Civil Protection conducts TOURO drill in São Miguel to test response capacity in seismic-volcanic scenario

May 20, 2026

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.