When we think of the Hellenic Police (HPOL), our minds might first go to routine law enforcement—traffic control, crime prevention, or maintaining public order. But their responsibilities extend far beyond everyday policing. HPOL is a crucial player in Greece’s emergency response system, mobilizing rapidly during natural disasters like earthquakes and wildfires to help evacuate people and save lives.

In keeping with this vital role, HPOL is actively participating in the PANTHEON Project, a major initiative under the Horizon 2020 program. Their focus? Enhancing preparedness and response capabilities during large-scale emergencies in urban environments.

Disaster Response Gets Real: September 2025 Pilot Scenarios in Athens

As part of PANTHEON, HPOL took the lead in designing and conducting two final pilot scenarios—simulations of an earthquake and a wildfire—which took place in Athens from 15 to 18 September 2025. These exercises tested  law enforcement’s ability to operate under real-life emergency conditions in a sprawling metropolitan setting.

Why these scenarios? Because large cities, with their dense populations and diverse communities, present unique challenges for emergency responders. From coordinating evacuations to engaging a broad and often underrepresented public, urban disaster response is complex and unpredictable.

The Challenge of Community Engagement

Involving the community in emergency drills is easier said than done. HPOL knows this all too well. In big cities, “the community” isn’t a single, unified group, it’s a patchwork of backgrounds, languages, and needs. This diversity makes it hard to ensure that training exercises reflect real-world dynamics.

Still, HPOL pushes for interdisciplinary exercises, bringing in multiple stakeholders, from emergency services and local authorities to volunteers and citizen groups. But even then, truly representative participation remains a major challenge.

Learning from the Fires: Real Experience, Real Lessons

HPOL’s recent experience with wildfires has highlighted just how critical community involvement can be. In chaotic conditions, it can be hard to know where help is needed most. During past fires, local residents and volunteers stepped in to guide police toward trapped individuals and isolated neighborhoods.

As one HPOL officer put it, “It’s about making sure nobody is left behind, nobody is left trapped in a house… because it’s a very difficult situation.” This collaborative approach saved lives and now it’s being built into their training philosophy.

Designing for Reality: The HPOL Role in PANTHEON

As an end-user partner in the PANTHEON project, HPOL is responsible for shaping the workshop content, including the structure of the scenarios, task lists, and interactions with the simulation system. The goal is to simulate real-life conditions and prepare officers for on-the-ground deployment when disaster strikes.

Each scenario will mimic a full-scale emergency response in Athens, testing how well officers can coordinate evacuation efforts, manage emergency calls, and deploy resources—vehicles, mobile units, and personnel—efficiently across the city.

But this isn’t just about training. These pilots also serve as a testing ground to rethink and refine existing response strategies. With insights from the exercises, HPOL hopes to optimize their disaster response plans and improve coordination across all emergency services.

A Smarter Future with PANTHEON

The PANTHEON system itself will play a key role in the simulations, serving as a high-tech tool to support decision-making during emergencies. By modeling real-world conditions and offering dynamic feedback, the system will help HPOL officers train more effectively and ultimately respond more efficiently when lives are on the line.

As natural disasters become more frequent and cities continue to grow, initiatives like PANTHEON are more important than ever. Through collaboration, training, and innovation, the Hellenic Police are making sure they’re ready for whatever comes next.