In hiring 2,500 seasonal firefighters to reinforce the Fire Brigade With the necessary staff, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection is proceeding, following the adoption of the provisions incorporated into the bill of the Ministry of Civil Protection for the restructuring of ELAS.

The provisions were suggested by the Deputy Minister of State, Evangelos Tournaswho informed that the two months of recruitment of seasonal firefighters was being completed: Until last year the recruitment was made (during the firefighting season) from May 1st to October 31st, while with the new provision, seasonal firefighters will be hired from April 1st to November 30th.

With another arrangement, the age limit of drivers increases from 45 years to 50 years and renewed the five -year term of five -year firefighters. Specifically, according to Law 3938/2011, which initially recruited the four thousand seasonal firefighters and then became a five -year firefighters, it was true that at the end of the five -year period they could renew the term of office for five additional years, if they met the criteria. So for those who complete their five years, and specifically on April 12, 2025, and will be considered appropriate by the relevant councils, they will be renewed for an additional five years or will remain in the body.

In addition, for those who meet the criterion of Law 3938/2011, that is, in the age of forty, they have acquired a high school diploma, they will be fixed since February 1, 2026. Similarly, in advance, Mr. Tournas informed that they are – 3938/2011, in January 2026, and, if considered appropriate by the relevant councils, will renew their term of office for five additional years. And those who meet the criterion of the forty year of the age and the High School diploma will be able to be fixed on February 1, 2027.

According to another provision, an amendment is introduced for the 2,500 seasonal firefighters, as approved by a corresponding PC, that we will be able to hire them specifically for 2025 from 1 May until the end of December, so that they will complete the eight -month duration. All of them are projected to have the right to renew their contracts from 1 April to 30 November for the next five years.

Finally, a provision for forestry and special forest firms units is amended and the recruitment of 300 additional forestry and 300 firefighters of forest firms – of which 290 are combatants and ten are scientific staff – will be created – in addition to the 16th and 16th, the 20 units of forest business.

“With these four provisions, we are given the opportunity to continue a strategic planning we started three years ago to strengthen the Fire Brigade, which is the main operational arm of Civil Protection, and we are given the opportunity to obtain additional staff. For the first time this year we will reach 15,500 permanent staff at the Fire Department, and along with seasonal firefighters we will reach 18,000 people. It’s a potential we never had. And we don’t stop there. We will continue in the coming years, so that we really have a Fire Brigade even stronger, even stronger. And together with the programs for enhancing the mechanism of natural disasters and the Aegean program, we acquire the necessary logistical equipment and move on to both directions to enhance the mechanism in both human resources and means, “the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection said.

Mr. Tournas, answering opposition questions about the reasons why the government does not legalize the seasonal firefighters, explained that in order to recruit the Armed Forces, the Security Forces and everywhere and to be permanent, he must pass by Pan -Hellenic examinations. “We have the permanent, which we hire through the Fire Department’s productive schools, the officers and the firefighters. We have managed in recent years, in consultation with both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior, and we have more than doubled this number. Five years ago we took about 160 people in total. This year we will get 330 in our productive schools. So, this is the way, through the Panhellenic, to get the permanent, “Mr Tournas said.

In terms of scoring permanently, the Deputy Secretary of State informed that all scoring should be reset and recruitment through ASEP procedures should be resolved. But, as he explained: “Because we cannot do this and because we increase the Fire Brigade, I will tell you that until three years ago the Fire Department had 13,000,000 people. This year, with the recruitment we make per year – which replenish the retirements, redundancies, retirements – with the extra we hire, we will reach 15,500. “

“We will continue in a strategic planning in the coming years. And of course, because seasonality is seasonality, so we go and hire the seasonal, for which we increase the age limits, in terms of drivers from 45 years to 50, and their stay is increasing from six to eight months, “Mr Tournas concluded.