Filomena, the Lorca earthquake, the volcanic eruption of La Palma or the passage of DANA in the south-east of the country which cost the lives of 227 people. The accumulation of natural disasters in Spain highlights the need to have a good emergency plan that starts with early prevention and continues with an immediate response. And for civil protection services to function properly, in addition to coordination, they need funding. Spain, however, is at the bottom of the ranking of the 27 European Union countries in spending on emergency services and civil protection, according to homogeneous data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.. All this despite our unique characteristics, such as being the second largest country after France, having the second largest forest area after Sweden or having suffered the second deadliest flood in Europe so far this century.
According to Eurostat, whose data groups together investments by central government, regional and local administrations, Spain allocates 6.2 euros per inhabitant to emergency services and civil protection and ranks 16th among the 27 countries that make up the European Union, according to data at the end of 2022, the latest available. The country that spends the most is Hungary, with 10.9 euros; followed by Greece, 10.3 euros, and Austria, 9.8 euros. Spain is behind comparable countries such as Italy, which spends 9.4 euros, or France with 7.6 euros, although very close to Germany’s investment of 6.3 euros. In the last places in the EU, Ireland stands out with a per capita expenditure of 2.5 euros, Cyprus with 3.4 euros and Denmark with 3.5 euros.
Compared to other countries, such as Italy, where they have greater civilian equipment, Spain stands out for its military equipment, through the Military Emergency Unit (UME), responsible for interventions in the event of serious disasters, created in 2005 on the initiative of the Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. “Spain has a good emergency management system”underlines the doctor of the SUMMA 112 emergency service and specialist in Family and Community Medicine at the CEU San Pablo University, Ester Armela. Indeed, “the UME is the envy of other countries for its training and its equipment of the highest level, which is why they come to Spain to train with them”, says the director of the Chair of Security, Emergencies and Disasters of the University of Malaga, Jesus Miranda.
The 2024 General State Budgets, extended compared to the previous year, allocated 443 million euros to the Directorate and General Services of Security and Civil Protection. The amount has skyrocketed from 70 million in 2015 to today, especially since 2019 due to the outbreak of the pandemic. In the case of the UME, dependent on the Ministry of Defence, the budget item is 42 million euros. The Ministry of the Interior has the highest authority in matters of civil protection and the General Directorate of Civil Protection and Emergencies is the governing body for assistance.
Disparity between autonomies
Emergency and civil protection services are transferred to the autonomous communities, although local powers such as the fire brigade exist. There is not even a standardization of shared skills: the The Basque Country, for example, has the highest budget incorporating the Ertzaintza regional police with 757 millionwhile if only emergencies, entertainment regulation and meteorology and climatology are taken into account, the expenditure is substantially reduced to 11.9 million, excluding citizen security services.
Followed by the Community of Madrid, which has a budget of 203.9 million allocated for firefighting and 290.6 million for emergency coordination 112. Both items reach 494.5 million euros, which represents 72 euros per resident of Madrid. In third place is the Foral Community of Navarra, with its own regional police, with a per capita budget of 77.24 euros in items such as fire prevention and extinction and rescue, civil protection and “general management and safety and
Both communities are uniprovincial and therefore have powers over the fire brigade, which in some autonomies are exercised by the councils. The Fire Brigade of the Community of Madrid, for example, has 21 parks strategically distributed throughout the country, except in the city of Madrid, Alcorcón and Fuenlabrada, which have their own Fire Brigade. “The Community of Madrid’s high budget for these services is explained by the high population density and forest mass we have, which forces us to act immediately. The DANA in Valencia and the one suffered in September 2023 in Aldea del Fresno, with two deaths, force us to improve emergency planning and prevention. Since 2020 we have an action protocol in which we can act within a radius of action of 5 km on each side of the territorial limits of Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha“, says Pedro Ruiz, general director of Madrid’s 112 Security and Emergency Agency.
After these three communities lies the Region of Murcia which has a per capita expenditure of 56.5 euros, Catalonia of 44 euros and Principality of Asturias of 43.7 euros. This region increased its budget by 10% this year with the aim of ”modernizing and rehabilitating” fire stations to ensure their functioning in the face of challenges arising from climate change and increased frequency and intensity of extreme episodes, underlined by the Ministry of Development, Local Cooperation and Fire Prevention.
