24/09/2023
On September 13th, 2023, at the Economist Natural Disasters Management Summit, within the 87th Thessaloniki International Fair, under the title “Protecting Lives-Building Resilience”, the Hellenic Volunteer Firefighters Association was represented by President Volunteer Fire Sergeant Serafim Tsiougkris.
The focus of the discussion was the impact of natural disasters, the reassessment of the response to them, the role of volunteers and what needs have emerged in 2023. With the participation of speakers from all over the world, the stress was on the climate crisis, the impact on the environment and human life as well as on the need for the upgrade of the civil protection of countries on the basis of cooperation and mutual support and understanding.
President Mr Tsiougkris presented the institution of Volunteer Firefighters in the Hellenic Fire Service and stressed that “It is vital that we, along with the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, have an insight into how we can increase the volunteer staff at the Hellenic Fire Service, how more Volunteer Fire Stations and Substations can be founded in areas of Greece where Fire Services are far or non-existent (for example, in many Greek islands with no fire service or remote mountainous areas) and generally to make good use of the volunteers through the increase of their numbers, contributing to the strengthening of Civil Protection in our country. Furthermore, Mr Tsiougkris stressed the necessity that the Greek state further support the constitution through actions too, adding that “our country lacks in Fire volunteerism and there are a lot of issues that require improvement for the substantial reinforcement of civil protection”.
