COVALEX Webinar: The role of volunteers in Civil Protection. Role and protocols in Greece: Communication and management.

This presentation was part of a webinar conducted by the COVALEX project. Ms Gkagkari and Ms Karamoustou started the webinar by introducing the Civil Protection Voluntary Teams in Greece that are part of the National Civil Protection Mechanism. They were formally established in 2002 and their mission is to provide assistatance to authorities in civil protection. By March 2020, there were 580 teams with a total of more than 12,000 members.

The Directorate of Volunteerism and Education at the General Secretariat of Civil Protection manages several registries: one each for the voluntary teams, the volunteers, and the equipment. After this general background information, the speakers described the different regional levels and connected protocols. The voluntary teams operate in all phases of disaster management. Preparedness activities include the participation in regional units or local coordinating bodies, in public awareness activities, and in the participation in training programs and activities, among others. In the response phase, the voluntary teams carry out search and rescue operations, first aid, relief actions, and logistics.