A challenge for Europe: meeting the national specifics in disaster and emergency management systems, towards attaining efficiency, resiliency and integration

Abstract

This paper highlights the advantages a more integrated European emergency care and disaster management system would bring in this very divided field of work through the lens of emergency physicians and contributors with a specific focus on the example Romania has to offer in matters of legislation, financing, dispatch centres, education and training of professionals, pre- and in-hospital care and European cooperation mechanisms. At the same time, we share the belief that this desiderate of attaining a certain degree of homogeneity inside the European Union is more likely to be reached by following slightly different paths, according to national specifics of the countries. To sustain this theory, we will bring various examples in our study of such events that already happened and together concurred to prove the above mentioned ideas. We do believe that the dream of a Europe without borders transforms unfortunately into a nightmare when it comes to disasters, which definitely know no borders. Our response to their threat should be standing together in unity and acting in solidarity. Keywords: European Union, emergency care, disaster management, resiliency, cooperation Introduction The current paper aims to analyse a series of emergency and disaster medicine management systems and their congruency inside the European Union, while putting accent on the most worldwide renowned for their performances or simply for the principles that stay at their grounds and inspired other countries to found their own systems following the example they offered. At the same time, we will strike to bring up solid arguments in favour of our strong belief that, albeit the motto of the European Union In varietate concordia (English – United in Diversity) continues to inspire us and remains the symbol that should drive us further together, in terms of emergency and disaster medicine, the progress can only be achieved by building bridges of common knowledge, principles, laws and practice, while, of course, learning all the lessons which diversity has to offer. Therefore, unity should be the stronghold of this particular domain, with palpable results in the future in terms of successful interventions, lives saved and costs spared. * Luciana

Keywords

• European Union
• emergency care
• disaster management
• resiliency
• cooperation