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Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática
TOURO26 drill strengthens Azores’ capacity to respond to seismic crises
TOURO26 drill strengthens Azores’ capacity to respond to seismic crises
Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática
Civil Protection conducts TOURO drill in São Miguel to test response capacity in seismic-volcanic scenario
Civil Protection conducts TOURO drill in São Miguel to test response capacity in seismic-volcanic scenario
Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática
Alonso Miguel highlights significant increase in investment and recognition of fire service sector in the Azores
Alonso Miguel highlights significant increase in investment and recognition of fire service sector in the Azores
June 1, 2026
TOURO26 drill strengthens Azores’ capacity to respond to seismic crises
May 20, 2026
Civil Protection conducts TOURO drill in São Miguel to test response capacity in seismic-volcanic scenario
April 27, 2026
Alonso Miguel highlights significant increase in investment and recognition of fire service sector in the Azores
News
Nota de Imprensa
June 1, 2026
TOURO26 drill strengthens Azores’ capacity to respond to seismic crises
Between May 28 and 30, the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service organised the TOURO26 drill on the island of São Miguel, the largest civil protection drill held annually in the Azores. The initiative took place in the municipalities of Ribeira Grande, Vila Franca do Campo and Povoação, involving 26 organisations and about 250 participants, including operational staff, technicians, extras and other support personnel, in a major effort to coordinate, train and liaise between the various agencies and bodies involved in the regional civil protection system. The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, who is responsible for Civil Protection in the Azores, attended the "warm-up" session. On the occasion, he highlighted the “importance of TOURO26 in strengthening the readiness, coordination and operational response capacity of the Azores Regional Civil Protection System in the face of emergency and disaster situations.” According to Alonso Miguel, “Civil Protection is now, more than ever, an absolutely decisive factor for the safety and well-being of the population.” He continued: “Without a solid, coordinated and effective system, we would be a highly vulnerable community at the most critical moments.” “TOURO26 is much more than just a drill. It is a demonstration of the capabilities available in the Region and the Azorean Government’s ongoing commitment to protecting the Azorean population,” he added. During the drill, the Region’s response capacity was tested in the face of a seismic crisis scenario, with multiple simultaneous incidents in different municipalities, putting to the test the coordination mechanisms, emergency plans and operational coordination between all participating agencies and entities. Alonso Miguel made an extremely positive assessment of TOURO26, emphasising that “the goals initially set were fully achieved. Across the various scenarios, it was possible to test the Regional Civil Protection System’s core capabilities for responding to complex emergencies and disasters, particularly in the context of a major seismic crisis.” According to the Regional Secretary, “the results achieved have shown that the Region has a civil protection system that is prepared, resilient and capable of effectively responding to high levels of operational demand, at both municipal and regional levels.” According to the Regional Secretary, holding drills regularly is key to enhancing the effectiveness of the regional civil protection system, enabling the identification of areas for improvement, fine-tuning procedures, strengthening interoperability between agencies, and building trust amongst all stakeholders. “The more and the better we train, the better prepared we will be to respond when reality puts us to the test. It is through preparation that confidence is built, and it is confidence that enables us to save lives,” he emphasised. Alonso Miguel also pointed out that “the quality of the operational response depends not only on training, but also on the availability of adequate resources and qualified and motivated staff.” In this context, he recalled that the Regional Government has invested around €60 million in civil protection over the last five years, representing the largest investment ever made in this sector in the Region. “Among the main measures implemented are the promotion of firefighters’ careers, a focus on the training and qualification of operational staff, the acquisition of more than fifty emergency and rescue vehicles, representing an investment of nearly €8 million, the improvement of the Pre-Hospital Medical Emergency System, and the creation of the Funding Model for Voluntary Firefighters’ Humanitarian Associations,” he noted. The government official also highlighted the creation of an innovative support mechanism for the Azorean Fire Service’s Junior and Cadet Schools, “a pioneering measure in the country that is already yielding very positive results, reflected in a 54% increase in the number of schools in operation and an 82% rise in the number of young people enrolled in these programmes. This initiative has made a decisive contribution to generational renewal, the promotion of volunteering and the future sustainability of the regional fire services.” Alonso Miguel also highlighted the progress achieved through the implementation of new management and operational coordination tools, namely the Operations Management System and the new model for dispatching resources and operational capabilities of fire services. “All these investments demonstrate the Azorean Government’s strong commitment to the safety, protection and well-being of the Azorean population, boosting the Region’s capacity to increasingly tackle demanding and complex risks,” he said. The Regional Secretary concluded by expressing his gratitude to all those who participated in TOURO26, namely the fire service, law enforcement agencies, the Armed Forces, the National Maritime Authority, healthcare professionals, the Portuguese Red Cross, local authorities, government departments, entities with a duty to cooperate, and scientific institutions. “It is due to everyone’s dedication and professionalism that we continue to build a regional civil protection system that is increasingly well-prepared, resilient and capable of protecting our communities,” he concluded.
