FIRE services in Berkshire have made donations of vital equipment to Ukraine.
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Services have given a number of breathing apparatus sets to their counter parts in Ukraine as the country continues to respond to war with Russia.
RBFRS has donated 89 sets of breathing apparatus, complete with 304 air cylinders, which were sent by convoy to Ukraine as part of a national effort organised by FIRE AID UK and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).
Tens of thousands of pieces of life-saving equipment and 69 fire appliances, which can include ladders, pumps, and platforms, have already been sent over in four separate convoys since March this year.
RBFRS’s donations were added to a further 86 fire engines and more than 100,000 other pieces of kit donated from 17 fire teams around England and Wales.
Donations were prepared for transport and use by members of the Fleet and Equipment team before they were sent to Poland on Wednesday, May 3.
Wayne Bowcock, chief fire officer at RBFRS, said: “We have recently replaced our BA sets and rather than disposing of the old kits, there is no better use for them than donating them to Ukrainian firefighters.
“[They] clearly have great need for them and we will continue to show our full support at every opportunity.
“This vital equipment will go out as part of the next convoy and I’m sure will be in use very soon after arriving in Ukraine.”
He explained: “Alongside the donations from fire and rescue services across the UK, we hope that this equipment will assist in the immense relief effort that is needed in Ukraine.”
NFCC chair Mark Hardingham said: ““I am incredibly proud to see how fire and rescue services have once again not only donated essential kit to Ukraine but have worked tirelessly to pull it together so quickly.
“We have also seen an incredible number of staff volunteer to drive the convoy across Europe.
“The determination and pride is testament to how committed everyone is to help our colleagues in Ukraine who continue to see war devastate their country, while putting their own lives on the line with often limited resources.”
