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NORWEGIAN DIRECTORATE FOR CIVIL PROTECTION (DSB) DSB s responsibilities regarding civil protection cover national, regional and local preparedness and emergency planning, fire and electrical safety, safety in handling and transport of hazardous substances, as well as product and consumer safety. The Norwegian Civil Defence is part of DSB. DSB reports to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. [3]
DSB s VISION AND CORE CONCEPT «A safe and robust society where everyone takes responsibility» DSB aims at maintaining an overview of risk and vulnerability in society. The Directorate shall be a driving force in the work to prevent crises, accidents and other undesirable incidents, and ensure sound emergency preparedness and efficient accident and crisis management. This includes: systematically identifying and visualising risk, vulnerability and preparedness in society being a clear, leading force and partner in civil protection and preparedness work striving to base prevention on systematic health, environment and safety work strengthening national preparedness and ability to handle crises leading and further developing the Civil Defence as an important national reinforcement resource leading and further developing fire and rescue activities as a professional discipline supporting and promoting Norwegian interests and obligations as regards civil protection in international fora of cooperation [5]
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AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY NATIONAL CIVIL PROTECTION DSB supports the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in coordinating civil protection and emergency planning efforts in Norway. This includes preparing an annual national risk report, planning and performing drills and exercises, as well as other civil protection measures. DSB audits the ministries preparedness work on behalf of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. DSB systemises and analyses statistics, audit findings and other information to build knowledge in the area of civil protection in general and within the specific areas where DSB is the professional authority. LOCAL AND REGIONAL CIVIL PROTECTION DSB handles agency management of the county governors offices as regards civil protection priorities and tasks. DSB cooperates with other public sectors to assist the county governors in following up civil protection efforts in a comprehensive manner, comprising both prevention and preparedness. DSB aims at ensuring that the municipalities follow their duty to carry out a risk and vulnerability analysis and plan and prepare for emergencies in a short- and long term perspective. [7]
NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION AUTHORITY The fire and rescue services in Norway are organised under the municipalities. DSB is the national public fire protection authority, and defines the public requirements for fire prevention, preparedness and response, covering both the population at large, enterprises and municipalities. Measures applied include legislation development, supervisory activities, information and guidance. DSB organises and establishes the framework for national support resources in the area of fire protection, such as forest fire helicopters, incident command support in connection with large forest fires and rescue operations at sea. NATIONAL ELECTRICAL SAFETY AUTHORITY DSB is the national public authority for safety regarding electrical installations and equipment. The responsibility also covers electromedical equipment in hospitals, electrical installations on ships sailing under the Norwegian flag and mobile offshore installations. DSB s supervisory activities of electrical safety cover both proper instalment as well as operation of the installations. DSB defines the public requirements for local electrical inspectorates, whose tasks include inspection of private homes. DSB is also responsible for market surveillance of electrical products. [8]
SAFE HANDLING OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES DSB is the national public authority for handling of flammable, reactive, pressurised and explosive substances, as well as for the transport of hazardous substances by rail and road. DSB works in several arenas and with a broad range of preventive measures to ensure that the handling of hazardous substances takes place without accidents, and such that the substances do not go astray or fall into the wrong hands where they may be used for criminal purposes. DSB coordinates the authorities work under the Major Accident Regulations, to prevent and limit the consequences of major accidents in activities involving hazardous chemicals. CIVIL DEFENCE Civil Defence is the most important national support resource for the emergency agencies (police, fire/rescue and health services) and other authorities if required. The Civil Defence has about 200 missions annually, in incidents of forest fires, floods, oil spills and search operations. Also the Civil Defence provides assistance in the form of equipment and supplies. Civil Defence is part of the nation s nuclear emergency preparedness. In wartime, Civil Defence will handle civil protection measures, such as operating air raid shelters and public emergency warning systems (sirens). [9]
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INDIVIDUAL SAFETY DSB issues legislation concerning fire and explosion protection, electrical and product specifications which apply to the safety of individuals in their everyday lives. In addition, DSB is the competent authority for safety in a number of consumer services. DSB shall ensure that suppliers of products and consumer services comply with the safety requirements set out in the regulations. Furthermore, DSB works to emphasize and create awareness of the individual responsibility for fire and electrical safety at home, as well as strengthening individual understanding of the risk inherent in using various products. DSB also provides individuals with sound information about societal risks in general, and how to act during and after a crisis. In addition, DSB enhances public awareness for the need of individuals to establish a certain level of self-preparedness against unforeseen incidents, such as short-term power and water outages. [11]
