Through the program “Supporting Volunteer Forest Firefighting Teams”, 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 — not only in words.

Nearly 2,000 volunteers from 50 volunteer forest firefighting teams received equipment tailored to their specific needs during the period 2022–2024. In the program’s second phase, which will be completed in 2026, a total of 45 teams will benefit from the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and specialized tools suitable for ground firefighting units.

These active citizens are often called heroes. But they are not invincible. Without the right equipment, they cannot effectively respond to a wildfire — and, most importantly, they put their own lives at risk.

“What stands between me and the fire is my equipment,” confirms Katerina Banagi, a six-year volunteer with the Hellenic Rescue Team – Argolida Unit.

From late 2024 to today, volunteers in 30 teams across the country have already received European-standard equipment, and the support continues with the selection of the remaining 15 volunteer forest firefighting teams:

• Civil Protection Volunteers Association of Kryoneri (East Attica)

• Volunteer Team of Kapandriti–Polydendri (East Attica)

• Hellenic Research & Rescue Union of Livadia (Boeotia)

• Hellenic Rescue Team – Northern Sporades Unit (Skiathos)

• Rescue & Volunteer Firefighting Corps of Western Achaia (Achaia)

• Volunteer Fire & Rescue Team “E.O.PY.D.” (Achaia)

• Rescue Team – Heraklion Unit (Crete)

• Forest Protection & Wildfire Response Association of Ionias, Chios (Chios)

• Volunteer Fire & Nature Protection Team of Toroni Municipality – “Dragounteli” (Halkidiki)

• Samos Volunteer Fire Safety Team (Samos)

• Hellenic Rescue Team – Samos Unit (Samos)

• Volunteer Firefighters Association of Pythagoreio, Samos (Samos)

• Volunteer Firefighters Association of Hydroussa “Dionysos” (Samos)

• Marathokampos Volunteers (Samos)

• Volunteer Team SOS Kokkari (Samos)

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.

Here, we present the first 10 volunteer teams that received equipment, followed by the next 20 teams supported in the current phase.

Supporting these groups does not stop at equipment. Through experiential workshops, selected ground units of volunteer forest firefighting teams across Greece receive training — both theoretical and field-based — to strengthen their skills and improve the safety and efficiency of their operations.

By the completion of the program, more than 500 volunteers will have received hands-on training.

In parallel, 400 citizens and local stakeholders have already been informed through online workshops about wildfire prevention at the community level and about strengthening the resilience of settlements.

The strong positive impact of the program helped mobilize additional private resources. Thanks to the coordinated efforts and complementary funding from Desmos and WWF Greece, more volunteer teams were able to receive essential equipment.

“I may not leave my children cars or houses,” says Tasos Palamidas, President of the Hellenic Rescue & Emergency Response Union – Livadia,
“but I have a duty to leave them the forest as their inheritance.”

We protect our forests — and we want volunteer forest firefighters, as active members of their local communities, to remain on the front lines of wildfire response. Volunteers must have specialized knowledge, the proper equipment, and official institutional recognition of their role, so they can act with greater safety and effectiveness.