Video: Rescuers from Ukraine's State Emergency Service Have Returned from France
Ukrainian rescue workers have returned from France, where they spent nearly two weeks helping their local counterparts contain large-scale wildfires.
“This was the first mission by a Ukrainian team to provide assistance to an EU member state under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The combined unit consisted of 70 rescue workers and 15 pieces of specialized equipment. They responded to dozens of calls, surveyed hundreds of hectares of territory, and dealt with hot spots that continued to smolder underground. Ukrainian rescue workers patrolled forest areas, used drones to detect new fires, and worked alongside their colleagues to contain the blaze,” said Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Vygivskyi.
The Ukrainians worked alongside colleagues from France, Slovakia, and other countries. For the Ukrainians, this mission provided an opportunity to share their unique experience gained during a full-scale war.
“The high praise for the Ukrainian firefighting team from the leadership of the French Republic and the numerous expressions of gratitude from local residents only reaffirm once again that Ukraine’s State Emergency Service is one of the most effective rescue services in Europe,” Vygivskyi added.
As a reminder, 474 people have been detained in France on suspicion of arson in forest fires.
Ukrainian rescue workers, who are helping their French colleagues fight large-scale wildfires, rescued a small roe deer. The animal was found in the middle of a burned-out forest with scorched legs. Firefighters provided first aid and handed it over to local volunteers.
