Albania has taken a significant step in enhancing its preparedness to respond to special emergencies, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents. This comes after intensive training conducted by European Union experts and the Center of Excellence, equipping Albanian emergency teams with the necessary skills and resources.
A simulated chemical incident inside a storage facility was organized by the National Emergency Service to demonstrate the proper response protocols in such situations. The exercise involved specialists from nine countries, including Albania, all of whom have undergone rigorous training under the guidance of EU experts.
"We have brought together nine countries to assess the effectiveness of the training. All participating nations, including Albania, are now fully capable of responding to chemical, biological, and radiological incidents," stated Mark Salter, an expert from the EU Center of Excellence.
Beyond professional training, the National Emergency Service has also been equipped with state-of-the-art tools to respond to any crisis efficiently. Among the key assets are decontamination tents, which serve as critical detection units capable of identifying chemical, radioactive, or biological elements in real-time.
“As you can see behind me, there are three such tents. These are used at incident sites and in front of hospitals to prevent contamination of public facilities," explained Skënder Brataj, the director of the National Emergency Service.
Although these types of incidents are rare, Brataj emphasized that such training exercises are essential to ensuring Albania's readiness in case of emergencies. The enhanced preparedness reflects the country's commitment to safeguarding public health and security in the face of potential chemical or radiological threats.