Hellenic Rescue Team of Attica

Organizational Overview

The Hellenic Rescue Team of Attica (HRTA) is an officially recognized non-profit volunteer rescue organization, founded in 1999 and registered under the General Secretariat for Civil Protection (Registry No. 12/2001). Our mission is to provide immediate assistance during emergencies and disasters, both natural and man-made, on land and water. The team includes highly trained volunteers with international certifications, collaborating with governmental and non-governmental agencies in Greece and abroad. We currently count over 1,000 registered members, of whom around 300 are active.

Core Activities

Emergency response and disaster relief
• Search and rescue operations on land and in aquatic environments
• Humanitarian aid domestically and internationally
• Public safety awareness and disaster prevention programs

Water Rescue Division (Public Safety Diving)

Our Water Operations Division (WOD) specializes in search, rescue, and recovery in aquatic environments, including swiftwater rescue and flood response. The team also performs underwater search and recovery in collaboration with the Hellenic Coast Guard and national coordination centers. We have developed a dedicated Public Safety Diving Unit of 16 divers certified by internationally recognized bodies (PADI, DRI, EOYDA), equipped to operate in zero-visibility, confined or contaminated waters.

In total, HRTA has 40 divers trained across multiple specialties, including:

• 16 Public Safety Divers
• 4 Scientific Divers
• 6 Technical Divers (up to -65m)
• 12 Night Divers
• 16 certified in Full-Face Mask and Dry Suit use
• 8 Dive Masters and 5 Instructors
• 10 First Aid Instructors and 6 Rescue 3 swiftwater rescuers

Each diver has personally funded over €3,000 in certifications and more than €2,500 for their individual equipment. All training and equipment costs are offered voluntarily as a donation to support HRTA’s mission.

Notable operations include evacuations during the 2018 wildfires in Mati, flood response in Mandra (Nov 2017 with 20 victims) and Thessaly (Sep 2023), and multiple missing person underwater recovery missions.

Additional Divisions

Disaster Response Division: Active in earthquakes, wildfires, and large-scale disasters
Mountain Rescue Division: Specializes in searches and victim recovery in remote or mountainous terrain
First Aid Division: Provides certified pre-hospital emergency care in collaboration with EMS
Telecommunications: Manages real-time communications and coordination during all operations

HRTA operates its own training center in Afidnes, conducting realistic emergency response drills for all divisions. This facility enhances readiness and ensures a rapid, organized response to any incident.