Fires: What happened to the Druids and Iolaus?;

On 15 July, a press conference was held by the Minister of Civil Protection, Michael Chrysochoidis and the Deputy Minister of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, Nikos Chardalias, on the 2021 fire season.During this conference, the entire government planning was developed. Michael Chrysochoidis described it in simple words.

«So the question is, in a volatile country like Greece, how many crises can you manage at the same time? In times of emergency, when we have a major crisis, when we have a very high degree of risk, how many crises can the mechanism manage effectively? And this is what the government has answered this year. In case we have more than one crisis, to be able to respond.».

The government planning was for 2+ crises. It goes without saying that it failed.

DRAINAGE PLAN

According to Nikos Chardalias «We are implementing Operation Dryades which involves projects aimed at fire protection in areas with particular characteristics of fire risk. A programme that we hope will be a precursor to an organised effort across the country.

The operation involves cleaning, fuel removal, and the opening and maintenance of access roads for firefighting vehicles and initially included the following 18 areas: Kato Posidonia and Dionysos of Keratea of the Municipality of Lavreotiki, Avlaki and Chamolia of the Municipality of Markopoulo, Agia Kiriaki - Agia Triada of the Municipality of Spata/Artemida and the Municipality of Rafina/Pikermio, as well as Dioni, Kallitechnoupoli of the Municipality of Rafina/Pikermio, Agios Andreas and Schinias - Dikastika of the Municipality of Marathon, Drossia - Dionysos - Ekali of the Municipality of Dionysos and the Municipality of Kifissia, Panorama of Agioi Apostoloi, Vlastos Kalamos, Hippocratic State of the Municipality of Oropou, Thrakomakedones of the Municipality of Acharnon, Agia Sotiria, TITAN Settlement, Porto Germeno and Agios Nektarios Vilios of the Municipality of Mandra/Eidyllia, as well as Peristeri of the Municipality of Salamina.

To the above interventions, three new ones are added in Attica: in Tatoi, Ymitto and Hippocratic State, and the same number in the rest of the territory, and more specifically in Sheikh Su, in Ancient Olympia and in cooperation with the Region in Halkidiki». Result. Thracomacedones, Varybobi, Tatoi, Hippocratic State, etc., the plan did not work.

FIREFIGHTING ECHELONS

Nikos Chardalias said «The presence of ground forces is strengthened and the response becomes more immediate -as the intervention time of the first Fire Brigade vehicles during the outbreak of fire is reduced- with the 80 Fire Brigades of seasonal operation which are created in areas of increased risk. Last year, 70 of them were in operation, while this year it is planned that all of them will be fully operational.It is worth noting that the seasonal fire brigades come to shield areas in need. Indicatively we mention that Halkidiki has 6 seasonal teams, Evia 8, Peloponnese 2».Result. It did not work in Evia and Peloponnese.

IOLAOS PLAN

The Iolaos plan (General Plan for Forest Fire Emergency Response) is part of the Xenocrates plan (General Civil Protection Plan). It was first formulated in 2010 and supplemented in 2011, 2013, and 2019. Nikos Chardalias said «The first step has already been taken, as the Emergency Response Plan for Forest Fires «Iolaus» clearly reflects who is currently in charge. The question that now arises is who can do what - that is, if anyone has the capacity to carry out the responsibility they have.

It turned out de facto that some bodies were not able to carry out their responsibilities. Before and during the fire.All of the above and many others show that the government's planning failed.Is there political responsibility? The Prime Minister has admitted it, no need to discuss it.But government planning is not only done at the political level. It also includes the contribution of the state apparatus, in this case the Fire Brigade.

Is the fire department responsible? The lower ranks of permanent and seasonal firefighters, as well as volunteers, have no responsibility, quite the contrary. They make tremendous efforts to succeed in their mission. There is also the leadership of the fire service. Their responsibility is equal - some say even greater - to the responsibility of politicians. That there is an issue with planning for the new 2022 fire season is a given. Will the same leadership in the critical ministries carry it out? Will the leadership of the fire service remain untouched? Will the basic directions of the fire strategy in Greece remain the same? Political decisions are needed.