Balearic Islands deploy special operation to ensure safety during eclipse

The largest security operation ever deployed in the Balearic Islands is being launched with the aim of safeguarding public safety and protecting the natural environment during this extraordinary event.

The Government of the Balearic Islands, through the Directorate General for Emergencies and Interior (DGEI), activated the ECLIPBAL Protocol on Tuesday morning, 11th of August. The security plan was specifically designed to monitor, control and ensure safety across the Balearic Islands in connection with Wednesday, 12th of August’s solar eclipse.

ECLIPBAL is a specific protocol that adapts and complements PLATERBAL, the Territorial Civil Protection Plan of the Balearic Islands. In preparation for the eclipse, PLATERBAL had already been activated on 9th of July at the pre-emergency level and, as planned, was raised to Level 1 today, allowing the Directorate General for Emergencies and Interior to assume integrated coordination of the operation.

For this reason, the CECOPI (Integrated Operational Coordination Centre) meeting was convened on Tuesday morning to activate the entire planned operation. The meeting was chaired by the Vice President of the Balearic Government and Minister for the Presidency, Coordination of Government Action and Local Cooperation, Antònia Maria Estarellas, accompanied by the Director General for Emergencies and Interior, Pablo Gárriz. The Spanish Government’s Delegate in the Balearic Islands, Alfonso Rodríguez, also attended.

All the agencies involved took part: Emergency Services, Health Services, SAMU 061, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, IBANAT, the Public Security Institute (ISPIB), local police forces, the Civil Guard, the National Police, the Spanish Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands, the Directorate General for Mobility, the island councils, the Provincial Traffic Department, the Military Emergency Unit (UME), Ports de les Illes Balears, the Port Authority, the Maritime Authority, Civil Protection volunteers, the General Command of the Balearic Islands and the Air and Space Force’s 49th Wing (SAR).

The operation is now underway, with officers and authorities deployed throughout the Balearic Islands to safeguard people and protect the natural environment. The plan’s main objective is to ensure public safety and protect the archipelago’s forested areas.

With the coordination and involvement of all the agencies concerned, a plan has been drawn up that includes restrictions on around twenty roads across the Balearic Islands, as well as the establishment of 26 official viewing areas.

Monitoring of all affected roads, risk areas and designated safe viewing areas has already begun. Tomorrow, at 10 a.m., the operation will be intensified with comprehensive monitoring of the road network.

Access to the restricted roads is expected to be cut off from 3 p.m. on Tuesday, although this could take place earlier if safety conditions and continuously updated capacity figures make it necessary.

To oversee the entire operation, in addition to the CECOPI, the Technical Advisory Committee for the Plan and a Main Command Post (PMP) have also been established at the Balearic Islands Emergency Coordination Centre. The PMP consists of a liaison officer with the Advanced Command Posts (PMA) on the other islands, two local police officers, a Civil Guard officer, a logistics section chief, a control-room chief from the Emergency Coordination Centre, an emergency manager, a Civil Protection volunteer officer, a SAMU 061 officer, an IBANAT officer and an operations technician from the 112 Emergency Coordination Centre.

The operation, coordinated by the Directorate General for Emergencies and Interior, is being deployed across all the islands. Three Advanced Command Posts (PMA) have therefore also been established: one in Menorca, at the Local Operational Coordination Centre (CECOPAL) in Ciutadella; one in Eivissa, at the Sant Josep de sa Talaia Town Hall; and another in Formentera, at the Local Police Headquarters. All three have DGEI officers and technical staff on site, along with personnel from the other activated agencies.

This is probably the largest security and emergency operation ever activated in the Balearic Islands. The Civil Guard and local police forces will reinforce monitoring of roads and official viewing areas. Through the ISPIB, municipalities have coordinated the collaborative deployment of municipal officers between towns, particularly to reinforce smaller municipalities and those in the Serra de Tramuntana.

In addition, the five fire services of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Mallorca, Menorca, Eivissa and Formentera, as well as IBANAT’s forest firefighters, have been activated and reinforced. The SAMU 061 emergency medical service has also deployed a special response operation.

