Friday 8 August at .8 .00 16 State fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) road tankers with rescue equipment will travel to Ukraine from Lapenu Street 23, Riga. Rescuers will be accompanied on the road by Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis, the management of the SFRS and representatives of the association “Your friends.”
This aid measure is a continuation of the government's decision – on July 8, the Cabinet of Ministers the initiative of the Ministry of Interior to hand over 16 SFRS fire vehicles and specialised rescue equipment to Ukraine free of charge.
"As active hostilities in Ukraine continue, the importance of each aid shipment becomes increasingly important. Transfer of SFRS technique will significantly help rescuers in the relief of the consequences caused by attacks," says colonel Janis Grinbergs deputy chief of SFRS. “Ukrainian firefighters are working in incredibly difficult conditions, risking their lives every day, so every fire truck that ends up in Ukraine is not just a technical unit, but a symbol of hope.”.
The vehicles will be delivered to Ukraine by SFRS officials with special ranks, who volunteered to do so, from the time of their duty. The interest in applying was surprisingly high – more than 100 employees of SFRS expressed their wish to go.
Ulvis Noviks, head of the society “Your Friends”: “It is a great honour to bring with the SFRS volunteers the largest SFRS donation to date to Ukrainian rescuers. We are grateful to our donors, Latvian residents and businesses, because only with their support and financial donations we can implement aid to Ukrainian civilians, rescuers and defenders.".
Delivery of fire-fighting vehicles and equipment to Ukraine shall be carried out by the “You Friends" association in cooperation with the SFRS and the transport costs shall be borne by both parties involved.