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Who are we?
For more than 3 years, as part of the RiskGest project, the Fire and Rescue Services of Savoie (73) has been working on the creation of a solution aimed at providing means of communication for the emergency services on the one hand and for the affected population on the one hand. on the other hand, in the event of partial or total loss of the infrastructure networks.
Quickly, due to project needs, the team expanded to 3 other Fire and Rescue Services either through the RRF program or through MUSAR for Fire and Rescue Services 74.
Today, the response called FENICS is primarily aimed at our territories extended to France, allowing all modules of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) to communicate regardless of the theater of operations. (France, Europe or even International).
What are the needs and constraints in terms of means of communication in the event of the deployment of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism?
In a context of a permanent increase in large-scale events requiring international support, the European Union continues to develop its support mechanism and to structure its response. However, like the management of current risks, daily practices require the development of the necessary tools in the field in order to ensure management as close as possible to the actors.
Today, the evolution of decision-making and information circuits requires the sharing of increasingly precise data. To respond to this, it is necessary to give field teams the tools adapted to these uses, including when the situation has led to a partial or total loss of telecommunications infrastructure networks.
How to meet these needs?
For nearly three decades, France has been a major player in the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). First contributor in terms of number of modules, it continues to increase its contribution to civil protection and humanitarian aid.
On the strength of this experience, it appeared essential to create a support and support module to ensure communications in the field. It is not necessary to recall the importance of telecommunications in the management and coordination of any type of operation, whatever its nature and size.
However, the context and the geography require the ability to adapt in order to give the command the right tools for the success of the mission.
An answer as needed
born from the field
In 2018 as part of a European Alcotra-RiskGest project, Fire and Rescue Services 73 began studies to provide solutions to ensure the continuity of communications in the event of a disaster in the Alpine region between Savoie and its Italian neighbors in the provinces of Aosta and Turin.
Indeed, the department of Savoie presents a restrictive geography, by these numerous tunnels allowing to reach the valleys, but it has an important coverage of mobile telephony related to its strong tourist frequentation.
Therefore, to carry out its missions both in the context of current risk and in exceptional or even catastrophic risk, it was important to prepare for a response both on its territory and on that of its neighbors, including cross-border.
Back to the FENICS timeline
January 2019 - August 2021- From RiskGest to FENICS
As part of a European project initiated in 2019, 10 experiments were carried out, including the certification of the MUSAR form Fire and Rescue Services 73-74 as well as the detachment of France in Greece during the FDF reinforcements of 2021. The result of this work gave birth to FENICS on a partnership between operational and industrial.
In view of the results obtained, CG Emmanuel CLAVAUD proposed, under cover of the Savoie prefecture and the South East Zone General Staff, to the Director General of the DGSCGC, the creation of a SIC support team in the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).
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September 2021 - DGSCGC Presentation
During the 2021 congress, a joint presentation Fire and Rescue Services 13 & 73 was made to DGSCGC.
October 2021 - DG ECHO Presentation
At the request of the DGSCGC, a presentation followed to DG ECHO in Brussels at the ERCC coordination centre.
May 16 – 19, 2022: The first implementation in MODEX
During MODEX Domino, in Martigues, following exchanges with representatives of DG ECHO, including the European Commissioner and the Director General of Civil Security and Crisis Management, it was agreed that France was going to propose this new capacity of the UCPM. The European Commissioner has requested that a restricted form of FENICS be operational from 2022, taking into account weather conditions.
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August 9, 2022 - Officialization
The Director General of Civil Security and Crisis Management proposed the integration of FENICS into the MPCU to the Director General of European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. It initiates the process of integration into the ECPP which will finalysed by a certification planned for 2023.
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August 11/18, 2022 - The first operational deployment
The FENICS team, made up of personnel from the 4 Fire and Rescue Services (13-69-73-74) was deployed to the Gironde Forest Fire. Well integrated by CG VERMEULEN and his teams, we were able to both provide technical support for the Fire and Rescue Services SDIS33 and implement the communication tools for the foreign modules of the UCPM (Germany, Austria, Poland and Romania).
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5 -19 February 2023: World Ski Championships
For 15 days, as part of the World Ski Championships being organised in Méribel Courchevel, FENICS was deployed to ensure the resilience of the communications resources of all the security and emergency services as part of the Operational Command Post around the Prefect of Savoie.
28 February - 3 March 2023: CBRN Modex Lyon
As part of the certification of the module, FENICS took part in a MODEX with Germany, Italy, France and Romania. The theme of this exercise was the consequences of a violent storm on several industrial sites in the French Chemical Valley. For this exercise, a FENICS team including 4 coordinators, a nurse, 12 technicians and 5 logisticians. For 96 hours, in complete autonomy, the teams was in charge of setting up all the communication networks at the base camp and in the intervention areas.
19 July - 8 August 2023: Forest fire support Canada
1st international commitment for FENICS since joining the European Union Civil Protection Reserve at the end of 2022.
For 3 weeks, FENICS, part of the 3rd French detachment, deployed daily communications bubbles covering almost 400 km2 in the intervention sectors in a communication white zone covering several thousand km2 devastated by fires covering more than 300,000 ha.
These are impressive figures, but the bubbles are connected to the Radisson Control Centre located more than 100 km north of the zone.
