In 2018, the Military Emergency Unit obtained the certification for its Aquatic Search and Rescue (WSAR) capacity as a module of the Voluntary Fund of the European Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

The process began with the consultative visit of EU experts carried out on February 14 and 15 and after passing a simulated exercise between the 17 and 21 of that same month in Slovenia, in March the EMU team participated in the practical phase and last of the PieMODEX 2018 exercise, in Alessandria (Italy). The exercise simulated the request for international aid from a fictitious country after suffering severe flooding. This request tested the availability of the participants, who began their journey to the affected area in less than 12 hours.

56 members of the UME participated in this exercise, starting from the Jaime I Base in Bétera (Valencia), headquarters of BIEM III, accompanied by 13 light vehicles, three trucks, three boats, two fire engines, and four dogs. During the drill, the Spanish military has received search and rescue missions in several rivers, a lake, and a dam, both day and night, which have pushed material and personnel to the limit.

News: 

Visita consultiva de expertos de la ECHO para la certificación de la capacidad de Búsqueda y Rescate Acuático de la UME como Módulo del Fondo Voluntario del Mecanismo Europeo de Protección Civil

La UME supera la certificación de Búsqueda y Rescate Acuático del Fondo Voluntario del Mecanismo Europeo de Protección Civil  

La UME ha recibido el certificado de la capacidad de Búsqueda y Rescate Acuático