Andalucía to introduce new rules on public self-protection as emergencies become more frequent

In a region increasingly exposed to extreme weather and seismic activity, managing natural disasters no longer depends solely on the number of helicopters, firefighters or sirens available. The public's own ability to respond has become a crucial link in the chain of public safety.

With this in mind, the Andalusian regional government is finalising the first decree on public self-protection in the region. The new rules aim to prepare the public for emergencies that, in many cases, are impossible to predict or prevent.

Andalucía's geographical location explains the urgency of this shift towards public preparedness. Situated in the heart of the Mediterranean basin, one of the areas of the world most vulnerable to global warming, the region has experienced exceptionally severe weather in recent months.

A prolonged cycle of drought, which has left reservoirs below 20 per cent of capacity, has been followed by episodes of torrential rain and 'dana' storms that have flooded entire areas of Almeria, the Malaga coast and the Guadalquivir Valley. At the same time, increasingly extreme wildfires, such as the disaster in Huelva this summer, have emerged that can alter local atmospheric conditions and overwhelm even the most advanced firefighting operations.

Southern Spain's seismic activity adds another layer of risk. The Vega de Granada and its metropolitan area, which sit on a complex network of faults where the Eurasian and African tectonic plates converge, have recently experienced a series of earthquakes that caused alarm and material damage.

Although the earthquakes did not cause major structural collapses, the repeated deep tremors highlighted an unavoidable reality: earthquakes cannot be predicted or prevented, so the only effective protection is knowing exactly what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

The future Andalusian regulations aim to tackle the confusion that people often face when interpreting emergency messages. During a recent parliamentary intervention, Antonio Sanz, the regional minister for emergencies, stressed the need for the public to distinguish, for example, between a conventional weather warning issued by the official agencies and a red civil protection alert.

The new rules will also set out standard procedures and guidance for the ES-Alert system, which sends mass notifications to mobile phones located in areas facing an imminent risk. The aim is to prevent panic or non-compliance due to a lack of information and ensure that people know how to seek shelter during a flash flood or wildfire rather than waiting for emergency crews to arrive.

The decree is based on the technical recognition that there is no such thing as zero risk when it comes to natural disasters. No matter how advanced the infrastructure or how many public resources are deployed, authorities cannot guarantee complete protection if people unintentionally put themselves at risk by, for example, driving through a flooded river or remaining in exposed areas during a severe storm.

The new rules will therefore establish a legal framework to strengthen public information, promote regular emergency drills in schools and workplaces and encourage municipalities across Andalucía to keep their self-protection plans up to date.

However, this emphasis on a culture of prevention does not remove the need for the authorities to modernise their own technological and operational resources. Alongside the development of the decree, the Andalusian emergency services plan to launch an integrated smart emergency management platform by the end of the year.

The digital platform aims to bring together real-time data collection, speed up strategic decision-making and reduce response times at the emergency coordination centre, where every minute can be crucial in minimising loss of life and material damage.

The new approach will extend beyond the critical stage when firefighting and rescue teams withdraw. Every natural disaster can disrupt social and economic lives, creating a need for support over the medium and long term.

For this reason, the Andalusian strategy includes partnership agreements with organisations that play a key role in supporting people after a crisis, including the Red Cross and professional bodies representing psychologists, social workers and architects.

Experience from the Granada earthquakes and recent floods has demonstrated the value of specialist volunteers, such as the architects who assessed whether damaged homes were safe and habitable so that residents could return.

Through this package of measures, the regional government aims to establish a culture of shared responsibility. It no longer sees public preparedness as merely an addition to civil protection, but as a strategic pillar in its own right.

As extreme weather events become increasingly frequent and intense, preparing the public is emerging as the cheapest, fastest and most effective tool for saving lives.

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