Foreign Policies

Second Firefighter Team Leaves for Greece, Premier Praises Their Courage

A second group of Slovak firefighters left for Greece on Friday morning to replace the 30 members of the Firefighters and Emergency Corps, who are currently helping to fight extensive wildfires on the island of Rhodes, Premier Ludovit Odor said before the second group's departure.

Premier Ludovit Odor shaking hands with firefighters leaving for Greece (photo by TASR)

Bratislava, July 28 (TASR) - A second group of Slovak firefighters left for Greece on Friday morning to replace the 30 members of the Firefighters and Emergency Corps (HaZZ), who are currently helping to fight extensive wildfires on the island of Rhodes and will return home on Friday evening, Premier Ludovit Odor, who has also been tasked with managing the Interior Ministry, said before the second group's departure.
"Slovakia is a small country, but we can be relied on in crises. We've already proved it several times this year - during the earthquake in Turkey and floods in Italy," stated Odor.
The premier thanked the firefighters and praised their courage, noting that they're fighting the flames to the benefit of Slovak tourists as well. He added that one firefighter from the original team and some equipment will remain in Greece. HaZZ president Pavol Mikulasek believes that better conditions for locating fires, milder winds and temperatures will remain in place in Greece. The site of deployment of the Slovak firefighters can change as needed.
The first team of Slovak firefighters was sent to Greece last week. On the sixth day of their deployment on Rhodes on Thursday (July 27) they were deployed in an area near the village of Vati, where they they saw to supplying water to fill the fire engines of domestic firefighters with the help of a large tanker.
"The work of the Slovak module was appreciated by local people, who expressed many thanks to them on site," stated Bianka Kralovicova of the HaZZ Presidium.

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