A meeting under the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Evangelos Tournas, in the presence of the Deputy Chief of the Fire Brigade Nikolaos Roumeliotis, was held today in the presence of all the involved agencies in Heraklion on the subject of more effective cooperation and coordination in view of the upcoming fire fighting season.

As Mr. Tournas stated, the cooperation with the co-competent bodies such as the Regions, the Municipalities, the armed forces and the security bodies is important, adding that the goal is “to prepare, to deal with the effects of the climate crisis”.

In fact, Evangelos Tournas pointed out that “the climate crisis has overtaken us” and that “we need to speed up in order to prepare in the best possible way”, adding that “the goal this year is to strengthen the Fire Brigade with more aerial means but and staff” and announcing, among other things, the recruitment of 650 forest commandos and 50 graduates. “With more aerial means and personnel, we will try to be earlier and closer to the fire when it starts, so that we can catch it in the first year” pointed out the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.

The Deputy Chief of the Fire Brigade stated that the focus of interest has been on “both the strengthening and readiness of the Fire Services, as well as the cooperation we have and will have with the rest of the agencies so that we can have a very good result and be safe the citizens but also the visitors of the island”.

That this year’s planning has started earlier, pointed out the North, South Aegean and Crete Operations Coordinator George Tsikalas, who added that “in recent years, the tools we have have increased much more” and that the goal is “to have the best possible result while, finally, the regional governor of Crete, Stavros Arnautakis, who participated in the meeting, thanked for the excellent cooperation he described, clarifying that “we had an excellent year in 2023, we must have the same in the new year” and that all Municipalities must be activated but also the voluntary organizations “so that we can have the best result”, adding that the Region of Crete for its part supports and will support the fire services either with equipment or in any other way it can. Immediately after the meeting, Mr. Tournas visited Fire Services in Heraklion and Lasithi.