Camp Green 2025: Focus on Urban, Forest Search, Rescue

Rescuers from Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia regions participated in the international Camp Green training exercises held in the city of Wałbrzych, Poland.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES), the training took place from May 22 to 25, CE Report quotes Ukrinform.

“The purpose of the event was to improve professional skills in conducting search and rescue operations in green urban areas and under rubble in industrial zones,” the statement reads.

Participants included representatives of various Polish emergency and rescue units: fire services, volunteer firefighters and search-and-rescue teams, police, territorial defense forces (WOT), municipal guards, foresters, GOPR mountain rescuers, the Red Cross, customs and tax service, and volunteers from certified USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) groups. Ukrainian and Czech rescuers joined them.

They practiced a wide range of tasks: searching for missing persons in forested areas, rescue operations in the aftermath of building collapses, response to chemical and environmental disasters, counter-terrorist responses, and rescuing victims in mountainous terrain.

Each scenario simulated real threats and emergencies that could occur both in peacetime and during armed conflict. Special focus was placed on improving search and rescue operations in green city zones and under the rubble of industrial and residential buildings.

An important component of the training was the work of canine units. Ukrainian dog handlers gained valuable experience from their Polish counterparts who have participated in international rescue missions.

Medical evacuation and field assistance were also a key part of the training. An operations center was established at the training site, where Ukrainian specialists participated in coordinating rescue missions, sharing their unique experience gained during martial law.

A large public outreach event, Open Camp Green 2025, was also held. Ukrainian rescuers informed visitors about the daily challenges they face during the ongoing war, including threats from shelling and landmines, and highlighted the current needs of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Polish rescuers had the opportunity to learn about working under combat conditions and the constant threat of attacks, while Ukrainian colleagues adopted knowledge on medical standards, rescue coordination, and canine unit operations from their Polish partners.

“Such cooperation is extremely valuable for both sides, contributing to the professional development of rescuers, the unification of procedures, and strengthening trust between services,” the SES emphasized.

As previously reported, Ukrainian rescuers, together with EU representatives, also participated in the large-scale EU MODEX CYCLE 12 training conducted under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.