OPERATIONAL SUPPORT Coordination During crises, DSB supports the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in its coordination role. DSB will collate, analyse and pass on information from county governors, involved agencies and international networks to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. Support services DSB will contribute resources and personnel to support whatever authority responsible for handling a crisis. Examples of such support functions are the national online crisis information portal kriseinfo.no, Civil Defence and forest fire helicopters. Expert advice DSB provides analysis and evaluation expertise, as well as expertise within the areas of safety drills and emergency planning, crisis support tools, information preparedness and crisis communication. DSB also contributes expert resources within areas such as hazardous substances and electrical safety, to support the authority responsible for handling a crisis. [12]
INTERNATIONAL WORK Through its work in international organisations such as the EU, the UN and NATO, DSB supports and promotes Norwegian interests in the development of regulations and standards concerning product and electrical safety, transport of hazardous goods and handling of hazardous substances. Furthermore, DSB represents Norway in the civil protection sector in international cooperation bodies, and provides international assistance during catastrophes. DSB contributes experts when the EU, the UN or NATO assists in civil crisis management and response, and is the national point of contact for these organisations when requesting Norwegian assistance. DSB cooperates with several European countries within the current EEA-Grants scheme. DSB is the national point of contact for the UN s work on a strategy for prevention of natural disasters, and participates in bilateral cooperation to prevent humanitarian disasters in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. DSB cooperates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to maintain constant preparedness for humanitarian efforts, primarily under the auspices of the UN. DSB s international support concepts for humanitarian efforts, Norwegian Support Team and Norwegian UNDAC Support, are organised by the Civil Defence in Norway, implemented with voluntary personnel and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. DSB also contributes actively to NATO s civil preparedness work. [13]
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STATUTORY BASIS DSB manages the following acts: The Act relating to the Prevention of Fire, Explosion and Accidents involving Hazardous Substances and the Fire Services Duties connected with Rescue Operations (Fire and Explosion Prevention Act) The Act relating to Supervision and Inspection of Electrical Installations (Electrical Supervision Act) The Act relating to the Control of Products and Consumer Services (The Product Control Act) The Act relating to the Municipal Preparedness Duty, Civil Protection Measures and the Norwegian Civil Defence (Civil Protection Act) A number of regulations have been laid down pursuant to these Acts. Other Legislation and authorizations for DSB: Royal Decree of 15 June 2012 relating to the ministries civil protection and preparedness work, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security s coordination role, audit function and central crisis management. Royal Decree of 24 June 2005 relating to DSB s general coordination responsibility and the responsibility for coordination of audits of activities, objects and enterprises with a major accident potential. Regulations relating to measures to prevent and limit the consequences of major accidents in enterprises where hazardous chemicals are involved (the Major Accident Regulations). Regulations relating to systematic health, environmental and safety activities in enterprises (Internal Control Regulations) [15]
NORWEGIAN DIRECTORATE FOR CIVIL PROTECTION - ORGANIZATION (per October 2012) Analysis and National Preparedness Civil Defence Fire and Rescue International Relations Operation, Planning and Coordination Competence, Training and Reporting Analysis Logistics and Protecion Preparednes, Rescue and Alarms Documentation Conscription and Training Fire Prevention Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management Civil Defence Districts Emergency Communication Network Project - Fire Regional and Local Risk Management Norwegian Fire Academy National Emergency Planning College Local Fire and Rescue Services [16]
Director General Senior Staff Electrical Safety Industry, Products and Hazardous Substances Administration Communications Human Recources (HR) Electrical Products Hazardous Installations and Enterprises Archives and Library Electrical Installations Regional Office East-Norway Hazardous Substances and Transport of Dangereous Goods Products and Consumer Services ICT Property, Procurement and General Services Regional Office South-Norway Regional Office West-Norway Norwegian Industrial Safety and Security Organization Economic Management Regional Office Central-Norway Regional Office North-Norway Local Electrical Inspectorates [17]
DSB S ORGANIZATION DSB has about 600 employees, of which 240 work at the main office in Tønsberg. The rest work at the regions for electrical supervision, in DSB s educational centres and Civil Defence. The five regional offices for electrical supervision are headquartered in Harstad, Trondheim, Bergen, Kristiansand and Oslo. DSB s educational centres are the Norwegian Fire Academy in Tjeldsund in Nordland County, the National Emergency Planning College in Asker in Akershus County and the Civil Defence s emergency and competence centre at Starum in Oppland County. The Civil Defence is organised in 20 districts, mainly following county borders. There are about 220 permanent employees and about 8000 conscripts, making up 135 operational units. [18]
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Design: Dinamo. Photo: Kai Myhre DSB Rambergveien 9 P.O. Box 2014 3103 Tønsberg Norway Phone: +47 33 41 25 00 Fax: +47 33 31 06 60 postmottak@dsb.no www.dsb.no /DSBNorge @dsb _ no dsb _ norge dsbnorge [20] HR 2229 ISBN 978-82-7768-279-2 October 2012