TOURO26 drill strengthens Azores’ capacity to respond to seismic crises

June 1, 2026

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.