The draft law of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, which provides for the creation of a National Mechanism for Aerial Search and Rescue, in the land area, was voted in the Plenary Session of the Greek Parliament.
In memory of the young climber Theofanis Ermis Theocharopoulos, who tragically died last January in Tzoumerka, the National Mechanism will bear his name. Ermis Theocharopoulos was held alive for four hours, at the hands of his father. However, he was lost due to the inability to rescue and transport him to the hospital in time.
The loss of Theofani Hermis highlighted the great shortcomings in the field of aerial rescue, not only for mountaineers and climbers, but also for every citizen who chooses not to leave his place, even though it is inaccessible and remote, and may at some point is in danger.
The government has stated that the cost of the Mechanism’s operation and rescue service will be borne by the state and not by the people who will need its assistance.Until the tender procedures are advanced and completed, for the purchase of aircraft that will support the mission of the Fire Brigade and until the training of the human resources, contracts for the lease of aircraft and specialized personnel will be concluded with private companies.
Under the bill, two of the Mechanism’s six Readiness Bases would be “moved.” The one Readiness and Lookout Base, instead of Aktio, will be in Ioannina. The second Base instead of Larissa will be in Volos.
As special Regional Services of the Fire Service (PS), Preparedness/Watch Bases are established in Elefsina, Thessaloniki, Volos, Heraklion of Crete, Ioannina, Andravida. In the context of updating the National Plan for Aerial Search and Rescue, it will be possible to modify the number of Readiness and Standby Bases.
“The Readiness and Lookout Bases were selected, based on operational criteria. The Bases were chosen in relation to the visitation of the mountainous areas, in relation to the existing population, with the accidents per region”, said the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas. The deputy minister also underlined that “a Mechanism is being set up that will carry out primary transport, from the point of the incident”.
