About the project:
The project Improvement the response capacity of Mobile Emergency Service for Resuscitation and Extrication (SMURD) through a joint integration of systems for efficient monitoring and disaster consequences mitigation, in regard to population in the common boundaries of Romania, Ukraine and Republic of Moldova aimed to fundamentally improve the quality of public emergency services and disaster consequence mitigation in the cross-border area between Romania (Iași, Vaslui, Galați, Tulcea, Brăila counties) and the Republic of Moldova. The core goal was to increase the intervention capacity of emergency management structures—led by the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) and its partners (IGAv and SPCSE)—thereby raising the overall level of safety and health for inhabitants.
Project code: MIS ETC 989
Financing programme: Joint Operational Programme Romania – Ukraine – Republic of Moldova 2007-2013
Implementation period: 7 March 2013 – 31 December 2015
Budget: €6,550,000
KEY OBJECTIVES
- To improve the quality of emergency services in the Romanian border area (counties Iași, Vaslui, Galați, Tulcea, Brăila) with the Republic of Moldova by increasing the intervention capacity of the structures responsible for emergency management and raising the level of safety and health of the population.
- To strengthen the relations of cooperation and operational collaboration between the emergency management structures in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, with the goal of improving population security and protecting life, goods, and property.
- To develop long-term solutions for specific challenges in the field of emergency management at the Romanian-Moldovan border by creating an adequate, specific infrastructure aimed at limiting the consequences of emergency situations.
THE PARTNERSHIP
General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU)– RO;
Civil Protection and Exceptional Situations Service (SPCSE)– MD;
General Aviation Inspectorate (IGAv) – RO.
KEY RESULTS
- 1 Decontamination Vehicle (delivered to Iași Emergency Situations Inspectorate).
- 1 Search-and-Rescue/First-Aid Helicopter (delivered to IGAv).
- 2 Urban First Aid, Medical Assistance, and Extrication Vehicles (delivered to SPCSE).
- 3 Rural First Aid, Medical Assistance, and Extrication Vehicles (delivered to SPCSE).
- 1 Mobile Laboratory for radioactive and chemical research (delivered to SPCSE).
- 1 Multiple Victim Evacuation Vehicle (delivered to SPCSE).
- 36 Units of mobile and portable radio communication equipment (used by Romania and Republic of Moldova structures).
Here is a quick look at the SMURD system in action and the cross-border coordination model it established:
Scaling the succes: SMURD 2
The success of the initial cross-border initiative, SMURD 1, clearly proved that high-quality, coordinated medical assistance knows no frontiers. As a direct result, SMURD 2 was launched as a strategic continuation under the Romania-Republic of Moldova (RO-MD) CBC Programme (2014–2020). With a total budget of €10 million (€6.4 million in non-reimbursable funds), the project’s centerpiece is a major infrastructure component: the construction of a specialized training polygon for intervention personnel. This facility is the first of its kind in Romania and ensures that emergency personnel from both countries can undergo advanced, harmonized training for complex, high-risk scenarios. As confirmed by the DSU, this includes training in chemical evaluation, canine searching, alpine rescue, and interventions in hostile environments like collapsed buildings and tunnels, directly improving efficiency and teamwork.
The SMURD 2 video provides a clear overview of these advancements, including the installation of four new helicopter landing platforms and the dramatic shortening of response times for critical casualties: