Greece's 2nd EMAC Unit Overburdened with Routine Fires Amid Staffing Cuts

The 2nd Special Disaster Response Unit (EMAC) of Greece, based in Thessaloniki, is facing a growing workload while its personnel numbers decline. In 2025 the unit handled 257 assistance missions, 579 urban fires, 155 forest‑fire incidents and a range of specialized rescue operations. By the same year the staff count fell to 67, down from 72 in 2023, even as the number of incidents rose.

The unit is now routinely deployed to typical municipal fire calls, elevator rescues, and other civil‑protective tasks, diverting resources from its core high‑risk training and disaster‑response role. A recent serious injury of a team member during a rescue on Mount Olympus has intensified scrutiny of the unit’s capacity. While the other six EMAC units in Greece remain focused on specialised missions, the 2nd EMAC is pressed to fill gaps in the wider emergency‑services system.

Officials are urged to reconsider staffing and task allocation so that the unit can maintain readiness for major earthquakes, floods, or international deployments, rather than being absorbed into everyday firefighting duties.