conditions.
He explained that temperatures dropping below zero could lead to technical difficulties, such as the malfunction of machinery and equipment, putting the teams' logistical capabilities to a real test.

This is the fifth time I've done a European workout of this size.

According to what was published on the DR website, this is the fifth time that the Emergency Management Authority's training center in Tinglev has been transformed into a center for a major European disaster management exercise.
Rescue teams from Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and France participated in the exercise, along with a drone team from Croatia and a specialized engineering team from Spain.

Ready within 24 hours

DR explained that all participating teams belong to the EU's Joint Response System, and they must be able to move within just 24 hours in the event of a real disaster.
Around 100 people from the Danish Emergency Service and the European Union are also involved in organizing and evaluating the exercise.

European funding within the MODEX framework

DR concluded by noting that the exercise is funded by the European Union and is being carried out within the MODEX cooperation, a European program aimed at testing and developing capabilities to respond to major cross-border disasters, according to information from the Danish Emergency Management Agency Beredskabsstyrelsen.