March 1 has been established by the International Civil Defence Organisation as World Civil Defence Day. The Civil Defence Force of the Republic of Cyprus is a Department of the Ministry of Interior and its operation is currently governed by the Civil Defence Laws of 1996 and 1998 and the Civil Defence (General) Regulations 1997 to 2017.
The mission of the Civil Defence Force of the Republic of Cyprus is to take measures to respond to natural or man-made disasters, the magnitude of which causes or may cause risks to the life or well-being of a large number of persons or extensive consequences to the environment and natural resources of the Republic. In this context, the Civil Defence Force develops and implements plans, conducts trainings, exercises and implements new methods and practices in the field of civil protection, in accordance with international and European standards. At the same time, the Civil Defence Force takes part in mobilizations such as extinguishing fires, pumping water from flooded premises, evacuating residential areas, finding missing persons, searching and rescuing trapped persons under rubble, setting up camps, providing first aid, sheltering persons in need of protection, etc. For the implementation of its role and mission, the Civil Defence Force is in close cooperation with all government departments, organizations and agencies involved.
World Civil Defence Day is a reminder to all of us that civil protection is a complex process that involves all levels of government, all societies, all citizens. Raising the awareness of the population on disaster prevention and response and instilling basic safety and self-protection norms to create a society ready to contribute effectively to the reduction of risks and their consequences is a priority for the Civil Defence Force.
We are confident that with the rallying and solidarity of all of us, our commitment to principles and values and the demonstration of responsibility, ethics and credibility, we will contribute decisively to the further upgrading of our Civil Defence Force, thus successfully fulfilling our high mission.
(BG/EXP)
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