To 18.800 firefighters will be the total strength of the Fire Brigade for this year’s fire season, as the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Yannis Kefalogiannis, said today in an interview with the newspaper “Ta Nea”. The Minister added that the strength of the PA is increased by about 800 compared to last year.
He said that at the operational level, Attica is expected to be immediately reinforced with 150 firefighters on duty and added that a tender is underway to recruit an additional 600 firefighters, “who will be directed mainly to the Region, in order to meet increased needs.”
“At the same time, we are strengthening the scientific arm of the mechanism by recruiting 115 scientists and technical staff to contribute in critical areas such as risk analysis, data utilisation and operational support,” he said.
Regarding air assets, the minister pointed out that this year’s plan provides for the deployment of 85 aircraft and helicopters, which come from both the national fleet and from leases.
Asked whether there will be European assistance again this year, Mr. Kefalogiannis noted that a total of 286 firefighters will be deployed in Greece, coming from Moldova, the Czech Republic, Romania, France and Slovenia, as part of the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
Mr. Kefalogiannis referred to the philosophy of the recently passed “Active Battle” bill, stressing that its implementation has already begun, with the aim of “many of the interventions to be reflected in practice already from this year’s fire season”. As an indication, the Minister said that the Operational Meteorology Unit (Unit 7) is being activated in the NCCEDIC, while 37 investigative teams of the IDF are being set up across the country.
Finally, Mr. Kefalogiannis also referred to the cleaning of land plots, stressing that “a clearer and more functional framework is being established, with specific obligations for both owners and users, as well as for the competent control mechanisms, namely the municipalities and the Fire Department.”
