Safety Expert Group

Safety Expert Group

Expert Group Leader: Simon Trotter
EXCOM Oversight: Agnieszka Kruszewska​

Welcome to the Safety Expert Group webpage

​​Terms of Reference:

  • ​​Share and review safety, contingency planning and emergency policies and practices used in Antarctica.
  • Advance discussion and provide leadership on constant improvement in coordination and response in the event of a Search and Rescue (SAR) incident.
  • Work with all COMNAP Expert Groups on common safety issues.
  • Consider safety initiatives that would benefit National Programs.​

This Expert Group also includes a focus to prevent harassment in the Antarctic, well-being, & support for equity, diversity and inclusion in all Antarctic activities.

Tsunami Awareness in Antarctica

The 2011 COMNAP report Understanding Risk to National Antarctic Program Operations and Personnel in Coastal Antarctica from Tsunami Events (2011) ran models based on ten historic earthquake events within the Pacific Rim. It revealed that major earthquakes as far away as Alaska could produce significant waves in Antarctica. Other potential sources of tsunami in Antarctica are the Java Trench in the Indian Ocean and the South Sandwich Trench in the South Atlantic. Submarine volcanoes and volcanic islands in the Peninsula region could also be threats.

Download the COMNAP Tsunami Awareness in Antarctica (July 2014) here.

Understanding Risk to National Antarctic Program Operations and Personnel in Coastal Antarctica from Tsunami Events, WP13 submitted by COMNAP to ATCM XXXV can be found here.

COMNAP Preliminary Research Report: Understanding Risk to National Antarctic Program Operations and Personnel in Coastal Antarctica from Tsunami Events, Attachment 1 to WP13 submitted by COMNAP to ATCM XXXV can be found here.

UNESCO/IOC (2020), Preparing for Community Tsunami Evacuations, Manuals and Guides, 82.
English Version
UNESCO/COI (2020), Preparación para Evacuaciones de Comunidades en Caso de Tsunami, Manuales y guías, 82.
Spanish Version