Largest Civil Protection drill in the Azores to begin Friday on Pico and involves 500 participants
The "Bull 2019" drill, the largest organised by the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA) on an annual basis, begins Friday, July 5, on Pico Island. It is expected to involve the participation of about 500 people with direct and indirect intervention, including operational teams, entities and extras.
For three days, the drill will test the efficiency, speed and response of different Civil Protection agents and entities with a special duty of collaboration as well as their coordination and performance in the event of serious accidents or catastrophes.
This year's edition will simulate an earthquake of volcanic origin.
The 72-hour drill will include occurrences that will be conducted as if they were actual situations with operational teams on the ground for 24/7. There will be three large-sized scenarios, one in each municipality (Madalena, São Roque Pico and Lajes do Pico), and, for the first time, an evacuation simulation of the population from a village.
Under "Bull 2019," there will be simulated calls for assistance made by citizens as well as various disaster scenarios such as destroyed houses, obstructed roads, isolated populations, evacuation of populations, missing persons and other situations that may occur in an earthquake situation.
Besides the seven fire brigades from the Central Group islands, the Regional Directorates of Health, Housing, Public Works and Communications, Environment, Forest Resources and Maritime Affairs will be involved in this drill as well as the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory, the Azores Social Security Institute, the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and the Centre for Information and Seismovolcanic Surveillance of the Azores.
Moreover, it will also involve the municipal councils of Madalena, São Roque do Pico and Lajes do Pico, through their Civil Protection services, the Operational Command of the Azores, through its different branches and services, PSP (Public Security Police), GNR (National Republican Guard), the Foreigners and Borders Services, radio amateur associations, the National Scouts Corps, the Regional Authority of the Sea Scouts Corps and the Port Authority of Horta.