Government is rethinking civil protection
Protocols would dictate a coordinated response to extreme events instead of ad hoc actions
The government plans to reform the outdated emergency response protocols following the extensive damage resulting from the flooding in the Thessaly region and the outbreak of Storm Elias, which affected many regions Wednesday, but hit central Greece hardest of all.
In a cabinet meeting held Wednesday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis remarked that the frequency of events due to the climate crisis, such as unusual weather phenomena or wildfires, makes it imperative to embed civil protection and adaptation to the climate crisis in all government policies.
A reformed emergency management mechanism will include actions that have to take place automatically, as it were, without last minute, ad hoc consultations. Wednesday’s storm, classed as a Category 4, provided an example: In the morning, with the rain at its most intense, no one knew whether schools in Attica would stay closed. Regional officials were saying contradictory things, apparently waiting for the OK from the central government to shut schools down. Installing specific protocols would mean that, in the case of a similar event, schools would indeed close and no last-minute consultation would be needed. Specific central and local government agencies would also shut down in such an event.
A weak point in the authorities’ response has been lack of coordination, or even rivalry, between different ministries and agencies. The plan under consideration would, in the case of extreme weather events, implicate the Interior, Health, Transport and Infrastructure, and Defense ministries, as well as the Civil Protection and Climate Crisis Ministry, which would have to coordinate, and each would have a part in the response. Local and regional authorities would also be involved.
A coordinated response would also have done more to prevent the spread of disease in flooded Thessaly a few weeks ago.
Kathimerini understands that the Civil Protection Ministry is preparing a manual that would detail responses for each type of extreme event. This will be part of upcoming legislation.
The ministry also plans to train all civil servants and local and regional authority personnel in resiliency skills and readiness drills.
The Civil Protection Ministry plans to have a draft bill ready before winter starts.
