In 2018, the Emergency Military Unit passed the certification process of the Water Search and Rescue (WSAR) module of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

The process began with the visit of EU experts on February 14 and 15. After passing a drill exercise between February 17 and 21 in Slovenia, the UME team participated in March in the practical and last phase of the PieMODEX 2018 exercise, in Alessandria (Italy). The exercise simulated the request for international aid by a fictitious country after suffering severe flooding. This request tested the availability of the participants, who began their journey to the affected area in less than 12 hours.

56 members of UME participated in this exercise, departing from the Jaime I base in Bétera (Valencia), headquarters of the 3^rd emergency response battalion (BIEM III), accompanied by 13 light vehicles, three trucks, three boats, two fire trucks, and four dogs. During the drill, the Spanish military trained in search and rescue missions in several rivers, a lake, and a dam.

In October 2023, UME updated the WSAR certification by the European Protection Pool (ECPP), which expires on December 10, 2028.

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