Rhodes: the large telecommunication civil protection exercise called “Cerberus” is in full swing

A large telecommunication exercise, code-named “KERVEROS”, is being carried out today in an area of the Dodecanese by the team of the Amateur Radio Association of the Dodecanese, the civil protection departments of the Municipality and the Region, as well as by dozens of citizens – volunteers who participate in respective teams.

Speaking to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, the vice-president of the Dodecanese Amateur Radio Association, Mr. Michael Balaskas, stressed the importance of this exercise, as, he said, it will test “in the field” the telecommunications in the entire Dodecanese region, as well as the coordination of the authorities involved.

The exercise involves volunteer teams from Rhodes, dozens of radio amateurs scattered around the island, as well as radio amateurs from various regions of our country and Cyprus. The aim of the radio amateurs is to inform the civil protection about developments in the field.

In the course of the exercise, there are terrestrial telecommunication links for the transfer of messages and telegrams to the operations centre and the relevant services. At the same time, a satellite amateur radio station will be activated to take action in the event of loss of ground assets, providing continuous responses.

This is the first exercise of its kind in Rhodes, with an earthquake scenario. The aim is to train and implement a common code of communication and framework of action for volunteers, under the guidance of the civil protection. The network will also cover the surrounding islands, as an earthquake in Rhodes would affect them.

The civil protection of the Municipality and the Region will be actively involved, giving orders which the radio amateurs will carry out. The volunteers will transmit information from the field to the civil protection, which will then communicate it to the relevant services. The fire brigade and the ambulance service will participate as observers. It is worth noting that for the first time a powerful communication network has been completed by the Municipality of Rhodes.