Federal Office for Civil Protection FOCP

From 2 to 6 June, specialists from France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Switzerland trained in Switzerland to carry out joint radioactivity measurements from the air. The exercise was organised by the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP). The focus of this international exercise was the exchange of measurement and evaluation methodologies and to train in cooperative procedures.

Focus on cooperation and efficiency

The aim of this international exchange of expertise and training was to be prepared for cross-border mutual assistance in the event of increased radioactivity and to be able to consolidate measurement results quickly and efficiently.

Measurements and scenarios

Five different exercise scenarios were carried out during the five-day campaign. These different modules were designed to train the measurement teams’ skills and compare different operational procedures and measurement strategies.

• Source search at the Frauenfeld military training area: The teams had to locate radioactive sources that had been placed there for training purposes. For the first time, drones were used to supplement the measurements taken from the helicopter.
• Measurement flight around the Paul Scherrer Institute: This flight provided scientifically interesting measurements with various natural and artificial radiation situations.
• Composite mapping: A large area – between Liestal (BL), Brugg (AG), Muri (AG), Huttwil (BE), and Breitenbach (SO) – was surveyed one after the other by the international teams. The data was combined to form a joint radiological map.
• Reference measurement at the Thun military training area
• Altitude profile over Lake Thun

Routine flights in the vicinity of Swiss nuclear power plants

Prior to the international aeroradiometric exercise, the NEOC measurement team conducted its annual alternating survey of Swiss nuclear power plant surroundings on behalf of the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI). This year, on 27 and 28 May, the survey covered areas around the nuclear power plants of Mühleberg (BE) and Gösgen (SO).

Outlook

The insights gained from the exercise will be used to further strengthen cooperation with international partners and continuously improve procedures for measuring radioactivity in the air. This will help to ensure the safety of the population, even in cross-border scenarios.