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- Ελληνικά
It is with great pleasure that I welcome today's forest firefighting exercise called "IFAISTOS 2024"
It is well known that adequate preparation, enhanced professional training of personnel and increased operational readiness is a strategic investment against environmental threats. Exercise "EFAISTOS highlights our commitment to enhance the response capacity of the fire management system, ensuring an integrated and coordinated effort in fire response and suppression.
Today's exercise, coordinated by the Department of Forestry, involves the participation of all departments and agencies involved in fire protection and operating in actual forest fire conditions. The main objective of the exercise is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Special National Plan "EFAISTOS" for suppression of large forest fires, to upgrade the operational readiness and effectiveness of personnel and to optimize the cooperation of all actors involved in forest firefighting.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are already in the period of high fire risk and all state agencies involved are at their maximum operational readiness. As the Government, we have supported this effort with determination and political will, doing everything possible to ensure that this summer finds us ready, but also to provide a definitive solution to long-standing problems, such as understaffing and the absence of privately owned aircraft. But we know that no matter what decisions we make, the most critical, the most important act in responding to fires is not having a fire, which is impossible to control. That is why we focus both on proper information and on improving our response time, so that we can be on the scene of fires in time and in coordination to have as few casualties as possible.
Dear Friends,
We know, of course, that such a complex issue as forest fire management constantly requires new planning and implementation of new measures. To this end, we are focusing on a coordinated and integrated approach, promoting the creation of an effective roadmap for forest fire protection. We support and strengthen the agencies involved, with human resources, firefighting equipment and infrastructure, and by making use of technology.
Increasing the resilience of natural landscapes to fires relies on smart land use planning and natural resource management practices. In resilient landscapes, smart land use and land cover designs for fire management minimize the risk of ignition and fire spread and facilitate post-fire restoration. It is for this reason that we have begun surveying and identifying suitable land around the perimeters of various areas, with a focus on forested communities. Our emphasis is to develop green firebreaks through a protective cordon around the communities. The green firebreaks will be developed using plant species that are less fire friendly and reduce the risk of fire spread. Trees such as oaks, trembles, carob trees, almond trees, fruit trees will be utilized to act as natural barriers that will limit the spread of fire, while at the same time enhancing the protection of forested communities.
In the same context, the abandonment of the countryside has resulted in an excessive increase in biomass, which in turn significantly increases the risk of fire. Further support for non-abandonment of land in the countryside and the reduction of biomass through controlled grazing are some of the ways we are considering to start implementing in Cyprus.
I am in close communication and coordination with all my fellow Ministers, their Departments and Services, with a view to taking additional measures where necessary. At the same time, the Republic of Cyprus is taking advantage of partnerships, both at the level of the European Union and with neighbouring states, particularly in the field of aerial firefighting. A simple example is the presence in Cyprus since 5 May of two fire-fighting helicopters and their 18-member crew from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, following the immediate and positive response to the call we made to our neighbouring country to strengthen our operational capabilities in aerial fire-fighting.
Dear Colleagues,
In a very short time we will be attending the exercise "HEFAISTOS 2024", in which all the Services and Agencies provided for in the Special National Plan of the same name are participating. This includes the tasks of each Agency involved, analyses the actions and defines the actions to be taken at the time of the real crisis. According to the scenario of today's exercise, the operational stages of responding to a forest fire that develops into a crisis will be followed, starting from the announcement of the fire, the gradual development of the operational planning, up to its complete extinguishing.
I could not fail to mention the people on the front line. The Forestry Officers, the forest firefighters, the firefighters, the airmen as well as the volunteers. It is not a cliché. It is the reality. They are the unsung heroes with the bloody hands, the red eyes from the smoke, the worry of the family at home waiting, the torn clothes, the overworked body that will be thrown, sadly, into the firestorm again this year. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their courage and self-sacrifice, we owe them our respect, we owe it to them to do our duty as citizens.
I want to assure you that the Government of Nikos Christodoulides is always by your side, supporting your every effort to protect our forests and our natural environment from fire. The problems you face, such as understaffing, the need for reinforcement in equipment, etc,
I would like to take this opportunity to express my warmest thanks to all the participants in the exercise and their services and I invite you to renew our commitment to cooperation, coordination and efficiency in the difficult task that awaits us this summer.
At this point, please allow me to address in English the distinguished colleagues and guests from Jordan, the United Nations and the British Bases.
Honourable friends from Jordan. I take this opportunity to express the gratitude and sincere appreciation of the Republic of Cyprus to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and to the Royal Jordanian Air Force, for the immediate response to our request for the reinforcement of the aerial firefighting capabilities of the Republic of Cyprus. The presence of the Jordanian mission in Cyprus since the 6th of May, with two firefighting helicopters and 18 crew members proves the depth of our bilateral cooperation and our shared commitment to address common challenges and objectives.
Distinguished guests from the British Sovereign Base Areas and the United Nations, I would like to thank you for attending today's firefighting exercise and to express my deepest gratitude for your valuable and continuous cooperation and support, during every fire season. We look forward to your collaboration and assistance in the fields of fire prevention and suppression of forest fires, with the aim to protect the forests and the natural environment.
Dear friends,
In closing, let me once again express my thanks and my undivided appreciation to all those involved in forest firefighting for the important work you do. Good luck to the participants of the exercise "IFAISTOS 2024" and congratulations to the organisers.
Thank you.
(EFYs/EP/EATH)
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