The measure attests to the Naval Force’s commitment to responding promptly to any natural disasters
By Agência Marinha de Notícias – Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Yesterday (19), the Brazilian Navy (MB) activated the Marine Operational Group in Support of Civil Defense. The measure, in preparation for possible use in natural disaster situations, will remain in place until March 15 of next year. During the activation ceremony, a graduation ceremony was held, with a display of personnel and material, presided over by Vice-Admiral (Marines) Renato Rangel Ferreira, Commander of the Fleet Marines Force (FFE).
Activated annually during the peak rainfall period in the southeast of Brazil, the Group was created in 2011, following landslides in Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro. It is an organization that remains in a state of readiness and, when called upon, is able to start moving to the affected area within a few hours.
According to Admiral Renato, the activation represents MB’s prompt response to reinforce the Civil Defense structure and act within the scope of interagency operations, in coordination with various public and civil entities. “The deployment of the Group is extremely important, especially this year, due to the climate changes caused by El Ninho, as well as the recent history of deployment of the troops in this type of situation,” he explains.
The Group’s structure
The activated Group has 305 military personnel and 50 FFE vehicles, as well as military personnel from the Navy’s Health Directorate and the Navy’s Social Assistance Directorate. Organized to travel by road, sea or air, the Group has the capacity to set up and operate a field hospital, clear roads, rescue personnel, transport people and distribute food.
The Group is structured in components with specific purposes, but which complement each other, giving it flexibility and versatility to deal with different situations. It also preserves a certain degree of resource autonomy to operate in the affected regions for a certain period. These characteristics reinforce the Marines’ expeditionary and rapid response capabilities.
The Commanding Officer of the Group, Captain Luis Felippe Valentini da Silva, highlights the work done and the feeling of preparing the troops and organizing the material for this type of mission: “We put a lot of effort into anticipating the need for action in support of Civil Defense and being ready to bring help to the population at risk is gratifying”.
Recent jobs in Petrópolis-RJ and São Sebastião-SP
The deployment of MB military personnel in support of civil defense is nothing new. In the last two years, there have been two deployments: in 2022, in the city of Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, and earlier this year, in São Sebastião, on the coast of the state of São Paulo. On both occasions, due to the heavy rains typical of the summer period, landslides and floods caused deaths and made thousands of people homeless in the affected regions.
In Petrópolis, around 60 vehicles and 300 military personnel, including Marines and health professionals, were deployed to activate a field hospital, clear roads and help organize donations.
In São Sebastião, MB deployed the Multipurpose Aerodrome Ship (NAM) “Atlântico”, with more than 1,000 military personnel, including 180 Marines and 70 health professionals. In all, more than 1,200 medical, dental, psychological and religious services were provided. On the occasion, the military cleared public roads, removing around 2,000 tons of rubble and transporting around 110 tons of donations.
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias *** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***