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Europe is intensifying efforts to ensure healthcare professionals are ready to respond effectively when disaster strikes. Recent incidents, such as the car attack that injured over 70 people during a Premier League celebration in Liverpool and another vehicle crashing into pedestrians in Passau, Germany, have highlighted the urgent need for robust emergency response training.
In response, countries across Europe are expanding large-scale training simulations for health and emergency workers. These drills, which prepare teams for crises ranging from terrorist attacks and industrial accidents to pandemics and climate-driven disasters, are designed to build critical skills and test the effectiveness of response protocols under real-world pressure.
A notable example is a mass casualty simulation held at Campus Vesta in Belgium, where more than 400 participants, including postgraduate students, took part in a scenario involving two racing cars crashing into a tent full of partygoers. The event, organized by Dr. Marc Sabbe, an emergency physician and professor at University Hospitals Leuven, underscores the growing recognition that the risks facing healthcare systems are both increasing in number and severity.
Belgium is also overhauling its medical education system to embed disaster preparedness into training. Dr. Sabbe, who coordinates the disaster management postgraduate program at KU Leuven, is leading discussions to introduce disaster management into the curricula of Flemish medical schools, with implementation expected next year.
Healthcare professionals must be equipped to handle scenarios that could overwhelm hospital capacity, including cascading failures like IT system outages that can disrupt lifesaving equipment, communications, and access to patient data. However, large-scale drills come with significant challenges, including high costs and the strain on already stretched teams. For example, the current Magnitude earthquake response exercise spanning Germany, Switzerland, and France has a budget nearing €1 million.
Experts suggest that smaller, more frequent “functional exercises” can offer many of the same benefits as large-scale drills and help maintain essential skills. “The more complex the skill, the faster it’s going to degrade without any form of repetition,” said Dr. Sara Waring, a senior lecturer in investigative and forensic psychology at the University of Liverpool.
Yet, simulation alone is not enough. Past exercises, such as the UK’s 2016 Exercise Alice, identified critical gaps in personal protective equipment and contact tracing, but recommendations went unheeded before the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, fragmented debriefs and a lack of multiagency learning continue to undermine joint preparedness efforts.
“There’s now a real movement to prepare our healthcare workers for a different time,” said Dr. Sabbe, reflecting the growing consensus that disaster preparedness must become a core component of medical training and practice.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on information from Medscape as of June 25, 2025. The content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical or emergency management advice. Readers are encouraged to consult official guidelines and local authorities for current protocols and recommendations.
