The Military Emergency Unit (UME) is a joint military unit, organized on a permanent basis, thought to be able to act in every part of Spain, in order to assure the safety and welfare of its citizens, as well as all the State Institutions and the Public Administration, in all the events that may cause extreme risk, catastrophe, calamity or any other public needs, as it is established in the Law 5/2005, 17^th November, concerning National Defence and the current legislation.

It was created in October 2005, and it was developed with the aim of improving the State response in emergency situations. Nowadays, it has become the first unit of the Armed Forces to contribute in all these circumstances.