general secretariat for civil protection ministry of public order and citizen protection

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GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTIONGENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTIONMINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTIONMINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION

Dr. MARIA VARINOU

HEAD OF DIRECTORATE OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIONGENERAL SECRETARIATE FOR CIVIL PROTECTION

RESPONSE TO DISASTERS, OR MAJOR ACCIDENTS AND RESPONSE TO DISASTERS, OR MAJOR ACCIDENTS AND

THE ROLE OF THE STATETHE ROLE OF THE STATE


Mission of Civil Protection Mission of Civil Protection → safeguarding human life, health and property

against natural, technological or any other

sort of disasters that generate emergency

situations, during peacetime.

Serving this mission civil protection puts under its auspicesServing this mission civil protection puts under its auspices:

all material and cultural goods as well as all

national resources and infrastructure, in order to

minimize the effect of disasters


CCivil protection ivil protection planning and actions planning and actions

Civil protection planning and actions cover all phases of disaster risk management

from risk assessment and prevention to preparedness, early response for disaster

control and then to emergency action and up to reparation measures.

In this framework, after one has applied all preventive measures possible,

preparedness and disaster management actions focus on handling the remnant risk

effects.

Preparedness and disaster management actions are designed so as to incorporate risk

reduction processes, while minimizing the effects and the consequences of

catastrophic phenomena or events.

Moreover, civil protection actions aiming at post disaster arrangements are planned

and put into force in such a way so as to further facilitate future risk reduction. These

actions therefore, become crucial in preparedness planning towards risk reduction and

emergency situation management.



A question emergesA question emerges about the about the ideal civil protection planning for ideal civil protection planning for

disaster and emergency response.disaster and emergency response.

The disaster and emergency response planning is determined each time

according to the evaluation of action taken in risk management from

prevention and risk reduction to recovery measures.


This means that → at executive level a civil protection strategic planning for

disaster risk reduction is required in order to provide the

framework within which:

specific planning sectors can be developed taking into

consideration the interactions between the different

phases of disaster risk cycle management.

Therefore, the overall reaction of the civil protection mechanism to natural and

manmade hazards and specifically to disaster control :

is the outcome of risk reduction strategic planning at national level.



Civil Protection Strategic Planning Civil Protection Strategic Planning

Civil Protection Strategic Planning requires political commitment.

It is based on risk analysis and assessment and takes into consideration:

the overall national policies framework including national security,

environmental protection, public health, educational policies

national resources availability,

the institutional setting and

civil protection policies at international level.


civil protection operational planning civil protection operational planning

Civil protection operational planning towards strategic priorities, is

formed taking into account the existing state organizational structure

and public administration functioning.

The operation of public agencies and services is based on the

establishment and arrangement of an institutional structure that allows:

•planning and enforcement of civil protection action,

•the supervision of planning procedures,

•the respective measures application and

•the activation of the set of operations needed for its implementation.


institutional function of Civil Protectioninstitutional function of Civil Protection in Greecein Greece

Civil Protection established by law 2344 in 1995 and enhanced in 2002 (by

Law 3013 on upgrading Civil Protection).

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection The General Secretariat for Civil Protection is the executive national

civil protection authority, today incorporated within the Ministry of Public

Order and Citizen Protection structure.

At locallocal and regionalregional level, civil protection cells are organized within the

country’s Decentralized Administrations, the District counties and the

Municipalities, each with their respective territorial jurisdiction.


Under the new legal framework (Law 4249/2014)

on the reorganization of the Hellenic Police, the Fire Service and

GSCP, that was put into force on March 2014,

a new functional and organizational structure for Civil Protection has

been outlined covering executive, operational and tactical level.

institutional function of Civil Protectioninstitutional function of Civil Protection in Greecein Greece


Priorities introduced by the new legal framework Priorities introduced by the new legal framework

The new legal framework for civil protection maintains two prioritiespriorities:

The disaster risk reduction, through the introduction of new strategic and

operational civil protection planning procedures.

The management of disaster and emergency situations, through the

establishment of a new organizational and functional model new organizational and functional model for civil

protection authorities at both central and regional level, that draws attention

to flexibility and efficiencyflexibility and efficiency.


Priorities of the new legal framework Priorities of the new legal framework

civil protection strategic and operational planning is directly correlated to

the national growth plan as well as to its financing.

priority is given to the implementation of applied research, of new

information and communication technologies and of innovation in all civil

protection activity fields, for disaster prevention, preparedness and

response as well as for the post-disaster management.


Strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities Strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities

within this framework,

strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities

are correlated to a national growth strategy. are correlated to a national growth strategy.



a. enhancement of civil protection planning effectiveness, at all stages of

disaster risk management. At this level priority is given:

• to the enhancement and qualification of civil protection planning and

decision making, through monitoring, lessons learned, best practices,

evaluation and assessment practices.

• to the advancement of planning through the incorporation of innovative

scientific tools and procedures (innovation, ICT).

• to the reorientation of scientific research towards production in

specialized civil protection activity fields.


b. enhancement of security level enjoyed by citizens with priority to:

• improving disaster response and preparedness measures and

• to developing early warning and alertness systems for the population,

that would include the dissemination of sound, comprehensive,

precise, practical and directly usable information.


c. The civil protection executives as well as the specialized volunteers’

training by the establishment of procedures for continuous education,

training, coaching and exercise for people serving at all levels of

command.

d. Continuous training and educational support on civil protection to all local

and regional decision makers (mayors, civil protection executives etc).

e. Emphasis is being given to scheduling training civil protection exercises.



In this new strategic arrangementnew strategic arrangement

the citizen is prepared to act as a single civil protection “Unit”single civil protection “Unit”,

within the residential and local environment.

priority is given to:

•enhancing civilian preparedness, training and awareness regarding disaster

risks

•information dissemination on disaster risk management,

•enhancement of the public responsiveness regarding the implementation of

civil protection planning




operational and functional adjustments introduced by the new legal operational and functional adjustments introduced by the new legal

frameworkframework

A. The Civil Protection Coordinating Authority Civil Protection Coordinating Authority is established at the General Secretariat for Civil Protection with function:

• tο produce know-how on civil protection issues,

• to support strategic planning towards disaster risk reduction,

incorporating this to the national growth action plan and securing

funds for its implementation,

• To enhance cooperation between central and decentralized services

of the district, municipal and local civil protection authorities, in order

to weave a thorough and cohesive national civil protection network.



frameworkframework

B. Incorporation of the Fire Service with Civil Protection as its operational

mechanism at national level. In this frame:• A Joint Coordination Operational Center is being established, as a

specialized Fire Corps Unit that integrates as sub-units the pre existing: • Fire Service Operational Center, • Civil Protection Operational Center and • Forest Fire Fighting Coordination Center.

• At the Fire Service district command level, all regional operational centers are enhanced and engaged in a new role that is equally preventive and responsive with emphasis given to the coordination of all public services involved to the implementation of civil protection planning.



frameworkframework

C. A National Early Warning System is established embracing infrastructure and

procedures for the assembling and assessment of information regarding

prediction or their actual occurrence of disastrous phenomena.

D. A new training and preparation system for civil protection officials and

volunteers is being established through the creation of a National Civil

Protection School within the Fire Service Academy.

E. The entire national volunteerism system is being refurbished dealing, for the

first time comprehensively with issues regarding the volunteers enrollment,

training, operational involvement, valuation, financial support, insurance

coverage and liability of Volunteer Groups and specialized volunteers.



frameworkframework

F. Special attention is being paid to development of new information and

communication technologies as well as of innovative applied research

products, and their applications for civil protection activities aiming at:

• the improvement of services provided to the population and

• the upgrade of functioning and cooperation between public services

in the civil protection field.


application of communication and public information media, including:

• a web portal,

• social media tools and applications.

a nationwide, massive early warning system for the population, that will

function under the auspices of the new Call Center for the Common

European Emergency Number “112”.

the Emergency number “112” service operates since 1999 and provides

citizen access to all emergency services, under all circumstances, making

available the caller’s position location tracking and offering access through

cellphone even without a sim card or a cable phone free of charge.

Current actions of Current actions of the General Secretariat for Civil Protectionthe General Secretariat for Civil Protection


In the field of disaster management planning and emergency response, the

General Secretariat for Civil Protection retains a central coordinative role

overseeing the implementation of the General Civil Protection Plan under

the code name “Xenokratis”, as augmented with the “Massive Human

Losses Managing Plan”, that was recently put in force in the Samos

shipwreck incident.

Current actions of Current actions of the General Secretariat for Civil Protectionthe General Secretariat for Civil Protection


The implementation of institutional arrangements introduced by the new

legal framework of Law 4249/2014 as well as the accomplishment of

strategic priorities presented hereby, are expected to help materialize a new

cohesive and flexible civil protection system that will furthermore have the

capacity for immediate reaction at any emergency, whether it derives from

natural or technological causes.

Our aspiration is that this new system will be able to make use of progress

taking place in the scientific and technological innovation field in order to

improve risk and disaster response processes.

Our main priority remains to further develop our correspondence to the all

challenging security demands for the protection of civilian population, while

at the same time supporting national growth and progress.

Conclusions Conclusions