Filenews 13 April 2023
Earlier this year, the Department of Forests will have at its disposal the leased firefighting aircraft, provided that they pass the checks of the Reception Committee, which was recently appointed by the Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture. While last year the aerial firefighting means came around the end of May, this year they will be available on May 1st, which ensures adequacy from the beginning of the fire season. As the director of the Department of Forests, Charalambos Alexandrou, told "F", two leased helicopters and two aircraft arrive in Cyprus, with the result that, along with those already available to the Department, the means of flight amount to eight, which is the same as last year. A small firefighting aircraft is decommissioned due to repair.
To examine whether these means meet the technical specifications, a six-member Reception Committee has already been appointed by the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Andreas Gregoriou, which will pass them through a sieve. Both their accompanying documents and their specifications will be examined to determine whether they comply with those provided for in their lease agreement. If the Commission gives the green light, then the means will be ready to be put under the general coordinator's plan to respond to any fires.
According to Mr. Alexandrou, based on the plans for the purchase of volatile firefighting means, our country will be ready in 2025. Despite the shortages in means and personnel, he said, we will be ready to respond to any incidents. "We have the technology and the professional level to respond quickly to the point of a fire," said the director of the Department of Forests. In the meantime, the Council of Ministers yesterday handed over broad powers to eliminate misunderstanding or lack of coordination between the services involved, to the Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, who was appointed as the responsible coordinator.
As stated by the Government Spokesman, Konstantinos Letympiotis, "in view of the upcoming dangerous summer season, it is imperative that all involved state services and local authorities intensify, on the one hand, to take preventive measures to avoid the possibility of fires and, on the other hand, to ensure full preparedness for their effective response".
The involved ministries of agriculture, justice, interior and defence have prepared specific action plans which are implemented on a case-by-case basis, the spokesman added, stressing that the aim is to promote holistic planning. According to the decision of the Minister, the Coordinator will be assigned the responsibility to mobilize the national fire extinguishing system. Especially:
It will be able to mobilise aircraft on the basis of national crisis management plans, regardless of the Service they belong to.
It will have the general command regarding the dispersion, movement and disposition of forces during firefighting, regardless of the Service they belong to.
It will indicate the point in time at which the European Civil Protection Mechanism or intergovernmental agreements should be activated.
In case a fire incident requires the creation of a crisis management staff, either locally or centrally, to have the operational command.
