Charter activation brings space dimension to European emergency exercise   Emergency workers wearing protective suits, as will be used during the simulated chemical fire of the EURATECH 2005 exercise, involving civil protection authorities from France and neighbouring European countries.   Standing for European Technological Accident, the scenario behind the EURATECH 2005 exercise is a train collision that leads to a chemical blaze. Firemen and other civil protection workers must protect themselves from poisonous and corrosive fumes.   During the EURATECH 2005 exercise, civilian victims on a passenger train and in nearby homes must be cared for. Satellite imagery of the exercise area is being provided through the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, just as in a real disaster. These high-resolution images will serve as a management tool and a way of estimating the affected area.   During EURATECH 2005, the simulated accident will be so severe that mutual cooperation agreeements will be activated and additional rescue teams will be mobilised from Belgium, Germany and Italy, coordinated from the European Commission's Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) in Brussels.   ESA Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain   Proba's CHRIS image of the French town of Arles, acquired on 7 December 2003 during flooding that swamped the northern part of the settlement under one metre of water. The image was acquired following activation of the Charter on Space and Major Disasters. The Charter on Space and Major Disasters     This post-disaster satellite map of the southern part of Sri Lanka was produced by rapid mapping organisation SERTIT on 4 January 2005 based on Envisat ASAR data made available following the activation of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, as requested by the French Civil Protection Agency. Release date: 1 August 2005