Cablegate: "Be Prepared" -- Warsaw and Krakow Consular Sections Commit

VZCZCXRO0180
RR RUEHKW
DE RUEHWR #1130 3091635
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051635Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9146
INFO RUEHKW/AMCONSUL KRAKOW 2328

UNCLAS WARSAW 001130

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR CA/OCS
DEPT FOR FSI/CMT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC CMGT ASEC PL
SUBJECT: "BE PREPARED" -- WARSAW AND KRAKOW CONSULAR SECTIONS COMMIT
TO YEAR-LONG CRISIS MANAGEMENT TRAINING

REF: (A) STATE 104542 (B) FSINFATC 02184

1. (SBU) Summary. The Consular Sections at U.S. Embassy Warsaw and
U.S. Consulate General in Krakow launched their year-long commitment
to crisis management training by holding a full-day crisis
management exercise using air crash and H1N1 pandemic scenarios.
American Citizen Service (ACS) Units in Warsaw and Krakow are now
focusing on action items identified during the exercise, such as
meeting Polish contacts in the key ministries responsible for crisis
handling, revising the warden system, and updating the Emergency
Action Plan and local duty books to reflect current Department
guidance on pandemics. This was the first of several exercises
planned for FY 2010. Future exercises are aimed at a wider
audience, involving other sections and posts in the mission, and
later possibly host government officials or other posts in the
region End summary.

2. (SBU) On October 5, 2009, the Consular Sections in Warsaw and
Krakow launched their year-long commitment to crisis management
training by holding a full-day interactive crisis management
exercise focused on an air crash scenario and the H1N1 pandemic.
The 60+ participants included the entire Embassy Warsaw Consular
Section, two Conoffs and two LES from Krakow, and the Consular Agent
from Poznan. Charge Mike Tulley opened the session by explaining the
role of the Emergency Action Committee (EAC) and the Emergency
Action Plan (EAP), and citing examples of crises successfully solved
due to efficient EAC action and EAP guidance. The Consul General
(CG) then focused on consular roles and responsibilities in a
crisis, including a review of pertinent sections of the Crisis
Management Handbook and the Mission EAP.

3. (SBU) During the 90-minute H1N1 pandemic session (a combination
of a slide presentation and a town hall discussion), the
participants learned about the latest host country developments and
the Department's guidance, and gained an in-depth look at tripwires
and other planning factors for a pandemic. The afternoon training
included an air-crash case study, followed by a 'hands-on' exercise
with CA/OCS' participation. As the scenario developed, the
participants, divided into five groups, answered calls from the
Department and the 'concerned public', devised plans of action, kept
logs, and entered data into the Crisis Task Force application. The
groups also practiced information sharing and shift-work, gaining
valuable insights into the numerous challenges of handling a crisis.
The session ended with an internal review, followed by a DVC
debrief with Washington.

4. (SBU) The Warsaw and Krakow ACS Units are now focusing on action
items identified during the exercise, such as updating American
Citizen contact lists, identifying and meeting Polish contacts in
the key government ministries and offices responsible for crisis
handling, and updating the consular part of the EAP and local Duty
Books to reflect the current Department guidance on pandemics.
Taking advantage of his trip to Poznan on October 6-7, the CG met
with Dariusz Dymek, Director of the Security and Crisis Management
Department for the Wielkopolska region, which, according to Dymek,
is a model of centralized crisis management now being implemented in
other Polish regions. Dymek told the CG that his Department is a
24-hour operation center that controls police, fire brigades,
hospitals and other emergency services except for the airport
authorities. During his visit to Poznan, the CG also met with
Poznan Airport President Mariusz Wiatrowski, the head of the
Military Police Col. Robert Stanislawski, Immigration Office
Director Andrzej Kunicki, and Wielkopolska Regional Police Commander
General Wojciech Olbrys. Conoffs are planning similar meetings in
Warsaw and Krakow.

5. (SBU) ACS Warsaw has also revised its warden system to rely more
on mobile phones and text messaging, the most popular means of
communication in Poland. In response to ref A and in close
cooperation with the Mission's Health Unit, Management and Economic
Sections, and Community Liaison Office, on October 23 ACS Warsaw and
Krakow updated their H1N1 notices posted on the Embassy and
Consulate websites and sent a H1N1 warden message, thus testing the
revised warden system. Together with the Economic Section, ACS
Warsaw has also reached out to the Ministry of Health and the Chief
Sanitary Inspectorate. The readout of a November 5 meeting with
health officials will be covered by septel.

6. (SBU) Comment: The October 5 exercise was the first of several
exercises planned for FY 2010. The next one - crisis preparedness
for consular LES and wardens -- is scheduled for December 15 during
FSI/CMT's visit to Warsaw (ref B). Future exercises are aimed at a
wider audience, involving the EAC, other sections and posts in the
mission, and later possibly host government officials or other posts
in the region. End comment.

TULLEY

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