National Police officers, the General Command of the Balearic Islands and a Navy patrol vessel are also participating in the operation to help safeguard public safety.

The involvement of Civil Protection volunteers is also particularly important. On this occasion, nearly 150 volunteers have been mobilised and divided into two groups. The first will operate within their respective municipalities through the corresponding municipal Civil Protection organisation, while the second will be made available to the wider operation and deployed according to operational needs.

Municipalities with a Municipal Emergency Plan (PEMU) have also been asked to activate it, as this is a tool that complements and integrates with PLATERBAL and the ECLIPBAL Protocol. Palma is a particular case, as it is deploying a large-scale security operation of its own, always coordinated with that of the autonomous community.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment will deploy an extraordinary prevention and monitoring operation for the 12 August solar eclipse, in anticipation of an exceptional influx of people into natural areas and vessels along the Balearic coastline during the peak of the forest-fire danger season.

The operation will strengthen monitoring by land, sea and air, involving the Balearic Institute of Nature (IBANAT), the Environmental Agents Service, the Posidonia Monitoring Service, vessels from Marine Reserves and Natural Areas, as well as technicians from the Forest Management Service.

As part of forest-fire prevention measures, IBANAT will mobilise a total of 161 forest firefighters, including 49 additional personnel specifically assigned for the day of the eclipse. Personnel will be stationed at strategic locations across the four islands to minimise response times in the event of an incident. An increase in aerial surveillance flights will also be considered depending on how the forest-fire risk develops.

The Environmental Agents Service will deploy 37 officers, including 18 additional personnel, who will intensify monitoring, provide information to the public, ensure early detection of incidents and coordinate with the other operational services.

At sea, the Posidonia Monitoring Service will carry out a special preventive operation in response to the expected increase in the number of vessels. Monitoring will be particularly reinforced in the areas of Ciutadella, Sóller, Andratx, Colònia de Sant Jordi and the western coast of Eivissa, where higher concentrations of vessels are expected. Teams will inform boat skippers directly about the need to anchor responsibly and avoid damaging Posidonia seagrass meadows, while promoting the use of ecological mooring systems.

The operation will be complemented by support from vessels belonging to Marine Reserves and Natural Areas, which will reinforce monitoring and surveillance along the coast, as well as by technicians from the Forest Management Service, who will continuously monitor the situation and coordinate preventive measures with the other services involved.

To ensure communications throughout the operation via the TetraIB telecommunications network, the IB Digital agency is deploying transportable telecommunications stations in technically uncovered areas requiring additional coverage. These will be installed in Cala en Bosc (Menorca), Port de Valldemossa (Mallorca) and Port de Sant Miquel (Eivissa).

In the event of an emergency, people should call 112. The emergency management room at the Coordination Centre has also been reinforced for the occasion in anticipation of receiving a higher-than-usual number of calls, despite this already being the busiest season of the year, according to statistics.

The Health Service has prepared an extraordinary operation to ensure medical care during the eclipse. The operation includes additional staffing for primary care, hospitals and SAMU 061, with up to 160 additional healthcare professionals, as well as specific reinforcement of ophthalmology services in case of eye injuries associated with observing the phenomenon.

The Ministry of Health reminds the public of the importance of properly protecting their eyesight when watching the eclipse. Specialists warn that looking directly at the sun without adequate protection can cause serious and irreversible damage to the retina, even after very brief exposure.

The Directorate General of Public Health stresses that the only safe way to view the eclipse is by using certified eclipse glasses meeting the EN ISO 12312-2:2015 standard. It also reminds the public that ordinary sunglasses, smoked glass, X-rays or any other homemade filter do not protect eyesight from solar radiation.

Furthermore, eye damage does not always appear immediately. Specialists point out that some injuries may become apparent between six and 48 hours after exposure, with symptoms including redness, stinging, blurred vision, persistent watering of the eyes or the appearance of spots in the field of vision.

Ophthalmologists advise taking particular care with children and recommend that children under six should not look directly at the eclipse. At this age, eyesight is more sensitive and it is also difficult to ensure that young children strictly follow safety measures throughout the phenomenon.