March 1 has been established by the International Civil Defence Organization 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 today is governed by the Civil Defence Laws of 1996 and 1998 and the Civil Defence (General) Regulations 1997-2017.

The mission of the Civil Defence Force of the Republic of Cyprus is the adoption of measures so as to deal with natural or man-made disasters, the magnitude of which may jeopardize the life or well-being of a large number of persons or have an extensive impact on the environment and the natural resources of the Republic.

Upgrading and strengthening the citizen protection mechanisms before, during, but also after the occurrence of disasters is a main concern of the Force. In this context, the Civil Defence Force prepares and implements plans, conducts training and exercises as well as applies new methods and practices in the field of civil protection, in accordance with international and European standards. 

At the same time, the Force takes part in mobilizations such as extinguishing fires, pumping water out of flooded premises, evacuating residential areas, finding missing persons, searching and rescuing people trapped under rubble, setting up camps, providing first aid, accommodating people in need and much more. For the implementation of its role and mission, the Civil Defence Force is in close cooperation with all involved state services, organizations and bodies. 

World Civil Defence Day reminds us that civil protection is a complex process, which concerns all levels of government, all societies, all citizens. Raising public awareness on disaster prevention and response and consolidating key safety and self-protection rules to build a society ready to contribute effectively to mitigating risks and their effects is a priority for the Civil Defence Force.

We are confident that through people’s united mobilization, our commitment to principles and values ​​and the demonstration of responsibility, ethics and credibility we will make a decisive contribution to further upgrading our Civil Defence, thus successfully fulfilling our high mission.

Also read: Cyprus | Priests fire shots with military weapons – Photos