The exercise was originally going to be carried out in April 2022 on the same island, but it was delayed due to a seismic crisis on São Jorge Island.

In a press release shared by the official Azorean government site, the Regional Secretary of Health and Sports informs that the exercise, organised by the Azores Regional Service of Civil Protection and Firefighters (SRPCBA), has a new date scheduled: the 15th to 17th of September.

“Just as planned in 2022, an adverse weather scenario will be simulated with the enactment of a red weather warning for rainfall, ocean swelling and wind specifically for the island of Santa Maria,” the statement reads.

The exercise will have a length of 72 hours, developing within the LIVEX simulation style (Live Exercise), or rather, with 24-hour operational force movement.

The goal is to test “the response capacity and communication between various civil protection agents during the many events taking place,” the regional secretary, who oversees the Azorean Civil Protection, added.

During the exercise, all S.O.S. calls will be carried out as if they were real situations and events will be simulated relating to road blocking, river flooding, telecommunications failures, missing people on land and at sea, and preventative evacuation measures, among others.

Besides the SRPCBA, participation from other entities is expected, such as firefighters from Santa Maria and São Miguel islands, and regional directors of Health, Public Works, Habitation, Forest Resources, Tourism and Agriculture.

The Azores Social Security Institution, the Regional Civil Engineering Lab, the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere and the Azores Centre of Seismovolcanic Information and Surveillance are other participants in the exercise.

The training will also involve the Vila do Porto council, the Azores Operational Command, the PSP, the GNR, and the Portuguese Red Cross.