InTouch Magazine Articles Archive

Issue 11, October 2007

Cyprus Civil Defence

By Brian House.

active ‘Civil Defence Force’ in Cyprus and what it actually does on the island? The main mission of the Civil Defence Force is the active performance in various humanitarian tasks intended to protect the civilian population and to help it recover from the immediate effects of hostilities or disaster and also to provide the conditions necessary for its survival. The Civil Defence Force is organized by the establishment of Civil Defence units in almost all urban areas and villages near the cease fire line. Most of these units are manned by conscripts and volunteers.

Laws and Regulations:
The Law calls for the establishment of a Civil Defence Force to be responsible for the protection of civilians against natural or man-made disasters.
According to the Law, the Civil Defence Force should have permanent personnel, conscripts and volunteers.
Civil Defence Personnel:
There are 31 officers distributed in the five regional districts and headquarters in Cyprus. Conscripts are all male and female citizens of Cyprus over the age of 18 who are not studying or serving in the National Guard and who serve for a period of two years. Volunteers are any citizens who do not fall in the above two categories but want to serve voluntarily in the Civil Defence.

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