Spain and Portugal have taken a significant step in their fight against natural disasters by joining forces through coordinated communication, training, and new technical equipment. This collaboration aims to address the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters due to climate change.

Key Takeaways

• Spain and Portugal are collaborating to combat natural disasters.
• The initiative includes coordinated communication, training, and new technical equipment.
• The project aims to benefit around 600,000 people in the affected regions.

Rising Threat of Natural Disasters

Climate change has led to more frequent and intense natural disasters across the European Union. In the past five years, wildfires in Spain and Portugal have devastated nearly one million hectares of land. The two countries are now joining forces to combat these catastrophes more effectively.

The ARIEM+ Project

In response to the increasing threat of natural disasters, the EU has set up the project ARIEM+. Managed from an Emergency Center in Galicia, this project involves the Spanish regions of Galicia and Castilla y León, as well as the North of Portugal. The emergency plan aims to prevent and respond to major disasters such as floods, heavy storms, and wildfires.

Objectives of ARIEM+

• Coordinating and planning: Ensuring effective communication and coordination between different regions and countries.
• Analyzing risks: Identifying potential risks and preparing for them in advance.
• Raising public awareness: Educating the public about the risks and how to respond.
• Conducting training and drills: Preparing both the population and operational services for emergencies.
• Identifying resources: Ensuring that the necessary resources are available to address the risks.

Importance of Drills and Training

Emergency units are currently working to revive the wildfire that took place in Monsagro in 2022. A fire drill is set to test joint coordination, where effective communication is crucial. Teams arriving from abroad need to rapidly integrate with the local units following the cooperation protocol. The ‘single operation command structure’ created under the project coordinates the risk situation, and the region where the disaster occurs leads the operation.

Francisco Bolaños, local chief fireman of the Wildfire Department at the Junta Castilla y León, emphasizes the importance of drills: “Drills are important because we practice our working procedures. We check which aspects can be improved. The units that join us in the drill, from outside of our team, get to learn about our working procedures and how we will integrate them in a real case.”

Funding and Future Prospects

The ARIEM+ project has a budget of 4 million euros. The EU Policy Cohesion Fund financed 75% of the budget, while the remaining funds were provided by the regions of Galicia, Castilla y León, and the North of Portugal. With the new project underway, coordinated communications, training, and new technology equipment will now allow Spain and Portugal to join forces when an emergency strikes.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Spain and Portugal marks a significant step in the fight against natural disasters. By combining resources, expertise, and technology, the two countries are better prepared to handle emergencies and protect their citizens from the devastating effects of climate change.