This weekend, HWFRS are contributing to an NFCC initiative to deliver kit and equipment safely and quickly to Ukraine to support the Ukrainian Fire & Rescue Service’s response to the emerging crisis.
Two Service volunteers are driving the fully packed vans to the UK collection point, containing a wide range of equipment that the Service is donating.
The equipment includes personal protection equipment, filters for respiratory protection equipment, ventilation fans, scoop stretchers and chemical protection suits.
Next week, following Government approval, the Service will be donating a fire appliance which will form part of the convoy being driven to Poland.
The deployment of these donations is being supported by funding from the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and others and coordinated by the UK charity Fire Aid.
When it reaches Ukraine, the equipment will be used to support firefighters, emergency services and volunteers who are battling together on the front line, dealing daily with fires and other emergencies to protect lives, people and property as the invasion devastates the country.
Area Commander Jon Butlin, the Service’s Assistant Director – Response, said:
“This is an extremely worthy cause for the Service to be supporting, and I would like to thank everyone who has volunteered to drive the equipment to the collection point this weekend, and those that have assisted in prepping the equipment and the appliance at high speed to get it ready in time.”