It is announced that by order of the Minister of defense Mr. Evangelos Meimarakis today, 25th of August 2007, ground forces, air means and machinery have been allocated to the appropriate services of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection, to face the on going fires all over the country.
The Armed Forces responding to their role to contribute to fire fighting, fulfilled 100 % of all requests submitted by the authorities involved, allocating the following personnel and means :
• Zacharo (Pref. of Ilia) : 145 persons
• Lavrio (Pref. of Attica) :12 persons
• Geraki (Pref. of Lakonia) : 60 persons
• Areopolis (Pref.of Lakonia) : 60 persons
• Pinia, Zacharo : 60 persons
• Megalopolis (Pref.of Arkadia) : 100 persons
• Stira-Konistra (Pref. of Evia) : 100 persons
• In patrolling : 269 persons
• 94 manned motorized patrols with 160 persons
• 21 firefighting aircraft CL-215 (13) and CL-415(8), which conducted 60 sorties with 175 hours of flight, with 1.200 water-bomb drops, equal to 8.000 tons of water (100% full availability of all air means)
• 3 C-130s and 1C-27J for the airlift of the firefighting forces (6 vehicles and 60 men) from Cyprus.
• 4 Chinook Helicopters
• 3 Super Puma Helicopters
• 2 Sikorsky Helicopters
• 5 Ambulances
• 3 surgeons, 3 medical orderlies and 4 ambulances were allocated to the General Hospital at Pirgos.
• Also, buses, fire fighting vehicles, water carriers, Stayer Military trucks, bulldozers, and earth moving equipment, and power generator units, as requested by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection .
It should be noted that, following directives by the Defense Minister Mr. Evangelos Meimarakis, ground, air forces and equipment of the Armed Forces remain in full readiness, in order to intervene and contribute to the fire fighting, when called upon.
Emmanuel Velonias
Captain, HN
HNDGS Spokesman