Filenews 14 December 2025
The two-day Search and Rescue exercise "ARTEMIS 2025", which took place from 12 to 13 December, was successfully completed, with the aim of assessing the preparedness and coordination of the competent services in the event of a major earthquake.
The exercise was conducted in the city and province of Larnaca, as well as at the facilities of the Special Disaster Response Unit (EMAK) in Kofinou and in the area of Zygi. It involved first response services and government agencies, who were called upon to manage complex scenarios that simulated the consequences of a strong seismic vibration.
The Spokesperson of the Civil Defence Panagiotis Liasidis stated that "the exercise is co-financed by the European Union in the context of the Unit's participation in the Repository of Response Units of the European Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), which supports training and preparedness actions to strengthen the response to natural disasters".
The exercise, he continued, was implemented by the Cyprus Civil Defence in collaboration with the Cyprus Fire Service (EMAK) and the Ambulance Service.
This action "was part of the continuous preparation and training for effective response to large-scale emergencies," said Mr. Liasidis.
"ARTEMIS 2025" was designed with the aim of "testing the preparedness and coordination of Search and Rescue teams, training in the management of complex incidents that would follow a major earthquake, improving cooperation between all stakeholders, training teams in continuous long-term operations".
In relation to the scenario, Mr. Liasidis stated that "it predicted the occurrence of a strong earthquake of magnitude 7,1 on the southern coast of Larnaca, with extensive collapses, a significant number of trapped citizens, damage to buildings and the need for immediate mobilization of land and sea forces".
He noted that "with the activation of the Special National Plan 'ENGELADOS', the planned Business Control Centers were set up and the coordination of the services involved began".
As part of the exercise, a central operational support area was created – known internationally as the "Base of Operations". It is a temporary base where the Search and Rescue force is transferred, organized and coordinated, he said. He noted that the rest areas, equipment, communication systems and management teams are located there.
After the installation of the base, "the rescue teams were activated from the early hours of the second day, proceeding with practical operations to locate and free people from damaged buildings," the Spokesperson of the Civil Defense continued.
He said that this part included "searching for trapped people from the surface, access to indoor spaces with special equipment, opening rescue routes, providing first aid, safe transport of the 'injured' to a predetermined pick-up point".
All procedures "were carried out as would be applied in a real incident," he said.
During the exercise, "a single command and control system was implemented, with the aim of realistically simulating the state's response to a major crisis" according to Mr. Liasidis.
He referred to three levels, including the Local Emergency Management Center, which coordinates all operations at the provincial level, the Exercise Control Center that plans, monitors and controls the exercise in the background, without interfering with the operational picture, and the Services, i.e. the Civil Defense, Fire Service / EMAK and Ambulance Service.
Mr. Liasidis said that "the cooperation of these three levels ensured the smooth flow of information and the making of quick decisions, as would happen in a real incident".
During the exercise, "rescue operations from rubble, locating 'missing persons' through search teams, emergency assistance and transporting the injured, coordination with sea forces, continuous operation of the base of operations for 36 hours" were carried out.
The operations "evolved under realistic conditions, with constant changes in the scenario, to test the adaptability of the teams," he said.
He also stated that the exercise "was assessed as highly successful and demonstrated the high readiness of the teams, the effective cooperation of the stakeholders and the ability to manage long hours of operations under pressure".
"ARTEMIS" is considered a decisive exercise to strengthen Cyprus' preparedness for natural disasters, said the Spokesperson of the Civil Defence. The joining of forces of three different services – Civil Defense, EMAK and Ambulance Service – demonstrated "the need for continuous training and joint action in large-scale incidents", he added.
"Continuous cooperation and education remain key pillars to ensure the readiness and safety of citizens," concluded Mr. Liasidis.
(CNA
