Intervention Capacities

Unidad Militar de Emergencias

Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) takes part in RIWATEREX Exercise as a component of the Spanish National Civil Protection System. It provides both specialist emergency response teams for field activities and experts in support for Exercise management and coordination.

In this exercise a Cave Search and Rescue (CAVESAR) Module will be deployed, with 48 personnel belonging to the V Emergency Intervention Battalion (BIEM V). Their mission is to participate in technical search and rescue operations in caves under all possible conditions (except sub-aquatic activities).

This CAVESAR Module is expected to pass the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) certification process, thus becoming the third module of the seven that Spain has pledged to the Mechanism’s Voluntary Pool (VP). This module specializes in wall bolting systems, rappel techniques, advanced extraction procedures, and laying of zip lines.

Once certified, this Spanish CAVESAR Team will be ready to be deployed as a UCPM team to support emergency relief activities in countries that request it.

In addition, UME will deploy a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) team, with 6 staff from the Communications Battalion. Also, 6 people with two boats from BIEM I will support the Romanian team taking part in the exercise.

Last, 4 UME experts will participate in the Exercise Control activities: two of them in EXCON, one as part of the Exercise evaluation team, and one at the Joint Emergency Coordination Centre that will be set up at the Madrid Region Agency for Security and Emergencies, as would be the case in a real situation.

All in all, 64 staff from UME will take part in the Exercise execution phase, in whose planning phase there was also an active participation from this Unit.