As part of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Crisis Management (DGSCGC) was a partner in the European Consortium responsible for organising a MODEX (exercise modules) exercise called ‘Rhodanos 2018’.
The National Higher School for Fire Service Officers (ENSOSP) hosted and organised this operation, which took place from 24 to 27 April in the lower reaches of the River Rhône.
Four operational units from Germany, France and Italy were therefore put to the test, focusing on a specific theme: ‘How the European Union is preparing to deal with a catastrophic flood’.
Photo @ENSOSP.
This exercise was organised with the support of the Southern Defence and Security Zone Prefecture, the Bouches-du-Rhône, Gard and Vaucluse Fire and Rescue Services (SDIS), the Entente Valabre, the urban communities, communes and local authorities in the sectors concerned, the French Red Cross, the Departmental Association of Forest Fire Committees and the Bouches-du-Rhône municipal civil protection reserves, alongside several other local stakeholders.
200 participants were spread across 13 event venues in the towns of Arles, Barbentane, Beaucaire, Comps, Fourques, Montfrin, Tarascon and Vallabrègues.
The scenario for this ‘full-scale’ exercise
The affected region is regarded as a fictional country that is not a member of the European Union, known as ‘Modulistan’.
“Following a rainy March, Modulistan has been hit by heavy, continuous rainfall since 18 April. The regions of Camargua and Occita have been hardest hit by the flooding of the Rhône and its two tributaries, the Durance and the Gardon. Faced with this catastrophic flooding, Modulistan is appealing to the European Union.”. To respond to this request, four high-capacity pumping units, rescue teams with boats and drones, as well as coordination and support teams, were deployed.
Tweets about: #Rhodanos
🇪🇺As part of its hosting of its first European exercise on the theme of a catastrophic flood, known as RHODANOS 2018, the@ENSOSP organised an English-language briefing to present this event to our officers, trainers and staff. #MODEX pic.twitter.com/myXSSKgoV6
— ENSOSP (@ENSOSP) 20 April 2018
It’s a pleasure to be working alongside the #DOS and the #COS of the international exercise #MODEX #RHODANOS2018 for the exclusive interview broadcast live on the #Facebook some #Firefighters from the #Gard. A multi-stakeholder partnership @SDIS13 @ENSOSP @pompiersdugard @Uiisc7 @SecCivileFrance and many more pic.twitter.com/dD54hHBbeO
— Cynthia Tarantino (@cycylienne) 26 April 2018
🇪🇺 #MODEX #RHODANOS2018 // the story unfolds and the various modules play out 🇩🇪🇮🇹🇫🇷 #Tarascon #Beaucaire #Comps #Arles pic.twitter.com/3e7sV2E3ez
— ENSOSP (@ENSOSP) 25 April 2018
🇪🇺 #MODEX #RHODANOS2018 // A large-scale operation has been deployed to simulate the European exercise. 👏and a big thank you to all the units involved 🇩🇪🇮🇹🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/uOJMV72vVU
— Nadine Castellani (@NCASTELLANI30) 25 April 2018
🇪🇺 #MODEX #RHODANOS2018 Implementation and coordination of all measures in collaboration with European, national and local staff. #safety pic.twitter.com/Fs35dsBXIf
— ENSOSP (@ENSOSP) 24 April 2018
We would like to thank our many partners for organising this European exercise #MODEX #RHODANOS2018 firefighters, the armed forces, volunteers, local authorities, water, waste management and energy services… Working round the clock alongside us for three days 👍🇪🇺🚒 pic.twitter.com/wmguB7KZH9
— ENSOSP (@ENSOSP) 27 April 2018