At the tail end of spending for emergencies and protection is there Castile-La Mancha with a budget of 14.42 million, that is, the government of Emiliano García-Page invests 6.9 euros per inhabitant in a region that has 79,463 km of surface area alone Castile and León. The Council chaired by Alfonso Fernández Mañueco is the second one that spends the least with a budget of 19 million, which translates into 8 euros for every Castilian Leonean. Aragon has a budget of 12.86 million for this yearthat is, 9.6 euros for Aragonese in emergency terms, Galicia 11.1 euros and Extremadura 11.3 euros. From Aragon they explain that “the budget is one thing and the effectiveness of the service is another, you can do more with less”, while Castilla La Mancha claims that “since Emiliano García-Page governs, [el presupuesto para emergencias y protección civil] has increased by more than 80%.” García-Page has been in office since 2015. For their part, from Extremadura they underline that “investments in Emergencies, Civil Protection and Interior increased by 63.17% from 2023 to 2024”.
A larger budget allows for more resources, such as helicopter renewal, more training and personnel. However, experts insist that coordination is key to avoiding further damage when a disaster strikes. “The main problem is the diversification of services, the response should be unitary between local, regional and central administration”, explains Miranda. Ultimately it is bureaucracy which in many cases prevents the response to the disaster from being quicker. However, “we can and must spend more”, recalls Armela, especially for prevention.
The Valencian Community reduces its budget in 2024
The 2024 budget of the Generalitat Valenciana for Emergencies has been reduced by 3% compared to the
Carlos Mazón’s Generalitat was heavily criticized for overturning the development of the Valencian Emergency Unit (UVE)the Valencian EMU, created by the executive of the socialist Ximo Puig. This unit was created in February 2023, four months before the regional elections, with a budget of 9 million, but Mazón ended up liquidating the organization when the Valencian government took office.
However, the Generalitat has other units dedicated to emergencies. The Valencian Agency for Security and Emergency Response, which has a budget of 113 million, a figure that remains practically the same as the previous year. The Emergencies, Civil Protection and Fire Extinguishing subprogram has 94.8 million, which is a reduction of three million compared to the previous year. Of this budget, almost 50 million are allocated to current expenses. There is also the Valencian Society for the Integrated Management of Emergency Services, with a budget of 57.4 million.
The coexistence of both organizations made Consell himself consider their mergerbut to date it has not been finalized, which, for example, Andalusia will do starting next year. Starting January 1, 2025, the Agency for Security and Global Emergency Management (ASEMA) will merge the fire plan (Infoca), civil protection, the 112 service and the Institute of Emergency and Public Security of Andalusia (IESPA) with a total budget of 270 million euros. For this reason, the Valencian Socialists (PSPV) have proposed an amendment to be discussed in the 41st Federal Congress of the PSOE in Seville on the creation of autonomous emergency units “which serve to improve the coordination of all agencies operating in emergencies”.
What are the potential consequences of reducing funding for emergency management services in disaster-prone regions?
Uary 2022 with the aim of enhancing the region’s response to emergencies, especially after a series of significant natural disasters. Critics argue that dismantling or reducing the capabilities of such vital units could have severe implications for emergency preparedness and response in the region.
The reduction in budget for emergency management reflects a broader trend of scrutinizing public expenditures in light of rising costs in other areas. Proponents of maintaining robust emergency services emphasize the necessity of investing in prevention and preparedness, particularly in a region frequently affected by extreme weather events, including floods and wildfires. They argue that cutting back on these services may lead to greater costs in the long run, especially when considering the damages and disruptions caused by disasters.
The focus must be on finding a balance between fiscal responsibility and ensuring that the public is adequately protected. Experts warn that investing in emergency services is not merely a cost—it’s an investment in lives, infrastructure, and the overall resilience of the community. They stress that reliance on well-trained personnel, modern equipment, and efficient response protocols is essential for effective disaster management and recovery.
As various regions assess their budgets and priorities heading into 2024, the conversation around emergency services underscores the ongoing debate about how best to allocate resources in ways that can save lives and support communities during crises. Ensuring adequate funding and fostering collaboration among local, regional, and national entities will be integral to enhancing Spain’s overall emergency response framework.