GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
RESPONSE TO DISASTERS, OR MAJOR ACCIDENTS AND
THE ROLE OF THE STATE
Dr. MARIA VARINOU
HEAD OF DIRECTORATE OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
GENERAL SECRETARIATE FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
1
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN 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 auspices:
all material and cultural goods as well as all national
resources and infrastructure, in order to minimize the
effect of disasters
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Civil protection 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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Civil protection planning and actions
A question emerges about the ideal civil protection planning for
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Civil protection planning and actions
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
institutional function of Civil Protection in 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 is the executive national
civil protection authority, today incorporated within the Ministry of Public
Order and Citizen Protection structure.
At local and regional level, civil protection cells are organized within the
country’s Decentralized Administrations, the District counties and the
Municipalities, each with their respective territorial jurisdiction.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
institutional function of Civil Protection in Greece
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Priorities introduced by the new legal framework
The new legal framework for civil protection maintains two priorities:
 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 for civil
protection authorities at both central and regional level, that draws
attention to flexibility and efficiency.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities
within this framework,
strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities
are correlated to a national growth strategy.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Strategic civil protection policy objectives and the respective priorities
In this new strategic arrangement
the citizen is prepared to act as a 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
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
operational and functional adjustments introduced by the new legal
framework
A. The 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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
operational and functional adjustments introduced by the new legal
framework
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
operational and functional adjustments introduced by the new legal
framework
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
operational and functional adjustments introduced by the new legal
framework
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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Current actions of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection
 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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Current actions of the 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.
GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC ORDER AND CITIZEN PROTECTION
Conclusions
 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.