For those new to civil protection or those who have not had a chance to experience an EU 'MODEX' (EU Exercise for Modules) for themselves, their sheer scale and realism can be surprising. Knowledge Network Communications Coordinator Stacey Vickers went along to a recent EU MODEX (including both search and rescue and medical teams) in Portugal to find out more. Here, she shared her diary of the week, as well as her takeaways from behind the scenes.
An EU MODEX is a testing exercise that brings together civil protection authorities, capacities, modules, and experts to train them to deploy in a safe environment. It simulates a disaster scenario—in this case, a strong earthquake off the coast of Portugal (or the fictional country of 'Lusitânia').
I followed the Media Team. We are so-called 'ghosts' – we covered everything but kept our distance so that we didn’t interfere with the realism of the exercise. It was important for the EU MODEX to feel as realistic as possible for those taking part, enabling them to sufficiently test their skills and protocols so they could be used directly in the event of a real disaster.
Day 1, Monday, 27 January – Assessing the Scale and Impact of the Disaster
Having just arrived in Portugal, we headed straight to the 'EXCON' – the control centre and central hub for the next few days. The 'sit room' scenario was evidenced straight away – real-time updates on Post-it notes covered the walls, while maps indicated where participants needed to focus their efforts during the exercise.
It was clear that few introductions were needed among those gathered; it felt like this was a group who already knew each other well, and a strong community atmosphere was evident right from the start.
Chief Exercise Controller, Steve Gadsdon, briefed us on the scenario. On 25 January 2025 at 12:00, the region of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo in the (fictional) non-EU country of Lusitânia was hit by an 8.5 RS earthquake. Buildings collapsed, roads broke apart, and electricity and communication networks became inoperable, leaving the population vulnerable and with few medical resources to deal with the impending emergency.
‘Take care of each other and stay safe’ Chief Exercise Controller, Steve Gadsdon kicks off the EU MODEX.
Border Point opens – Reception and Departure Centre (RDC)
All teams registered at the Reception and Departure Centre (RDC) on arrival in Lusitânia. Protocol dictated that the first international team passing through the RDC in an exercise checked out the facilities prepared for the others. The RDC was run by representatives of the state of Lusitânia. It was an incredibly important part of the exercise ('If the RDC goes wrong, there is no exercise', as a participant commented).
Teams approached the border in large convoys of lorries, vans, and emergency vehicles. The Dutch team's arrival, with their bright orange trucks and uniforms, was particularly striking. Their team was reclassified (IER – INSARAG External Reclassification) for the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) qualification during their time here.
Facilities up and running
We visited the Emergency Medical Team (EMT) from Madrid, Spain, who were set up in a field, with tents being laid out and medical equipment prepared. The wind wasn’t helping the set-up, making assembly quite challenging, but before dark the teams were ready to receive their first patients.
It quickly became clear that acronyms would be a necessary lingua franca over the next few days. Our first briefing was at LEMA (the Local Emergency Management Authority), where the local Health Authority briefed the EU Civil Protection Team (EUCPT) and the Emergency Medical Team Coordination Cell (EMTCC) on the situation. The introduction given by Elisio Oliveira (Regional Commander) reflected the gravity of the situation, as he thanked the UCPM capabilities for their support at a difficult time. The EUCPT and Technical Assistance and Support Team (TAST) responded with their own messages of solidarity.
Search and Rescue, Passenger ferries at Setúbal
After dark, we headed to Setúbal, where two abandoned passenger ferries made for an atmospheric Urban Search and Rescue setting for the Dutch team. The local authorities had spent nine months preparing the sites, and it was clear that so much work and preparation had gone into making them safe as well as sufficiently challenging.
Here, two role players (who played the part of victims) had been brought in advance and asked to remain inside the ferries in an inaccessible area. When the Dutch team arrived, they assessed the damage and reassured the victims. They then needed to find a way to reach them underground. A variety of tools were used to get through the layers of metal and wood that barred the way, and rescuers descended into the ship through a small hole. Rescue continued through the night before the victims were finally taken to safety in the early hours of the morning.
Day 2, Tuesday, 28 January – Medical Teams Were Up and Running, and VIP Visits
Today, I followed Emergency Response Coordination Centre Director, Michela Matuella, as well as a team of observers, as they visited the EU MODEX facilities, which were now up and running. We joined two of the medical teams, who had set up on the docks in Lisnave. The teams were installed next to an abandoned hospital and docks, which provided a sombre backdrop to the setup.
Italian Emergency Medical Team 2 ready to receive patients
We met the Italian team at the EMT2 medical centre, who told us about the challenges they had had due to the weather, with one tent blowing away during setup (thankfully no harm was caused). The EMT2 worked 24 hours a day providing emergency care. It included a surgery and two anaesthetists in the team.
German Johanniter ready for action in Emergency Medical Team 1
At the Johanniter EMT1 facilities , they were ready to receive patients. They expected to be able to care for 50 people on the first day and 100 per day after that.
Interestingly, this EMT1 also had its own laboratory—thanks to a partnership between the Pasteur and Koch Institutes—which was able to collect samples of infectious or contagious diseases.
It was hard to believe that the facilities we saw that morning had only just been put up. Everything seemed well established and was already fully operational. It was still very quiet, and medical teams were busy preparing to receive mass casualties in the event of an aftershock.
