Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi Recently Organised a Tabletop Exercise to Discuss the Red Tide Phenomenon and Fish Kill in Collaboration with Relevant Authorities in the Emirate

The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) recently organised a tabletop exercise to discuss the red tide phenomenon and fish kill in coordination with the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Center (ADCMC), and with the participation of 13 government agencies in Abu Dhabi.

The exercise was designed to test the readiness of concerned authorities’ rapid and effective response to threats and emergencies, by measuring the speed of reaction, control and their approach to addressing red tide and fish kill in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

EAD aimed to test the readiness of relevant work teams whose participation is necessary to implement planning, preparedness and response processes, and to measure the effectiveness of implementing emergency response plans by ensuring continuous training on standard concepts, and emergency and crisis management concepts. 

The training aims to solidify the skills of individuals in addition to creating a spirit of cooperation and teamwork, testing the efficiency of the mechanisms, equipment, communication devices used and the required financial resources. In addition, the exercise’s objectives include measuring the compatibility and availability of those resources during response operations, to raise the readiness of assets and resources needed to support emergency and crisis operations.

The Agency also sought to measure the speed and effectiveness of response procedures and investigation of incident data, evidence gathering, recovery processes, and the identification of areas sustaining the most damage. This was achieved by evaluating the possibility of future risks and determining their severity, with the aim of developing appropriate precautionary measures to deal with risks such as red tide and fish kill in Abu Dhabi.

The exercise also aimed to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement during emergency situations to ensure the achievement of a policy of continuous improvement in accordance with best practices and local and international standards related to aspects of the emergency and crisis system.