June 1, 2026
TOURO26 drill strengthens Azores’ capacity to respond to seismic crises
Between May 28 and 30, the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service organised the TOURO26 drill on the island of São Miguel, the largest civil protection drill held annually in the Azores. The initiative took place in the municipalities of Ribeira Grande, Vila Franca do Campo and Povoação, involving 26 organisations and about 250 participants, including operational staff, technicians, extras and other support personnel, in a major effort to coordinate, train and liaise between the various agencies and bodies involved in the regional civil protection system. The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, who is responsible for Civil Protection in the Azores, attended the "warm-up" session. On the occasion, he highlighted the “importance of TOURO26 in strengthening the readiness, coordination and operational response capacity of the Azores Regional Civil Protection System in the face of emergency and disaster situations.” According to Alonso Miguel, “Civil Protection is now, more than ever, an absolutely decisive factor for the safety and well-being of the population.” He continued: “Without a solid, coordinated and effective system, we would be a highly vulnerable community at the most critical moments.” “TOURO26 is much more than just a drill. It is a demonstration of the capabilities available in the Region and the Azorean Government’s ongoing commitment to protecting the Azorean population,” he added. During the drill, the Region’s response capacity was tested in the face of a seismic crisis scenario, with multiple simultaneous incidents in different municipalities, putting to the test the coordination mechanisms, emergency plans and operational coordination between all participating agencies and entities. Alonso Miguel made an extremely positive assessment of TOURO26, emphasising that “the goals initially set were fully achieved. Across the various scenarios, it was possible to test the Regional Civil Protection System’s core capabilities for responding to complex emergencies and disasters, particularly in the context of a major seismic crisis.” According to the Regional Secretary, “the results achieved have shown that the Region has a civil protection system that is prepared, resilient and capable of effectively responding to high levels of operational demand, at both municipal and regional levels.” According to the Regional Secretary, holding drills regularly is key to enhancing the effectiveness of the regional civil protection system, enabling the identification of areas for improvement, fine-tuning procedures, strengthening interoperability between agencies, and building trust amongst all stakeholders. “The more and the better we train, the better prepared we will be to respond when reality puts us to the test. It is through preparation that confidence is built, and it is confidence that enables us to save lives,” he emphasised. Alonso Miguel also pointed out that “the quality of the operational response depends not only on training, but also on the availability of adequate resources and qualified and motivated staff.” In this context, he recalled that the Regional Government has invested around €60 million in civil protection over the last five years, representing the largest investment ever made in this sector in the Region. “Among the main measures implemented are the promotion of firefighters’ careers, a focus on the training and qualification of operational staff, the acquisition of more than fifty emergency and rescue vehicles, representing an investment of nearly €8 million, the improvement of the Pre-Hospital Medical Emergency System, and the creation of the Funding Model for Voluntary Firefighters’ Humanitarian Associations,” he noted. The government official also highlighted the creation of an innovative support mechanism for the Azorean Fire Service’s Junior and Cadet Schools, “a pioneering measure in the country that is already yielding very positive results, reflected in a 54% increase in the number of schools in operation and an 82% rise in the number of young people enrolled in these programmes. This initiative has made a decisive contribution to generational renewal, the promotion of volunteering and the future sustainability of the regional fire services.” Alonso Miguel also highlighted the progress achieved through the implementation of new management and operational coordination tools, namely the Operations Management System and the new model for dispatching resources and operational capabilities of fire services. “All these investments demonstrate the Azorean Government’s strong commitment to the safety, protection and well-being of the Azorean population, boosting the Region’s capacity to increasingly tackle demanding and complex risks,” he said. The Regional Secretary concluded by expressing his gratitude to all those who participated in TOURO26, namely the fire service, law enforcement agencies, the Armed Forces, the National Maritime Authority, healthcare professionals, the Portuguese Red Cross, local authorities, government departments, entities with a duty to cooperate, and scientific institutions. “It is due to everyone’s dedication and professionalism that we continue to build a regional civil protection system that is increasingly well-prepared, resilient and capable of protecting our communities,” he concluded.
