We are at the beginning of the fire season and with a major disaster fire to have already burned the Gerania Mountains, yet the government has not said a word about what will happen to the seasonal firefighting crews in the region that has been ravaged by fires time and again Laconia Prefecture, the required personal protective equipment—in particular, the necessary firefighting helmets—nor even the days off and leave of the firefighting personnel or their financial compensation.
For this reason, the Stavros Arachovitis, Member of Parliament for Laconia from SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance, On the 14th of the month, he visited the Gythio Fire Department, and on Monday, May 24, the Sparta Fire Department; he also submitted a related question to the Minister of Citizen Protection. In 2021, it is unacceptable to have firefighters treated as second- and third-class citizens, at least as far as personal protective equipment and overtime pay are concerned.
It is also urgent to answer the questions regarding the fire protection projects in the prefecture—particularly in areas where forests and settlements intermingle (e.g., Akoumaros, Gythio), but also in the clearing of agricultural and forest roads and plots of land—as well as regarding why other areas of the country, including the Prefecture of Laconia, and in particular the Municipality of East Mani, were not included in Decision No. 3771/May 10, 2021, issued by the Secretary General of Civil Protection regarding a state of special civil protection mobilization, following the major forest fire that broke out on August 22, 2020.
Below is the full text of the Question:
Athens, May 24, 2021
QUESTION
To the Minister of Citizen Protection
TOPIC: «This year’s fire prevention season in the Prefecture of Laconia also begins with unresolved problems»
Firefighters with the Laconia Regional Unit are particularly concerned this year as well, since, for yet another year, the wildfire season is beginning with many problems that, unfortunately, remain unresolved. The major fire in Corinthia highlights these problems in the most dramatic way possible. Since last year, a decision has been issued to establish seasonal firefighting units (without prior consultation regarding their purpose and mode of operation), three of which are in the Regional Unit of Laconia (Krokees, Evrotas; Arna in Sparta, and Elafonisos), as well as one on the island of Kythira in the Regional Unit of the Islands, which operates under the jurisdiction of the Laconia Fire Department/Gythio Fire Station. Unfortunately, of the aforementioned units, only the one in the Municipality of Eurotas, based in Krokees, has been commissioned and has been operational since last year’s fire season. The volunteer stations in Myrtia, in the Municipality of Eurotas—established in 2013—and in Petrina, in the Municipality of Eastern Mani—established in 2017—are operating satisfactorily and providingsubstantial firefighting services with the participation of many commendable volunteers and dedicated members of the Fire Service.
The year 2018 was a landmark year for staffing the Fire Department and standardizing working conditions among employees. It was the year in which firefighters serving five-year terms were granted permanent status, their work obligations and rights were brought into line, and their long-standing, peculiar state of limbo came to an end. In 2019 and 2020, a sufficient number of seasonal firefighters were hired on fixed-term contracts, and they were provided with personal protective equipment to ensure their safety while on the job and during a potential wildfire. Unfortunately, however, as it turns out, the personal protective equipment provided—and in particular the
These helmets do not meet the same specifications as those provided by the Service to permanent firefighters for forest and rural fire incidents.
The entire staff of the Laconia Fire Department is also frustrated by the fact that the Corps’ political and operational leadership is not taking any initiative to addressresolve a long-standing problem—namely, the daily rest periods owed to employees as well as leave from previous years— a fact that highlights the physical fatigue and psychological exhaustion of the employees of an agency that faces extreme dangers on a daily basis in order to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens. Despite the fact that substantial funds have been allocated to meet the needs of Civil Protection—including equipment, infrastructure, transportation, and other resources, as well as for the Civil Protection Service’s vehicle fleet, no financial compensation of any kind has been granted to firefighting personnel, not even to settle the aforementioned outstanding debts.
The General Secretariat for Public Policy, in its document No. 8797/06-12-2019, addressed to the entire government apparatus, sent the 4th Edition of the General Plan for Responding to Forest Fire Emergencies, with the’IOLAOS,“ as part of the general plan ”Xenokrates,“ an otherwise significant effort to promote interagency coordination and cooperation among the agencies that support the Fire Service’s mission to protect our country’s forest resources. The ”IOLAOS“ plan outlines a wide range of responsibilities for the agencies involved in the aforementioned actions, including the drafting of a relevant emergency response plan for forest fires at the regional and municipal levels, subject to approval by the relevant councils (regional and municipal), which will be deemed immediately enforceable.
Every year, as part of the fire protection efforts for municipalities across the country, the Ministry of the Interior allocates funds for projects related to fire protection measures. Municipalities are required to allocate these funds exclusively for fire protection measures, in consultation with the Fire and Forestry Services, and must immediately notify the relevant Directorates of the Decentralized Administrations of the related projects and actions.
By DECISION No. 3771/May 10, 2021, of the General General Secretariat of Civil Protection, a state of special civil protection mobilization was declared pursuant to Article 26 of Law 4662/2020 for eleven (11) regions of Attica were placed under a state of special civil protection mobilization in order to implement projects and actions aimed at protecting the lives and property of citizens, infrastructure, and the natural environment, due to the imminent risk of forest fires.
Given that seasonal firefighters have not been provided with reliable personal protective equipment, particularly forest fire helmets,
Since in 2021 it is unacceptable to have firefighters of two or three different levels of preparedness—at least as far as personal protective equipment is concerned—,
Because the Prefecture of Laconia is, as has been repeatedly noted, a fire-prone prefecture with difficult and demanding forest fire incidents every year, including the island of Kythira, which, for operational purposes, belongs to the Prefecture of Laconia,
While it is a given that firefighters across the country work excessive hours—and this is to some extent acceptable during a crisis or even a disaster— however, the government must reward them rather than perpetuate a chronic problem and a long-standing demand by employees for a solution,
Because local governments at the first and second levels are required to take the necessary measures to ensure civil protection in the areas under their jurisdiction and, by extension, the country,
Since the General Secretariat for Civil Protection is responsible for implementing Article 26 of Law 4662/2020, which concerns the declaration of a state of special civil protection mobilization in certain areas,
Will the Minister responsible say:
1. Why is there a delay in the delivery of the seasonal firefighting teams for Laconia?;
2. Why have the required personal protective equipment—and, in particular, helmets—not been provided to seasonal firefighters?;
3. Why has it not taken the necessary legislative action to resolve a serious problem, such as that of daily rest periods (days off) and leave for firefighting personnel, even by providing them with financial compensation, as was done in the past?;
4. How many municipalities in the Regional Unit of Laconia have drawn up a relevant emergency response plan for forest fires, and when were these plans submitted to the General Secretariat for Civil Protection for its information?;
5. What wildfire prevention projects have been carried out or are currently underway by the municipalities of the Regional Unit of Laconia in collaboration with relevant agencies (Forest Services, Regional Units), particularly in areas where forests and settlements meet (e.g., Akoumaros, Gythio, Eastern Mani), as well as in the clearing of agricultural and forest roads and private lots?;
6. Why were they not included in DECISION No. 3771/May 10, 2021, of the Secretary General of Civil Protection regarding the declaration of a state of special civil protection mobilization, and other regions of the country, including the Prefecture of Laconia, and in particular the Municipality of Eastern Mani, following the major wildfire that broke out on August 22, 2020?;
The Member of Parliament who asked the question
Arachovitis Stavros
