The Emergency and Security Coordination Center (CECOES 112) of the Government of the Canary Islands received a commendation this week from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Dr. Fernando Guillén, the agency's representative in Macaronesia, visited the facilities to express gratitude for the Canarian service's involvement in the Artemis lunar project.
This recognition follows a visit by a US delegation last April, aimed at assessing the archipelago's emergency management capabilities. NASA identified the strategic Atlantic location of the Canary Islands as crucial for its lunar exploration program.
The Vice-Minister of Emergencies and Water, Marcos Lorenzo, along with the Director General of Emergencies, Fernando Figuereo, the Director of 112 Canarias, Moisés Sánchez, and the Head of Civil Protection and Emergency Response, Montse Román, accepted the token of appreciation. They conveyed the gratitude of all CECOES 112 Canarias staff to the NASA representative.
Marcos Lorenzo described the US delegation's visit as a "milestone," emphasizing the acknowledgment of the 112 professionals' work. Fernando Figuereo, in turn, highlighted the importance of coordination for effectiveness and affirmed their readiness to further enhance the ongoing collaboration.
During the April visit, representatives from the Government of the Canary Islands presented the NASA team, including the Director of Health and Medical Affairs, James Polk, with details on the regional emergency system's technical and human resources, as well as the operational procedures of the 112 control room. James Polk praised Canarias's coordination capacity, noting that the initiative aimed not only to protect the spacecraft's crew but also to ensure the safety of any vessels near the splashdown zone.