Nota de Imprensa
May 20, 2026
Civil Protection conducts TOURO drill in São Miguel to test response capacity in seismic-volcanic scenario
The Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA), an entity under the administration of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, will hold the TOURO26 drill on the island of São Miguel between May 28 and 30 to test the response capacity of the various civil protection agencies in the event of a seismic-volcanic crisis. In this edition, the drill will cover the municipalities of Vila Franca do Campo, Ribeira Grande and Povoação, based on the 2005 seismic crisis at the Fogo Volcano, from which various incidents will be simulated that will require the intervention of teams with different skills and operational capabilities. This initiative aims to strengthen the readiness of the Autonomous Region of the Azores for situations involving seismic and volcanic risks, promoting an ever more effective and coordinated action within the Regional Civil Protection System. The planned scenarios will include the evacuation of populated areas, the preparation of assembly and support areas for the population, intervention in collapsed structures, and other protection and rescue operations, thereby testing the response capacity and coordination between the various agencies involved. As with the previous edition, TOURO26 will retain a format combining workshops with practical LIVEX exercises (deployment of resources on the ground), reinforcing the link between the training component and the operational response. The drill will begin on May 28 with an introductory session for the participating organisations. Thematic workshops will take place on the morning of May 29, conducted by speakers from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), the Centre for Information and Seismovolcanic Surveillance of the Azores (CIVISA) and SRPCBA. Field exercises will take place on the afternoon of May 29 and throughout May 30, providing an opportunity to test the operational response and coordination between the various civil protection agencies. This drill involves the São Miguel Fire Departments, the municipalities of Vila Franca do Campo, Ribeira Grande and Povoação, the Azores Operational Command of the Portuguese Red Cross, the Regional Directorates for the Environment and Climate Action, Housing, Public Works and Health, the Institute for Social Security of the Azores, the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory, the National Maritime Authority, the National Republican Guard, the Public Security Police, CIVISA and the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere. This year’s edition will also feature a group of observers comprising members of ANEPC, the Lisbon Fire Brigade, the Madeira Regional Civil Protection Service and members of the Azores Fire Service command.
May 20, 2026
Civil Protection conducts TOURO drill in São Miguel to test response capacity in seismic-volcanic scenario
The Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA), an entity under the administration of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, will hold the TOURO26 drill on the island of São Miguel between May 28 and 30 to test the response capacity of the various civil protection agencies in the event of a seismic-volcanic crisis. In this edition, the drill will cover the municipalities of Vila Franca do Campo, Ribeira Grande and Povoação, based on the 2005 seismic crisis at the Fogo Volcano, from which various incidents will be simulated that will require the intervention of teams with different skills and operational capabilities. This initiative aims to strengthen the readiness of the Autonomous Region of the Azores for situations involving seismic and volcanic risks, promoting an ever more effective and coordinated action within the Regional Civil Protection System. The planned scenarios will include the evacuation of populated areas, the preparation of assembly and support areas for the population, intervention in collapsed structures, and other protection and rescue operations, thereby testing the response capacity and coordination between the various agencies involved. As with the previous edition, TOURO26 will retain a format combining workshops with practical LIVEX exercises (deployment of resources on the ground), reinforcing the link between the training component and the operational response. The drill will begin on May 28 with an introductory session for the participating organisations. Thematic workshops will take place on the morning of May 29, conducted by speakers from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), the Centre for Information and Seismovolcanic Surveillance of the Azores (CIVISA) and SRPCBA. Field exercises will take place on the afternoon of May 29 and throughout May 30, providing an opportunity to test the operational response and coordination between the various civil protection agencies. This drill involves the São Miguel Fire Departments, the municipalities of Vila Franca do Campo, Ribeira Grande and Povoação, the Azores Operational Command of the Portuguese Red Cross, the Regional Directorates for the Environment and Climate Action, Housing, Public Works and Health, the Institute for Social Security of the Azores, the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory, the National Maritime Authority, the National Republican Guard, the Public Security Police, CIVISA and the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere. This year’s edition will also feature a group of observers comprising members of ANEPC, the Lisbon Fire Brigade, the Madeira Regional Civil Protection Service and members of the Azores Fire Service command.