Dear National Civil Protection Focal Point,

Earthquakes remain one of the most devastating natural hazards across the Euro-Mediterranean region, causing significant human, economic and environmental losses within minutes. In the critical first hours following an event — often referred to as the “golden hours” — the ability to rapidly assess impacts on populations, buildings and critical infrastructure is essential for effective decision-making and response coordination.

However, not all countries have developed rapid response to earthquakes (RRE) tools, and where such systems exist, they often differ in scope, methodology and operational use. At present, no common operational framework supports cross-border cooperation at European or international level. Addressing this gap is a key motivation behind the FASTER project.

About the FASTER project
FASTER (Fast Impact Assessment Systems and Tools for Earthquake Response) is funded by the European Union under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) Knowledge for Action in Prevention and Preparedness (KAPP) programme. The project aims to:

1. Improve and harmonise RRE tools to support cooperation within the UCPM and beyond;
2. Enhance responsiveness through experience-sharing and analysis of real events; and
3. Strengthen stakeholder awareness and coordination across all levels of civil protection.

About the survey
As a first step, we invite national civil protection authorities across the Euro-Mediterranean region to complete a short self-assessment on their RRE readiness.

We kindly ask you to complete the questionnaire by 15 September 2026. The estimated completion time is approximately 10 minutes.

The objective of the survey is to build a Euro-Mediterranean overview of RRE capabilities by collecting harmonised information on how civil protection authorities access, receive and use rapid post-earthquake information in support of emergency management.

By participating, your organisation will:

• Gain an initial overview of existing tools, procedures and experience related to RRE;
• Identify potential gaps and areas for improvement;
• Contribute to a broader European understanding of RRE readiness and implementation.

The results will feed into the FASTER Community of Practice and will be shared in aggregated and anonymised form through project reports and knowledge products.

Your contribution is highly valuable — whether your country already operates an RRE system or is at an early stage of development. Your input will help ensure that FASTER activities are aligned with real operational needs across Europe.

Should you have any questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Thank you in advance for your time and collaboration. We also look forward to welcoming you to the FASTER Community of Practice.

Kind regards,
Samuel Auclair - FASTER Project Coordinator

AUCLAIR Samuel

Seismologist engineer

“Crisis management” scientific coordinator

Risks Department - Seismic and Volcanic Risks Unit

3 av. Claude-Guillemin - BP 36009 - 45060 ORLÉANS Cedex 2

Tél : + 33 (0)2 38 64 36 86 / s.auclair@brgm.fr

BRGM – FRENCH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY / www.brgm.eu