{"id":9130,"date":"2025-10-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/?p=9130"},"modified":"2026-04-28T14:00:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T11:00:32","slug":"no-more-heroes-volunteer-forest-firefighters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/news\/no-more-heroes-volunteer-forest-firefighters\/","title":{"rendered":"No More Heroes: Volunteer Forest Firefighters Need Specialized Equipment and Real Support \u2014 Not Just Praise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"gb-element-12fb0d01\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-media-id=\"9448\" class=\"gb-media-daf16709\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/no-more-heroes-featured.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/no-more-heroes-featured.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/no-more-heroes-featured-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/no-more-heroes-featured-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/no-more-heroes-featured-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/no-more-heroes-featured-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-element-6faa15bd\">\n<h2 class=\"gb-text gb-text-70ea53c3\">No More Heroes: Volunteer Forest Firefighters Need Specialized Equipment and Real Support \u2014 Not Just Praise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-element-67501cec\">\n<div class=\"gb-element-e478d17e\"><div style=\"color:#e76d6c;\" class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-2ba3ec8dd5a2e59e5b08fa0fd9969a93 wp-block-post-date has-text-color\"><time datetime=\"2025-10-23T00:00:00+03:00\">23\/10\/2025<\/time><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-11f7586c dn-diamond-item-alt\"><a href=\"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/news\/category\/emergency-response-recovery\/\" rel=\"tag\">Emergency Response &amp; Recovery<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/news\/category\/events-and-news\/\" rel=\"tag\">Events and News<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-element-b1f1f2a2\">\n<div class=\"gb-element-1be72f1d\">\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-b9dc9b43\">Desmos Non-Profit Foundation, in collaboration with WWF Greece and HIGGS, is further strengthening 10 volunteer forest firefighting teams by providing them with high-quality, specialized equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-9dcfe79b\">Through the program <em data-start=\"112\" data-end=\"162\">\u201cSupporting Volunteer Forest Firefighting Teams\u201d<\/em>, implemented since 2022 by the three partners as part of the Initiative 21 and with the support of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the National Bank of Greece and the Athina I. Martinou Foundation, we are strengthening volunteers in practice \u2014 not only in words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-8cf99c02\">Nearly <strong data-start=\"448\" data-end=\"468\">2,000 volunteers<\/strong> from <strong data-start=\"474\" data-end=\"516\">50 volunteer forest firefighting teams<\/strong> received equipment tailored to their specific needs during the period 2022\u20132024. In the program\u2019s second phase, which will be completed in 2026, a total of <strong data-start=\"673\" data-end=\"685\">45 teams<\/strong> will benefit from the provision of <strong data-start=\"721\" data-end=\"760\">Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"765\" data-end=\"786\">specialized tools<\/strong> suitable for ground firefighting units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-0e3bcef3\">These active citizens are often called heroes. But they are <strong data-start=\"888\" data-end=\"906\">not invincible<\/strong>. Without the right equipment, they cannot effectively respond to a wildfire \u2014 and, most importantly, <strong data-start=\"1008\" data-end=\"1044\">they put their own lives at risk<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-641591ef\">\u201cWhat stands between me and the fire is my equipment,\u201d confirms Katerina Banagi, a six-year volunteer with the Hellenic Rescue Team \u2013 Argolida Unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-4f130843\">From late 2024 to today, volunteers in <strong data-start=\"1239\" data-end=\"1251\">30 teams<\/strong> across the country have already received <strong data-start=\"1293\" data-end=\"1324\">European-standard equipment<\/strong>, and the support continues with the selection of the remaining 15 volunteer forest firefighting teams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-element-791ad35e\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Civil Protection Volunteers Association of Kryoneri (East Attica)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volunteer Team of Kapandriti\u2013Polydendri (East Attica)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hellenic Research &amp; Rescue Union of Livadia (Boeotia)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hellenic Rescue Team \u2013 Northern Sporades Unit (Skiathos)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rescue &amp; Volunteer Firefighting Corps of Western Achaia (Achaia)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volunteer Fire &amp; Rescue Team \u201cE.O.PY.D.