An announcement is expected on the suspension of heavy vehicle traffic – It is considered necessary to supply anti-skid chains for all drivers.
With the bad weather “Barbara” having already made its appearance in some areas of Greece, the state apparatus has been put on full alert. On Saturday morning, a coordination meeting was held at the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
The meeting, chaired by Minister Takis Theodorikakos, was attended by the Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection, Eleftherios Oikonomou, the General Secretary of Public Order, Michael Karamalakis, the Chief of the Greek Police, Lieutenant General Konstantinos Skoumas and relevant officials. It is noted that the competent police services are in full operational readiness, in order to support the planning of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection to deal with problems that may arise from the bad weather “Barbara”.
The press representative of the Fire Brigade, Ioannis Artofio said that in the next period warning messages will be sent from 112 to the citizens located in Evia, Northern Sporades, Magnesia, Boeotia and Attica.
At the same time, heavy vehicle traffic is prohibited and the supply of anti-skid chains is also deemed necessary for all drivers.
“We repeat the strong recommendation, take self-protection measures and limit our movements to the absolutely necessary,” said the Fire Department’s press representative. “The goal is to deal immediately with any problem that arises,” he also noted.
The municipalities of Attica are on alert
The municipalities have already put their entire machinery, services and Civil Protection forces on alert, in order to intervene where needed and provide assistance where requested.
Snow plows and salt shakers will be on hand to help immediately in the event of snowfall. Extensive cleaning of wells and streams is already underway in most areas.
The municipalities’ immediate priorities were to procure a sufficient amount of salt, which they also make available to citizens, especially in the regions of the prefecture where the phenomena are expected to be more intense.
In all the municipalities of Attica, heated areas will be operating, for the protection from snow and cold for anyone in need and for as long as the bad weather and low temperatures last. Announcements have been issued by the mayors about the security measures, with advice and instructions to the citizens and telephone lines have been opened to provide help, instructions and information.
Finally, the municipalities as a whole postponed the various actions with the participation of citizens and any events they had planned for tomorrow Sunday.
The municipality of Athens is ready
In a broad meeting held on Friday afternoon under the Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis, the detailed planning of the municipality for the coming days was drawn up: It focuses on protecting vulnerable peoplewho are either on the street (homeless, drug addicts), or need help at home, but also in the effort to keep the central roads open for unhindered access to hospitals, health centers and other critical – for the functioning of the state – infrastructures.
Snow plows in the neighborhoods
During the bad weather, in all seven municipal communities of the Municipality of Athens, snow removal machines and workers will be in key places, in order to deal with any problems in the neighborhoods of the city. Special emphasis, according to the planning, is given to the points where in previous corresponding weather conditions the biggest problems were presented, such as in Ano Kypseli, Polygono, Gyzi, Lykavittos etc.
The Directorate of Roads, Sewerage and Public Areas and the Directorate of Cleanliness, already have at their disposal – in order to deal with phenomena of heavy snowfall and extreme frost – heavy snow plows, 4×4 equipped with salt shakers, JcB type loaders, as well as bobcats.
Heavy snow removal vehicles and salt shakers will be on full readiness in central parts of the city, while the smaller ones will operate where necessary.
Measures from the Directorate of Green and Electricity
The vehicles and staff of the Green and Electrical Department will also be on hand to intervene in cases of falling trees or damage to the city’s lighting network.
Also, on Metro entrancesand wherever else necessary, the crews of the Cleaning Department will pour the necessary amounts of salt, in order to deal with frost phenomena.
At the same time, the Street Work units of the Reception and Solidarity Center of the Municipality of Athens (K.Y.A.D.A.) consisting of two social workers and a nurse, will operate throughout the day and night.
In particular, the interdisciplinary teams of field interventions with six shifts (from 06.00-14.00, 14.00-22.00, 22.00-06.00) will be on the streets of the city, urging our homeless fellow citizens to find a warm bed in the Dormitory of the Municipality’s Multipurpose Homeless Center .
At the same time, they will distribute blankets, jackets, hot tea, raisins, toast and full meals, offering full assistance to those who find it difficult to move to the heated areas.
The call center of the Reception and Solidarity Center of the Municipality of Athens will be in 24-hour operation (210-5246515), in order to receive telephone reports from citizens about places where there are homeless people who need help. Calls for corresponding reports can also be made to the four-digit contact number of the Municipality of Athens, 1595. For the immediate identification of the homeless, it is necessary for every citizen who calls the municipality’s call center to provide as much information as possible that will help the Street teams Work to intervene and help him protect himself from the cold.
Early on Sunday morning, a heated room will be opened at the Botanic Friendship Club (Kozanis 4), where our vulnerable fellow human beings can be accommodated. If there is an increased need to accommodate our homeless people who wish to be temporarily protected from the cold, but do not want to go to other structures, such as the Multipurpose Center for the Homeless, an additional space will be allocated.
The “Help at Home” program is further strengthened
Elderly people, people who live alone, as well as people with disabilities and with mobility difficulties can turn to the “Help at Home” service, every day from 8:00-20:00 for the supply of necessary goods, medicines and basic necessities. Requests can be submitted to the telephone line: 2103428745.
24-hour patrols by the Municipal Police
The Municipal Police also operates with all its strength, with a 24-hour presence in the center and the neighborhoods of the city. The municipal police officers will patrol the administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Athens, in order to inform about any problems in the center and the neighborhoods of the capital.
The staff of the Municipal Clinics are also on alert
The staff of all six Municipal Clinics of Athens will be on hand, while a medical shift will be in place to deal with any emergencies.
Useful telephone numbers for reporting problems
The four-digit number 1595 is in operation, as well as the telephone lines 210 5277000 and 210 5287800.
Cooperation with all agencies and services of the State
The Municipality of Athens is already on an “open line” with all civil protection services involved: Region of Attica, Hellenic Police, Traffic and Fire Department, as well as with the General Secretariat of Civil Protection.
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