Civil Protection Volunteering System
The Civil Protection Volunteering System aims to support the civil protection mechanism in preventing, responding to, and recovering from disasters through the participation of volunteer organizations. It was established by Law 3013/2002 and upgraded by Law 4662/2020. Civil protection (CP) volunteer organizations contribute with human resources, materials, and equipment. Their mission is to assist government CP authorities in protecting the citizens’ lives, health, and property, as well as the environment and cultural heritage from impending or ongoing natural, technological, or man-made disasters and threats that cause emergency situations during peacetime.
The Volunteering System regulates issues such as:
• The mission and activities of CP volunteer organizations
• The requirements for organizations to join the System and for individuals to become CP Volunteers
• Training for CP Volunteers
• The utilization of volunteer organizations and their participation in civil protection activities
• Mobilization and operational involvement
• Evaluation and strengthening of CP volunteer organizations
Within the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection (GSCP) is responsible for maintaining, organizing, and supervising the "Unified Register of Civil Protection Volunteers (URCPV)". In this context, it includes volunteer organizations in the "Register of Civil Protection Volunteer Organizations (RCPVO)" and their members in the "Register of Civil Protection Volunteers (RCPV)".
The Register of Civil Protection Volunteer Organizations (RCPVO) includes non-profit voluntary organizations whose stated aims are to engage in CP activities and which have at least twelve (12) members who hold the status of CP Volunteer.
Members of Volunteer Organizations registered in the RCPVO are also enrolled in the Register of CP Volunteers (RCPV), provided they meet the necessary conditions stipulated in Article 59 of Law 4662/2020.
A Civil Protection Volunteer must be an adult, a Greek citizen or a foreign one living permanently in Greece - writing and speaking fluently in Greek, in good health condition, and must have successfully completed the required certified training provided by the Civil Protection Academy (CPA).
A CP Volunteer cannot simultaneously be a member of two (2) or more volunteer organizations registered in the RCPVO. However, they may transfer to another Volunteer Organization.
The Voluntary Organizations of CP support the state agencies in all phases of the disaster cycle, through the following actions:
a. Operational
b. Supporting
The operational actions concern:
a. Forest Prevention Action
b. Forest Firefighting Action
c. Urban Firefighting Action
d. First Aid Action-FAA
e. Search and Rescue-SaR and are distinguished into: a) urban environment rescues, b) mountain rescues, c) liquid element rescues and d) cave rescues
f. Aid and Support Action related to: a) Rescues from traffic accidents, b) cutting trees, c) pumping water, d) rescues from elevators, e) road washing, f) removal of objects, g) rescues of animals.
The supporting actions concern:
a. Telecommunications actions (ComSupport Action)
b. Psychological Support Action
c. Public Awareness Action
d. Relief and Support Action
e. Transportation Action
f. Shelter Monitoring Action.
Upon enrollment in the RCPV, each volunteer shall be issued, free of charge, an Individual CP Volunteer Card which must be presented to the authorities when participating in CP actions.