2024-04-27 17:57:39
The Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilias spoke about the large number of fires that occur every day while we still have Spring, the battles that the firefighters are fighting in the coming fire fighting season, about the AEGIS equipment program, but also about the new doctrine of the Fire Brigade in an interview he gave to the TV station “SKAI”.
As Vassilis Kikilias pointed out, “we will have a very difficult fire fighting period. The day before yesterday we faced 70 fires, the day we had the fire in Ierapetra we had 121 fires within 12 hours and one escaped. Are these guys heroes? For me, our firefighters are heroes”.
“The people, the volunteers, our fellow citizens, the many Greeks who love their homeland should call 199 or 112”
He also emphasized that the climate crisis is beyond human powers even in strong economies, as was proven, according to him, recently with the catastrophic floods in Dubai, where 1/5 of Daniel’s water fell in Thessaly.
With reference to the preparation that has been made for the upcoming fire season, the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection spoke about “the several kilometer long fire zones that are being opened for the first time after 50 years in forests and peri-urban areas by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, DEDDIE and ADMIE “, but also for, as he said, “the new doctrine of the Fire Brigade which focuses, among other things, on the immediate intervention of aerial means at the start of the fire, before it spreads and reaches uncontrollable dimensions, as well as on the doubling of forest command units with an emphasis on airborne ones” .
“It’s a battle we all fight together”
Finally, Vassilis Kikilias underlined the importance of the citizens’ conscientiousness and awareness for the protection of forests, property and above all human life.
“From 2025, very important commissions will start coming from AEGIS – we have announced 1.5 billion projects within 9 months – which will be a dowry for the next generations. Aircraft, helicopters, drones, weather stations, radar, 1,100 fire engines. This year prevention, treatment, new doctrine and recruitment of all citizens. The people, the volunteers, our fellow citizens, the many Greeks who love their country, to call 199 or 112 if they see a fire starting, to take care of and weed their plot, to talk to and hypnotize an unconscious who risks in a community the lives of all his fellow citizens. It is a battle that we are all fighting together,” said Vassilis Kikilias.