\u201d (Achaia)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rescue Team \u2013 Heraklion Unit (Crete)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forest Protection &amp; Wildfire Response Association of Ionias, Chios (Chios)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volunteer Fire &amp; Nature Protection Team of Toroni Municipality \u2013 \u201cDragounteli\u201d (Halkidiki)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Samos Volunteer Fire Safety Team (Samos)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hellenic Rescue Team \u2013 Samos Unit (Samos)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volunteer Firefighters Association of Pythagoreio, Samos (Samos)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volunteer Firefighters Association of Hydroussa \u201cDionysos\u201d (Samos)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marathokampos Volunteers (Samos)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volunteer Team SOS Kokkari (Samos)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-5193c4b8\">The selection process is based on a reliable system of criteria that includes, among other elements, interviews and on-site assessments at the headquarters of each volunteer team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-12c1d716\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wwf.gr\/ta_nea_mas\/?15685441\/-------------&amp;_gl=1*u0hjlp*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwr8LHBhBKEiwAy47uUjSLL4qnH72ldNKDGf2H82L7GQAooEgd5aJQ-r8NJHfn43-42SGDxhoCOtgQAvD_BwE&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACF4PfdnwJsEUAAj00JXFl9y9S8XJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here<\/a>, we present the first <strong data-start=\"2528\" data-end=\"2550\">10 volunteer teams<\/strong> that received equipment, followed by the next <strong data-start=\"2597\" data-end=\"2609\">20 teams<\/strong> supported in the current phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-0526789f\">Supporting these groups does not stop at equipment. Through <strong data-start=\"2708\" data-end=\"2734\">experiential workshops<\/strong>, selected ground units of volunteer forest firefighting teams across Greece receive training \u2014 both theoretical and field-based \u2014 to strengthen their skills and improve the safety and efficiency of their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-6edc4be9\">By the completion of the program, <strong data-start=\"2986\" data-end=\"3014\">more than 500 volunteers<\/strong> will have received <strong data-start=\"3034\" data-end=\"3055\">hands-on training<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-4a1deb45\">In parallel, <strong data-start=\"3071\" data-end=\"3087\">400 citizens<\/strong> and local stakeholders have already been informed through online workshops about wildfire prevention at the community level and about strengthening the resilience of settlements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-e6e8bef1\">The strong positive impact of the program helped mobilize <strong data-start=\"3326\" data-end=\"3358\">additional private resources<\/strong>. Thanks to the coordinated efforts and complementary funding from Desmos and WWF Greece, <strong data-start=\"3448\" data-end=\"3472\">more volunteer teams<\/strong> were able to receive essential equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-aea9c7c7\">\u201cI may not leave my children cars or houses,\u201d says Tasos Palamidas, President of the Hellenic Rescue &amp; Emergency Response Union \u2013 Livadia, \u201cbut I have a duty to leave them the forest as their inheritance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-text gb-text-65599c8f\">We protect our forests \u2014 and we want volunteer forest firefighters, as active members of their local communities, to <strong data-start=\"3851\" data-end=\"3880\">remain on the front lines<\/strong> of wildfire response. Volunteers must have <strong data-start=\"3924\" data-end=\"3949\">specialized knowledge<\/strong>, the <strong data-start=\"3955\" data-end=\"3975\">proper equipment<\/strong>, and official <strong data-start=\"3990\" data-end=\"4019\">institutional recognition<\/strong> of their role, so they can act with greater safety and effectiveness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No More Heroes: Volunteer Forest Firefighters Need Specialized Equipment and Real Support \u2014 Not Just Praise Emergency Response &amp; Recovery, Events and News Desmos Non-Profit Foundation, in collaboration with WWF Greece and HIGGS, is further strengthening 10 volunteer forest firefighting teams by providing them with high-quality, specialized equipment. Through the program \u201cSupporting Volunteer Forest Firefighting &#8230; <a title=\"No More Heroes: Volunteer Forest Firefighters Need Specialized Equipment and Real Support \u2014 Not Just Praise\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/news\/no-more-heroes-volunteer-forest-firefighters\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about No More Heroes: Volunteer Forest Firefighters Need Specialized Equipment and Real Support \u2014 Not Just Praise\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9448,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160,157],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-emergency-response-recovery","category-events-and-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9130"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9130\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9793,"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9130\/revisions\/9793"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/desmos.digitalnest.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}