It is a great pleasure to be with you today to welcome the launch of Fire Safety Week.
It is of great importance that organizations such as CNP Insurance support initiatives that help create awareness so that the dreams of a life do not turn to ashes. For this I would particularly like to thank the President, the General Manager and the entire CNP team who work and consistently support the efforts of the Cyprus Fire Service in this direction. Practically demonstrating the social responsibility policy that characterizes the organization.
This week has been established as the Fire Service's annual fire protection awareness campaign.
Our aim, again this year, is to raise public awareness of the dangers of fires, both in urban areas and in the countryside.
Respect for human life, protection of our property and care for the protection of nature from the disastrous consequences of fires is the responsibility of all of us.
The Government, since taking office, has been actively strengthening the fire safety sector of the country, both by promoting political decisions and measures and by continuously evaluating the fire prevention and extinguishing system.
Last year's devastating fire in the mountain communities of Larnaca and Limassol Province led to the immediate adoption of a package of measures aimed at further enhancing operational preparedness for fire response.
Among these, was the commissioning of a special committee to prepare a detailed study for the introduction of a holistic Surveillance System and other modern technologies.
Specifically, the installation and operation of this system will provide the ability and capability to monitor and acquire real-time images of the prevailing situation during the occurrence and development of a fire. It will help to improve the coordination of all the services involved in the response to a fire.
The study has been completed and includes the implementation of the system in two phases. Our aim is that the first phase, which involves the purchase of equipment and services at a total cost of over 4,000,000 euros, will be available to the Fire Brigade before the high risk period.
It is now in Parliament and the debate on the bill aimed at strengthening protection, training, coordination and accident prevention for our volunteer firefighters has begun.
At the same time, just last September, the law by which the Fire Service became autonomous came into force, which was one of the priorities of the President's Governance Programme.
The autonomy of the Fire Service is expected to give further impetus to the fulfilment of its mission and strategic objectives. By operating autonomously, it becomes more functional, flexible and effective in its multidimensional role.
Taking into account the needs that have been created, the firefighting infrastructure is constantly being strengthened and the construction of new Fire Stations, both in urban areas and in the countryside, is being promoted, while the upgrading of others is also being promoted.
At the same time, the process of constructing a heliport in Linou, a project that will contribute to search, rescue and aerial firefighting operations in the wider Troodos area, has been launched.
At the same time, we are in the process of creating a significant number of new posts within the next Fire Service budget for 2023.
Dear friends,
Despite the efforts of the organised state and organisations such as the CNP, protection against fires remains everyone's business.
Means and planning by the competent services are not enough.
I urge all citizens to be particularly careful, especially during the summer months, when lighting fires for any reason is prohibited.
At the same time, we urge you to become involved in this great effort and where smoke or fire is detected, report it immediately by calling 112 or 1407.
The cost of the fires last July was enormous. It cost the lives of four of our fellow human beings and the losses were incalculable for the environment.
In fact, last summer the estimated cost of urban fires alone amounted to 11 million and forest fires to 18.6 million, with huge damage to the economy and the lives of all of us.
The message is therefore clear. We must join forces to achieve the best possible results both in prevention and in the fight against fire.
So as we launch Fire Safety Week, I call on everyone to work and cooperate to protect our country from the nightmare of fires.
Thank you.
(BG/SX)
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