VIP briefing back at Fogueteiro
We moved back to Fogueteiro, site of the other EMT, where a briefing was chaired by Major General Rodrigues. He highlighted the huge amount of planning—starting in April 2024—which had taken place to make this exercise happen. The sheer numbers involved were incredible—over 1,200 participants (including staff and role players), 15 countries, 424 local agency personnel, and 77 international staff.
Exercise Directors Bastian Harms and Rebecca Dinkelbach praised the cooperation with the local authorities (the National Republican Guard, or GNR, and the National Institute of Medical Emergencies, INEM, as well as support from the Portuguese National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection, ANEPC) and described how the exercise showed that 'countries do not stand alone in the face of disaster.'
Croatian Search and Rescue gets underway
The Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Paulo Simões Ribeiro, and a group of senior officials joined the visit, which took us to a Search and Rescue exercise for the Croatian team. As dogs located the victims, the team stepped in to dig through the rubble. We were told that the victims were found safe and sound a few hours later.
Despite the fact that the VIP and observer group was large and very engaged, the logistics were handled in such a way that it never interrupted the flow of the exercise. This was an important principle in ensuring the realism of EU MODEX exercises.
‘Now or never’ - push your boundaries
Core teams gathered at EXCON for their final daily briefing (these took place at 8 am and 8 pm every day). Steve Gadsdon informed us that an incredible 178 role-play incidents had occurred in two days. He highlighted the importance of also taking part in media role plays (essentially interviews with the Media Team, who played the part of local press) in order to push boundaries and challenge participants.
Day 3, Wednesday, 29 January – Aftershock and Weather Concerns
Today was about preparing the exit plans and handover to the local authorities for tomorrow. The day started with a dramatic event when an 'aftershock' led to a mass casualty event and trapped victims in the Lisnave Hospital.
Medical teams treat mass casualty event
I was at the Hospital with the Media Team when the first group of victims from the aftershock arrived. The team quickly responded, setting up triage to assess those coming in, and the beds quickly filled with patients. A surgeon treated a lady with an amputated finger. A doctor calmed a young girl who was hysterical in the waiting room. A team of doctors and nurses performed CPR on a man who went into cardiac arrest before declaring him dead. I had to remind myself that this was just an exercise at times, as it all felt very realistic, with the role players and responders carrying out their duties incredibly well.
Meanwhile, we heard that victims were trapped in the rubble at the abandoned Hospital. Search and Rescue teams from The Netherlands and Croatia battled to get to them quickly. We heard later that 59 live rescues were carried out over the exercise.
Weather warnings cause concerns
Worrying news came in towards the end of the day, when EXCON was informed that a weather warning for strong winds was expected. Tents were already starting to blow away (the difficult terrain by the Hospital meant they couldn’t be pegged down easily) and concerns grew. Eventually, two of the teams decided to relocate their facilities and resume operations the following morning. Although concerning at the time, participants also viewed it as a further learning opportunity.
I spent the rest of the day observing the media role plays being carried out with team leaders and Media Officers. Alexander Drechsel, Head of the Media Team, was a former journalist, and the interviews felt very realistic. Detailed feedback was given afterwards so that teams were prepared during a real mission when the press arrived at the scene.
Day 4, Thursday 30 January: End of mission, handover to local authorities
There was a definite feeling of the end of the exercise this morning, with the teams we visited in the process of dismantling tents and facilities. At LEMA, they were clearing up operations and taking down maps and Post-it notes. They prepared to officially hand back over to local authorities later that morning.
I spent the rest of the day attending debrief meetings. It was clear to see that the cohesive atmosphere we saw at the beginning of the exercise was even stronger now. Experts took turns to praise each other’s contributions over the mission, and one trainer noted that they now 'see blue and white vests sitting together'—a very positive sign of how integrated they had become!
One thing that impressed me during the mission was the fact that feedback was so encouraged; it was solicited at every EXCON meeting, as well as through an online 'Mentimeter', which ensured the exercise was transparent and reactive. This feedback was crucial, as lessons learned would be put to use shortly afterwards in the next exercise in Poland.
Day 5, Friday 31 January: Closing ceremony, homeward bound
The EU MODEX exercise finished with a closing ceremony at the Quinta da Arreinela in Almada, where participants gathered with hundreds of colleagues from the Portuguese civil protection agency, National Medical Emergencies Institute (INEM), and the National Republican Guard (GNR).
Seeing hundreds of people standing for the EU Anthem, Ode to Joy, served as a moving reminder of what the UCPM is all about. As Exercise Project Manager Mario Di Gennaro commented, the EU MODEX was 'a great example of European Solidarity and Member States acting together.'
Inspiring volunteers, mission spirit
I was hugely impressed by the bravery, resilience, and stamina of the teams I observed over the past few days. The men and women who took part in these missions were often volunteers who did this in their own time, sometimes on top of another full-time job.
I felt like I’d had a chance to witness the famous Civil Protection mission 'spirit' that I’d often heard colleagues speak of. Despite the long days and often stressful, even potentially dangerous work, spirits remained high throughout, and it was easy to see how the strong friendships we witnessed quickly developed in this environment.
Andreas Fernando, Regional Commander of the National Civil Protection Authority, summed up the ethos of the exercise perfectly: 'We train together so that when a disaster happens, we can contribute together.'
