PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY. March 11 (Interfax) - Command-and-staff exercises of the regional emergency situations forces started in Kamchatka on Monday to practice cleanup of earthquake aftereffects, the Kamchatka territorial government reported.
"The exercises will check the readiness of commands and forces to respond to natural calamities. They involve executive authorities, municipalities, rescue services, the Kamchatka territorial emergency situations department, the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Geophysical Service, regional enterprises and organizations, schools, hospitals and social protection services," the report said.
The exercises will have three stages. Alerting systems will be checked, action plans of the Kamchatka territorial emergency situations systems will be updated, local television and radio companies will broadcast instructions for possible emergency situations, and schools, social protection services and enterprises will have drills from March 11 to 22.
"The second stage on March 25-31 will practice operations of amateur rescue units. The exercises will simulate deployment of a school on the temporary premises in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The preparedness of rescue units of municipalities and loader teams will be checked," the report said.
"The third stage will take place on April 1-10 to practice property delivery from regional warehouses and sum up results of the exercises," it said.