The Cabildo Coordinates with Essential Service Providers for Volcanic Risk Drill in Garachico
From 22nd to 28th September, Garachico will be the focus with a week of cultural and leisure activities culminating in a volcanic risk drill on the 26th
The Cabildo of Tenerife has convened with companies and entities responsible for managing essential basic services to coordinate a response exercise for a volcanic risk situation. This drill is set to take place in Garachico on Friday, 26th September, as part of the EU-Modex Tenerife 2025 Week (22nd to 28th) and under the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
Blanca Pérez, the councillor for Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies, along with Iván Martín, the insular director of Security and Emergencies, held a meeting with officials and technicians from the Insular Water Council of Tenerife (CIATF), Roads and Mobility, Waste Management, Endesa, the Electricity Network, and telecommunications to plan the response actions to be taken in the event of a volcanic occurrence simulated in Garachico.
The organisation of the EU-Modex Tenerife 2025 Week in Garachico aims to enhance and evaluate the coordination between the administration and the key service provision companies through this extraordinary exercise.
Blanca Pérez emphasised the “fundamental” need for effective responses to cater to the population’s needs in an emergency, highlighting the supply of potable water, electricity, transportation, sanitation, waste management, and telecommunications, all of which can be disrupted during a crisis. She noted the importance of establishing a clear and defined strategy to address the various challenges that may arise, stating that the exercise on the 26th represents an excellent opportunity to assess our response capabilities.
Iván Martín reiterated that “on the 26th, an exercise named ‘Essential Basic Services’ will take place, where the responses of the service provision companies will be tested against specific scenarios linked to a volcanic event. Our primary goal is to ensure the safety of individuals and to make Tenerife a more secure island.”
Intensive Week
Throughout the week, specialised workshops will be held focusing on Evacuation, Shelters, Social Assistance, and Communication and Information for the Public. These are crucial elements in determining the basic assistance protocols required during an eruptive episode, regardless of its phase. A Scientific Committee composed of experts will also independently assess their response capabilities to volcanic risks.
For seven days, Garachico will undoubtedly become the focal point of Tenerife, with residents and visitors able to engage in educational activities, prevention workshops, and informative sessions, as well as meet with members of the Scientific Committee.
Drill Day
Friday, 26th September will mark the climax of the EU-Modex Tenerife Week focused on volcanic risk, featuring a simulated volcanic eruption aimed at testing the response in protecting and assisting citizens. This exercise will be as realistic as possible, involving over 1,000 participants.
Experts and emergency specialists, along with members of the State Security Forces and regional services, will address various scenarios, exercises, and incidents across five different scenarios to evaluate their responses and identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the system.
The exercises will include ‘Coordination and Management at the Advanced Command Post (PMA)’, ‘Protection Exercise for the Convent of San Francisco’, ‘Ammonia Leak in Refrigeration Chamber’, ‘Missing Person Search in Ravine’, ‘Evacuation of Individuals with Reduced Mobility’, ‘Search and Recognition’, ‘Volcanic Gases’, ‘Essential Basic Services’, ‘Evacuation of the Senior Centre’, ‘Animal Evacuation’, ‘Volunteer Support Point’, ‘Evacuation of Non-residents’, and ‘Drone Coordination’.
Results and improvement proposals for volcanic risk management will be presented with contributions from experts, officials, and emergency personnel.
The action will commence early in the morning, and at 9:00 AM, in coordination with the Government of the Canary Islands, an official alert message regarding the drill (ES.Alert) will be sent to all mobile phones on the island.
From that point, events will unfold leading to a simulated volcanic eruption and a continued fieldwork exercise involving volunteers and residents participating in various tasks and incidents in the Garachico area, concluding at 2:00 PM.
