KFRS Supports Fire Aid Mission To Help Ukraine Firefighters

Six fire engines and 2,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) have started their journey across Europe to Ukraine. 

The de-commissioned fire engines have been donated to Fire Aid by Kent Fire Rescue Service (KFRS), together with a vast array of equipment, including PPE donated by fire and rescue services from across the country.

KFRS Supports Fire Aid Mission In Ukraine

KFRS Station Manager, Mike Pitney, said: “Last year, hundreds of Ukrainian firefighters worked for weeks to put out terrible bush and forest fires which swept through parts of the country. At one point, a total of 146 fires in the eastern region spread across 93 square kilometers, leaving the firefighters with little or no protection after their existing PPE was burned and damaged.”

Mike is no stranger to these types of missions and has been working with Fire Aid

Mike Pitney is no stranger to these types of missions and has been working with Fire Aid, a UK charity that provides donations of fire and rescue equipment to fire services in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Mike also helped to launch a Just Giving page, where family, friends, and colleagues helped to raise over £1,500 to ship the redundant kit to the Ukrainian firefighters, which will help to keep them safe while saving lives and property.

Supporting Ukrainian firefighters

Mike Pitney stated: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated and to those who gave up their time to help stow equipment on the fire engines. Your efforts are hugely appreciated and will make a massive difference to our firefighting family in Ukraine.”

The six fire engines, which are no longer in service in Kent, and a lorry convoy, containing another 1,000 sets of PPE, departed from Dover. They will be met in Amsterdam by drivers from Ukraine, who will drive their ‘new’ fire engines and kit for the final part of the journey back home.