IInn 22000022 tthhee CCiivviill DDeeffeennccee ooff

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ggoolldd mmeeddaall,, bbyy tthhee IInntteerrnnaa--

ttiioonnaall CCiivviill DDeeffeennccee OOrrggaa--

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PageThe mission of Civil Defence................................................... 3Response Measures.............................................................. 3Preventative Measures......................................................... 4Civil Defence Personnel........................................................ 4General Administration and Regional Management......................... 5Obligation to Serve in the Civil Defence.................................... 5Civil Defence Departments

Rescue Teams................................................................. 6Civil Defence Departments (cont.).......................................... 8The History of Civil Defence.................................................. 9Operations Control Centre.................................................... 10Population Warning System..................................................... 11Communication Network......................................................... 11Self-protection Measures in an Emergency................................. 12Mobile Catering Unit............................................................ 13Civil Defence Shelters......................................................... 13Assistance to Third Countries................................................ 14European Union Assistance Mechanism

for Civil Protection........................................................ 14Restoration of Damage Service.............................................. 15Useful Civil Defence Telephone Numbers..................................... 16

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Civil Defence is a departmentof the Ministry of Interior.Its main mission is to carryout various humanitarianactions intended to deal withthe consequences of disas-ters, resulting either fromnatural actions (earthquake,flooding, hurricanes etc) orfrom human actions (industri-al accidents, armed conflictsetc).

The term “dealing with theconsequences” means a seriesof response measures aimedat enabling essential servicesto continue to operate, tohouse and cater for theafflicted, to carry out rescues,to keep up the population’smorale etc. Civil Defenceco-operates with otheremergency services on thebasis of specific plans.

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Civil Defence takes certain preventative measures, in co-operationwith other involved services, in order to respond in the event of adisaster. Such preventative measures are the following:

l Preparing Action Plans, such as the “Enceladus” Earthquake Plan

l Carrying out various exercises, with different possible scenarios

l Training, equipping and exercising Department personnel

l Providing information to the population at regular intervals

l Constructing and designing shelters

In order to train, prepare andrespond to disasters, theCivil Defence Force consistsof:

l a permanent well-organ-ised staff of 30 personsisland-wide and an inter-changeable staff of 45persons island wide

l around 500 volunteersassisting under specificconditions island-wide

l around 7.000 male andfemale citizens servingCivil Defence island-wide

PPrreevveennttaattiivvee MMeeaassuurreess

CCiivviill DDeeffeennccee PPeerrssoonnnneell

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Members of Civil Defenceserve either in the GeneralDirectorate of CivilDefence (G.D.C.D.) or inone of the five RegionalManagements (R.M.C.D.):Lefkosia, Lemesos, Larna-ka, Pafos and Ammocho-stos.

Every Regional Managementhas a Civil Defence Stationand Substation, in thetowns and within the communities. This is where the volunteers and thecitizens serving the Civil Defence attend for training and exercises.Attendance is on fixed days and times of the week. In communitieswhere there are no Civil Defence units, organisation is carried out inco-operation with Local Councils.

Citizens who are over 18 years old, and males who have been releasedfrom their National Guard duties, usually serve in the Civil Defence.Enrolment takes place once a year, following a decision of the Councilof Ministers. The Notification issued by the Minister of Interior, call-ing male and female citizens to serve, obliges the said citizens toattend a specified unit, either in the town or in the countryside toenroll. Service is for a period of two years, unless there is a call forNational Guard duty. During their service, members attend training andexercise on fixed days and time.

GGeenneerraall AAddmmiinniissttrraattiioonn aanndd RReeggiioonnaallMMaannaaggeemmeennttss

OObblliiggaattiioonn ttoo SSeerrvvee iinn tthhee CCiivviill DDeeffeennccee

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The Rescue Teams consist of around150 volunteers of various specialtieswho are trained according tointernational specifications.

Civil Defence is not a direct responseforce (as is the Police or FireService); it is prepared to act andprovide assistance to other Servicesin the event of a major disaster.Despite this, the Civil DefenceRescue Department is organised torespond immediately, if the remai-ning authorised State Servicesrequire assistance to respond toemergencies.

The Rescue Teams undergo training and exercise in Training Grounds butthey also participate in fire fighting situations and water pumpingduring floods.

