Medical Marine Search and Rescue

- What is it: The Medical Marine Search and Rescue (MMSR) course is a leading educational programme (3-Day Joint-Operations Masterclass) by the Cyprus Association of Emergency and Pre-hospital Care (K.S.E.P.A.) for the management and execution of rescue operations during complex coastal and offshore crises.
- Purpose & Syllabus The programme offers practical tools and frameworks for interoperability between services under the pressure of a mass casualty maritime crisis. The syllabus includes water survival and retrieval techniques, management of environmental and infectious hazards, FAST ultrasound principles, mass rescue and population migration, as well as the management of paediatric and obstetric emergencies in austere environments.
- Who is it for: The programme is aimed at leaders and professionals from multiple agencies. In particular, it targets medical and nursing staff, military, naval, and coastguard personnel, first responders (police, fire services, civil defence), as well as specialised NGOs and volunteer rescue teams.
- Cost / Tuition Fees €460 (for EKAB rescuers, Cyprus Ambulance Service and voluntary rescue teams the programme is subsidised with a registration fee of €300)
  The price includes participation in the three-day MMSR programme, lunches during the days of the programme, group transfer to official activities and exercise locations, as well as all necessary training material and access to specialised rescue equipment.

Date	Training Centre / Location
14-16/04/2027	Paralimni / Protaras

Programme Structure: The programme structure includes an intensive 3-day training experience, combining theoretical lectures, intensive skills stations and critical thinking workshops, practical water-based training and a full-scale, immersive mass casualty maritime incident simulation.
Philosophy «MMSR Interoperability Framework»: The programme is based on providing battle-tested frameworks to ensure absolute interoperability and coordination between multiple agencies. The aim is to guide health, military and rescue leaders beyond theoretical protocols, developing clinical judgment, correct triage and decision-making under the chaotic pressure of an offshore emergency.
Thematic Units (Duration 3 days)
- General Principles, International Frameworks and Legal Obligations in Search and Rescue (SAR)
- Common Maritime Rescue Problems and Operational Response Protocols
- Mobile Health Infrastructure Structure and Disaster Management in Resource-Limited Environments
- Health, Safety and Protective Measures for Frontline Rescue Teams
- Mass Rescue, Management of Population Migrations, Linguistic and Cultural Barriers
- Identification of Environmental Hazards, Risk Assessment of Extreme Weather Events and Exposure
- Prevention, Control and Management of Infectious Diseases in Mobile Populations
- Psychological First Aid and Management of Psychological Trauma for Survivors
- Management of Vulnerable/Special Groups and Dignified Management of the Deceased in Disaster Zones
Practical Training & Clinical Skills
- Primary Survey and Mass Casualty Triage Systems
- Management of Emergency Paediatric Resuscitation, Neonatal Care and Paediatric Abuse Management
- Emergency Childbirth and the Management of Obstetric Emergencies in Adverse Pre-hospital Settings
- Principles of FAST Ultrasound for the Rapid Detection of Internal Injuries and Traumas in the Field
- Practical Marine Rescue Techniques, Survival Aids and Safe Patient Retrieval/Extraction from Water
- Participation in a Full-Scale Simulation of a Maritime Accident under Extreme Pressure

Official Implementing Body Designed and implemented by the Cyprus Association for Emergency and Pre-hospital Care (C.A.E.P.C.).
Evaluation Process It includes a formal written examination (Written Test) on the third day of the programme to comprehensively assess participants’ understanding of SAR medical and operational protocols.
Validity & Practical Test: Certification requires participation in a full-scale, realistic simulation of a maritime accident involving mass casualties, in which rapid triage, extraction and coordination under extreme pressure are assessed.
Certification Range
- This is accompanied by the awarding of an official certificate (Certificate Distribution) at the closing ceremony of the Joint-Operations Masterclass.
- It demonstrates the adoption of battle-tested frameworks to ensure interoperability between multiple services.
- It serves as a valuable asset and a mark of competence for personnel in the health sector, the armed forces and the security services when managing complex offshore crises.