The last exercise of the project took place in these days, which brought together the representatives of the different partners in a simulation activity for the management of forest fires
The huge and numerous forest fires that occurred this summer in the Mediterranean area show how much prepared services, sharing of knowledge and tools and international cooperation are needed to overcome them. This is precisely the purpose of the PPRD-South III programme (Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-Made Disasters for the Southern Region), which supports cooperation among the national civil protection services of the Mediterranean. The aim is to be better prepared to better respond to natural or man-made disasters that may occur in the region.
Coming to an end after 3 years of activities, the PPRD South III project organized a large-scale final exercise, bringing together remotely all its partner countries around a simulation exercise, which placed the participants in a situation where they will have to control a forest fire implementing their own Civil Protection plans and, where necessary, resorting to international assistance mechanisms (HNS – Host Nation Support / UCPM – Union Civil Protection Mechanism).
The exercise lasted two days, during which the actions to be taken in case of fires in Southern Europe were discussed. In the morning of the first day the risk scenario was illustrated, characterized by fires in Lebanon and Algeria and strong winds. The participants, after analyzing the situation, applied themselves in the preparation of a national plan for emergency management. In the afternoon the simulation brought a worsening with the spread of fires also in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Firefighters are not available and the most affected countries (Lebanon, Algeria and Jordan) are asking other countries for assistance. Participants in this phase had to coordinate with the EU and neighboring countries and communicate the emergency to the population and media.
The following day, the simulation included the fires in full swing and the exercise focused on the use of means and the coordinated distribution of aid from abroad, in coordination with other countries. In the afternoon, on the other hand, the epilogue of the emergency was dealt with, and then there was an analysis and feedback on the management of the crisis, strengths and ways of improvement (AAA, After Action Analysis).
Funded by the European Commission, the PPRD South III project brought together eight countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia and was implemented by the French, Italian and Spanish civil protection directorates.
Capacity building activities, legal and institutional advice and support to civil protection managers have been carried out during these three years, around three components: prevention, response, and communication with the populations and three objectives:
- At the national level: to develop prevention, risk reduction and emergency preparedness actions in the countries concerned, in partnership with all government and civil society actors.
- At the Mediterranean basin level: improve inter-state and regional collaboration and cooperation in order to be able to offer a coordinated response in case of need.
- Consolidate institutional cooperation between the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the civil protection agencies of the Mediterranean partner countries.