CCiivviill DDeeffeennccee DDeeppaarrttmmeennttss

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Civil Defence RegionalManagements operateanother four Depart-ments:

which provides FirstAid in the event of adisaster, until medicalassistance is available.

which provides shel-ters, catering andclothing for the home-less, psychologicalsupport to the victimsand generally providerelief to the popula-tion in the event of adisaster.

to monitor housing estates that arelikely to be affected by a possible

disaster and to contribute to traffic control. On a preventativebasis, the Department carries out periodic inspections of the shelters,distributes information material and becomes acquainted with the area.

which maintains con-tinuous communication

with the Civil Defence units and other Civil Defence EssentialServices.

CCiivviill DDeeffeennccee DDeeppaarrttmmeennttss (cont.)

TThhee FFiirrsstt AAiiddDDeeppaarrttmmeenntt

TThhee WWeellffaarreeDDeeppaarrttmmeenntt

TThhee HHoouussiinngg EEssttaattee DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt

TThhee SSeeccrreettaarriiaall--CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonnss DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt

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Civil Defence was reorganised at the beginning of 2000 and newscientific and other personnel were recruited. It created theOperations Control Centre, acquired equipment and established theSearch and Rescue Teams.

Today, Civil Defence operates in accordance withthe amended and consolidated Law of 1996 andthe relevant Regulations of 1997, aimed atstrengthening and reorganising the entireRepublic’s Civil Defence system.

Its history dates to the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, whenorganised Civil Defence was non-existent. Following the 1964 airattacks by Turkey, the need arose for the protection of thepopulation and its property. Therefore, between 1964 and 1966 therelevant Laws and Regulations were passed, which became the basis forthe establishment of the Civil Defence Force.

On the basis of International Humanitarian Law, of the GenevaConventions of 1949, Civil Defence enjoys International Protection inthe event of international armed conflicts. The Civil Defenceinternational distinctive emblem appears on all personnel uniforms,cars and equipment of all essential services of the Republic, carryingout duties at the time of disaster.

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The Civil Defence Admi-nistrative Operations ControlCentre operates with a per-manent staff on a 24-hourbasis, undertaking a numberof roles.

One of these is the link withthe European Union Moni-toring and InformationCentre that uses the CECISsystem (Common EmergencyCommunication and Informa-tion System) and includesall member-states and theirassociates. The OperationsControl Centre is theNational Contact Point forECURIE to monitor ionizingradiation in Europe andtransmits the informationto the Ministry of Labour which is directly responsible for applyingthe legislation.

The Centre is also the National Contact Point of EMSA (EuropeanManagement Safety Agency) in monitoring water pollution in Europe.The information is transmitted to the Fisheries Department which isresponsible for the pollution.

Furthermore, the Centre is also responsible for monitoring the earlywarning system, operating wireless networks, handling informationsystems and the operation of the Centre as an Administration Centrein the event of mobilisation.

In addition to the above, Civil Defence has at its disposal multi-functional mobile Operations Control Centres.

OOppeerraattiioonnss CCoonnttrrooll CCeennttrree

Civil Defence has set up an electronicsiren network in towns and communitiesto warn the population in the event of athreat of a natural disaster or hostileair activities.

The siren network has the followingabilities:

l To sound the alarm

l To send a mobilisation signal

l To send sound messages

When the sirens sound citizens areobliged to follow both Civil Defenceinstructions and those of other Essential Services

AAddddiittiioonnaall,, aannaallyyttiiccaall iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn mmaayy bbee ffoouunndd oonn tthhee ssppeecciiaall CCiivviillDDeeffeennccee ffoorrmmss,, eennttiittlleedd ““BBllaacckk--oouutt”” aanndd ““AAllaarrmm””..

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WWiitthh tthhee aassssiissttaannccee ooff CCiivviill

DDeeffeennccee,, aa rreelliiaabbllee wwiirreelleessss ccoomm--

mmuunniiccaattiioonn ssyysstteemm hhaass bbeeeenn

iinnssttaalllleedd wwiitthhiinn iittss uunniittss aanndd

ootthheerr SSttaattee SSeerrvviicceess,, MMuunnii--

cciippaalliittiieess aanndd CCoommmmuunniittiieess.. TThhiiss

mmooddeerrnn ssyysstteemm mmaayy ooppeerraattee wwiitthh

ttrraannssmmiitttteerr mmaassttss iiff tthhee tteellee--

pphhoonnee nneettwwoorrkk bbrreeaakkss ddoowwnn iinn

tthhee eevveenntt ooff aa mmaajjoorr ddiissaasstteerr..

CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn NNeettwwoorrkk

PPooppuullaattiioonn WWaarrnniinngg SSyysstteemm

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SSeellff--pprrootteeccttiioonn MMeeaassuurreess

iinn aann EEmmeerrggeennccyy

During earthquake, floods or other emergency situations people mayhave to hastily abandon their homes. In such an event it is a goodidea to keep, somewhere handy, basic goods that might be needed,such as a First Aid Box, cash, radio, torch, dry food, underwear,towels, medicine taken by members of the family, etc.

ll Start discussing now, both at work and at home, ways of escapefrom the building, if necessary

ll Place furniture and other heavy items against the walls

ll Find out where all the various switches are

ll Place fire extinguishers in accessible areas

ll Ensure that some members of the family have first aid knowledge

AAddddiittiioonnaall aanndd//oorr mmoorree ssppeecciiffiicc iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn oonn tthhee ssuubbjjeecctt mmaayy bbeeoobbttaaiinneedd ffrroomm ssppeecciiaall CCiivviill DDeeffeennccee ffoorrmmss,, ttiittlleedd ““SSeellff--pprrootteeccttiioonniinn tthhee eevveenntt ooff hhoossttiilliittiieess”” aanndd ““BBaassiicc mmeeaassuurreess iinn sseellff--pprrootteeccttiioonnffrroomm cchheemmiiccaall,, bbiioollooggiiccaall,, rraaddiiooaaccttiivvee oorr nnuucclleeaarr aattttaacckk aanndd//oorraacccciiddeennttss””..

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In case of emergency, formass catering purposes,there is a special CivilDefence Catering Plan in co-operation with other Servi-ces when applicable.

To implement the Plan, CivilDefence has a mobile cateringunit, the operation of whichis undertaken by specially-trained personnel. The unit,which has been recently acquired, takes part in exercises to ensurereadiness in the event of an emergency.

Civil Defence is responsiblefor the construction anddesign of shelters, mainly inthe urban areas. For thispurpose, civil engineersdesign additions and alter-ations to suitable base-ments, with the owners’consent, to render themsafe for short periods ofstay and protection of thecivil population. A number

of shelters have been constructed to date; the programme howevercontinues, in order to cover a larger part of the population.

MMoobbiillee CCaatteerriinngg UUnniitt

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During the earthquake inAthens, the catastrophictsunami in Southeast Asia andother disasters, the CyprusCivil Defence coordinated theshipment of medicine andother goods to the inflictedareas following a Council ofMinisters decision to providerelief.

This Mechanism, in which Cyprus takespart, provides for co-operation andassistance between the member states inthe event of natural disasters, hostileactivities, industrial accidents etc. Insuch an event, the affected country mayrequest help from a Communal Network ofSpecialists in matters of civilprotection.

Within the framework of this Mechanism, the requisite procedures areset out, and training and preparatory exercises are carried out whichprovide important benefits to Cyprus.

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EEuurrooppeeaann UUnniioonn AAssssiissttaannccee MMeecchhaanniissmmffoorr CCiivviill PPrrootteeccttiioonn

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AAssssiissttaannccee ttoo TThhiirrdd CCoouunnttrriieess

This Service, headed by the Director of Civil Defence, was introducedafter the earthquake in Pafos in 1995, to house the afflicted and torepair damage. The 1996, 1998 and 1999 earthquakes followed inLemesos and Pafos. The Service’s activities continued during theLemesos tornado in 2003 and the flooding in Lefkosia in 2004. Duringthese disasters, the Service provided grants to restore the damages.In addition to the above, it had an advisory role in the earthquakecontrol programmes and in upgrading refugee housing estates, schoolsand other public buildings.

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Operations Control Centre 22403450(24 hour operation)

Civil Defence General Administration 22403413

Lefkosia Regional Administration 22879464

Lemesos Regional Administration 25811024

Larnaka Regional Administration 24828340

Pafos Regional Administration 26818470

Ammochostos Regional Administration 23815151

UUsseeffuull CCiivviill DDeeffeennccee TTeelleepphhoonnee NNuummbbeerrss

P.I.O. 105/2009—5.000 Published by the Press and Information Office

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