The U-LEAD with Europe Programme works with municipalities in various directions, including the development of security and civil defence. We welcome the fact that other programmes and projects support this area which creates a cumulative effect and helps, among other things, create a volunteer fire brigade movement.
“The opening of the new unit of volunteer fire brigade in Horodenka town council became possible thanks to the participation of our municipalities in the project ‘Fire Fighters. Improving Civil Defence in Ukraine at the Local Level’. The project is implemented with the support of the International Solidarity Fund of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine under the U-LEAD with Europe Programme. Thanks to the coordinated work of the local authorities, the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Ivano-Frankivsk region and our experts, new units of the volunteer fire brigade have been established in the municipalities of the Precarpathian region, which means additional security and protection for the residents,” said Maksym Chopei, Adviser on Decentralisation and Local Self-Government of the Regional Office of U-LEAD in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
The newly created voluntary fire brigade of Rosohach will serve 9 villages with a total population of almost 9,000. The team included twelve volunteers from among local residents, but recently their capabilities have grown even further. International Solidarity Fund PL provided motor pump, uniforms, footwear, protective gloves, helmets, a generator, a ladder and other fire fighting equipment in the framework of the project implemented in cooperation with Polish BGK and financed by the EU.
Bohdan Kobylianskyi, Mayor of Horodenka, stressed the importance of launching such a fire brigade for the safety of residents in wartime.
“Since the Horodenka municipality is geographically large, the creation of a voluntary fire brigade will strengthen the civil defence system and allow to respond more quickly to fires, prevent property damage and save the lives of our residents,” he added.
The main department of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Ivano-Frankivsk region made great efforts to create the unit. For the needs of the volunteer fire brigade, the administration handed over a fire engine, special machinery and equipment.
The village of Markova in the Solotvyno municipality also opened the local fire brigade unit. From the International Solidarity Fund PL in the framework of the project implemented in cooperation with Polish BGK and financed by the EU the municipality received equipment for firefighters, including fire helmets, footwear, gloves, special clothing, helmet pads, a fire ladder, motor pump, chainsaw, shovels, etc.
The fire and rescue squad of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in the Ivano-Frankivsk region handed over a fire engine to the municipality for free use.
The head of the village, Manolii Pitsuriak, thanked the partners for the provided firefighting equipment, which will contribute to increasing the capability of the work of local fire departments and facilitate the protection of the lives and health of firefighters on duty.
“Such support is a significant contribution to ensuring the protection of municipality residents in emergencies and another evidence of the broad international support of Ukraine in its struggle for independence and territorial integrity. The opening of another unit of the local fire brigade in the Solotvyno municipality will allow for a more prompt response in emergencies, significantly reduce property damage and save human lives,” said Manolii Pitsuriak