The European Commission has today launched a new European nuclear security training centre (EUSECTRA) in Karlsruhe. The training centre will instruct front-line officers, trainers and experts on how to detect and respond to illicit trafficking of nuclear or other radioactive materials. EUSECTRA offers hands-on training using a wide variety of radioactive and nuclear materials and a broad selection of equipment and measurement instruments.
Indoors, one of the training areas simulates airport conditions, equipped with a pedestrian portal monitor and an x-ray conveyor. Outdoors, training is provided on a variety of scenarios, providing 4 different types of radiation portal monitors. Overall, more than 30 measurement and detection tools are used in training. The centre enhances the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre’s (JRC) training activities carried out in this field at the Karlsruhe and Ispra sites.
European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said: “Nuclear security is a major global challenge in the 21st century. Training and international cooperation in detection are key elements in our response to the threat of illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear materials. This new training centre is contributing at the cutting edge of research and technology in this field.”
“This training centre will make emergency personnel much better equipped to prevent and tackle nuclear incidents. Rare as they are, such incidents may have terrible consequences. EUSECTRA will not only help to protect European citizens but will also serve as a point of reference for other organizations in this field”, said Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Home Affairs.
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http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-338_en.htm
Source: EU Commission