Following an article published in the newspaper 'Politis' dated 04.06.2022, which referred to a Firefighter, who is asked to pay because he did not deliver the metal personal numbers of his uniform, the Fire Service reports the following:
Each Firefighter, upon being hired under an Order issued by the Chief of the Department, is charged for personal equipment and clothing, which is his responsibility, with the obligation that such equipment be turned over to the Department when requested, or upon his retirement.
With the autonomy of the Fire Service, this personal equipment (metal personal registration numbers) was requested to be returned to the Police.
By his circular, the Chief Fire Marshal notified the personnel of the Fire Service of the need to return the metal personal registration numbers to the Police.
All personnel nationwide responded to the Chief Fire Marshal's instructions, except for this particular Firefighter, who stubbornly refused to hand over the equipment in question, claiming that he lost it in an incident that occurred 26 (twenty-six) years ago in Larnaca province.
We, as the Fire Service, consider that the Firefighter in question behaved outside the framework of the Laws and Regulations of the Service, as he should have declared immediately after the incident, the loss of the equipment in question to his superiors, as well as the circumstances under which he lost it, and not after 26 years, when he was requested to hand it over. In addition, during the 26 years, the member in question was obliged to declare the loss of the equipment in question during the clothing and harness inspections, which are also carried out on the basis of a specific Order, at least twice a year.
The Directorate of the Fire Service receives daily, through the Districts, requests from its members for damage or loss of their charged personal equipment and in no case leaves its personnel unsatisfied, provided that there is sufficient justification.
Although the Firefighter in question has apologised to the Fire Service Directorate, we consider his initiative to publish a purely internal matter of the Fire Service as frivolous, referring also to the Minister of Justice and Public Order, who is not involved in such service matters, which could be managed internally by the Fire Service Directorate. In addition, his reference to the heroes of Mari, scratching wounds on such a sensitive issue and identifying the loss of his personal equipment with individuals who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, is also considered frivolous and unacceptable.
[*]The Fire Service, as a Disciplined Security Corps, always stands by the citizen and proudly by its members, who are exemplary and respect and adhere to the principles and institutions of the Service and does not allow anyone to tarnish its name. In view of the above, instructions were given by the Chief Rear Admiral for preparation of incident reports by the members concerned and submission of the same to the Director Command.
(MB/EXP)
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