The three‐day work of the VET‐SHORT‐TERM JOINT STAFF TRAINING EVENT
(training in the framework of the Smart Education and Training Programme for
employees of central government and local government setoff) took place in
Kavala in a heavy ambiance and with the thought to those who were affected
by the tragic railway accident in Tempi (Greece) last week (1‐3/3/2023).
During the three‐day training event, the crucial importance of specialised and up‐
to‐date training, using state‐of‐the‐art technology, was highlighted for those who
are called to manage crises and risks and coordinate teams of professionals
and/or volunteers for the timely, safe and effective response to natural and man‐
made disasters.
The works, carried out with a hybrid system, both physically at the Campus of Kavala
of the International University of Greece (I.H.U) as well asthrough an e‐platform, was
crowned with greatsuccess and gathered extensive participation with a total of more
than 100 experts, academics, researchers, civil protection officers, safety and health
officers of the Police and Fire Brigade, representatives of the local government,
Private Security Personnel, as well as volunteers, from four countries(Spain, Belgium,
North Macedonia and Greece).
Participants had the opportunity to be informed by experts, but also to exchange
knowledge, academic opinions and experiences, to demonstrate and familiarize
themselves with technological achievements, exploring established and innovative
trends in crisis and risk management. In this way, they have contributed to the
finalization of the material that will be the educational core of distance training,
which aims to improve the preparedness, health and safety at work of both civil
protection personnel and private sectorsafety and security personnel in case of crises
and emergencies.
In the next phase of the Programme, a series of actions on Civil Protection issues will
be implemented by scientific staff with international experience, both in the
Programme member countries as well as in all the prefectures and islands of the
Region of Eastern Macedonia — Thrace.
World First with Table‐Top eXercice (TTX)
It should be noted that for the first time in the TTX was applied in the early stage of
the creation and control of educational material, the optimization and evaluation of
a civil protection vocational training programme. This customized technique TTX
(Table Top eXercises) has been designed by the Hephaestus Advanced Laboratory
of the School of Sciences of IHU and was implemented during the three days of the
VET‐SHORT‐TERM JOINT STAFF TRAINING EVENT in Kavala. TTX has enormous value
as a flexible and supple training source that can be used to promote active learning.
During the inaugural meeting of the VET‐SHORT‐TERM JOINT STAFF TRAINING
EVENT (1/3/2023— On World Civil Defense Day on March 1 every year, the world’s
attention is on civil protection and preparedness), in the ceremony hall of the IHU
campus in Kavala, a minute of silence was taken in memory of the victims of the
shocking railway accident (which had happened in Tempi Larissa Greece only 11
hours earlier), while all foreign representatives expressed their sincere condolences
and sympathy to the families of the victims and the Greek people.
To the accident (where the basic civil protection rules for man‐made disasters were
applied on the ground) referred, starting their greetings at the beginning of the
works, Dr Athanasios Mitropoulos — Dean of the School of Sciences of the University
of Athens, Mr Archelaos Granas — Vice ‐Regional Governor Eastern Macedonia &
Thrace, responsible for Development, International Relations and Civil Protection,
Apostolos Moumtsakis — Deputy Mayor of Kavala for Education and Culture
(represented by Mayor Theodoros Mouriadis), and Dr Michalis Chalaris — Assistant
Professor of Chemistry at IHU and Coordinator of the SETOFF project.
The Fire Service was represented by Nikolaos Balatsoukas —Brigadier. The works
were followed by, inter alia, the representative of the Kavala Fire Service, Vice‐
President Kyriakos Mandrianis, on behalf of the Kavala Police Directorate, its Deputy
Director, Mr. George Anagnostopoulos, and the Director of Security, Officer A’, Mr
Athanasios Kopsidas, and the Police Director of the municipality of Beraguasil Spain,
Manuel Alberto Sabater Chiva.
The following scientists (in person or online) informed the participants during the
three days with detailed suggestions on vital issues of Civil Protection:
- Charalambos Mouzakis — Lecturer of the Hellenic Open University and Researcher
of the University of Crete, - Dr Dimitra Pinotsi — Hellenic Institute for Health and Safety at Work
- Dimitar Bogatinov —Associate Professor of the Military Academy of North
Macedonia “Michailo Apostolski” - Eleni Lytra— “Sustainable City Network”
- Nikos Kokkinos — Associate Professor IHU
- Dr. Antonis Targouzidis — Hellenic Institute for Health and Safety at Work
- Dr. Evi Georgiadou — Hellenic Institute for Health and Safety at Work
- Chrysa Papapanou, MSc — Institute for Human and Natural Disaster Management
- Dr Maria Roussi — Teaching and Research Staff IHU and member of the Organizing
Committee of this International Working Meeting.
The European SETOFF Project, co‐funded by the European Union, is implemented
under Erasmus+, led by researcher and co‐ordinator Assist. Professor of Chemistry,
Michalis Chalaris, Retd Lieutenant General of the Hellenic Fire Service, in
collaboration with Universities and institutions from the participating countries
(Belgium, Spain, North Macedonia, Greece).