The preparedness for nuclear emergency requires many arrangements in emergency intervention zones established in the surroundings of nuclear facilities according to regulatory criteria. Regional and local authorities play an important role in the implementation of such arrangements, since they have a detailed knowledge of the geographical, economic and social conditions of these zones. The responsibilities and functions of regional and local authorities are usually targeted to address logistic and operational issues of the nuclear emergency plans. In discharging these responsibilities, regional and local authorities usually assume the following logistic and operational functions:

• Establishing local action plans and procedures to ensure that emergency countermeasures can be implemented in such a way that every poten­tially affected person will be adequately protected in case of emergency

• Providing adequate facilities to implement emergency countermeasures, including adequate centres to concentrate, monitor, decontaminate and take social care of victims, including relocation if needed

• Providing medical facilities and resources adequately equipped for first aid involving medical care of victims potentially irradiated or contaminated

• Providing adequate facilities to store emergency equipment in suitable conditions to be used in case of emergency

• Establishing and implementing training programmes for intervention personnel, and promoting their participation at all levels of responsibility

• Preparing, conducting and evaluating periodic drills and exercises orga­nized to train responders and verify plan effectiveness

• Develop and put in practice adequate public information programmes aimed at teaching people how to protect themselves in case of emer­gency, and efficiently transmit information needed to manage the emer­gency in the most efficient way.