HUMANITY GREECE

The aim of the initiative is to support and relieve the people fighting on the front line, such as firefighters, volunteer firefighters and medical personnel, as they are numerous hours in the fields, without the required feedback with basic necessities such as water, isotonics , food, but also medical and pharmaceutical material for the provision of first aid. At the same time, the aim of the action is to support and cover the needs of the Health Centers located on the fire fronts, to which people are directed, if deemed necessary. Finally, the multi-faceted action of the Organization aims, with the operation of the 24-hour Support Line that it set up for this purpose, to guide citizens who want to help and to inform them about the current situation regarding the fires.

The direct beneficiaries to whom the action is directed are firefighters, volunteer firefighters, Civil Protection volunteers, as well as people who help on the fire fronts, who need immediate support and humanitarian aid.
As indirect beneficiaries are the people who participate in these actions, but also raise awareness through the initiative about the critical situation of fires, how to deal with them and where and in what way they can help.

This initiative, due to the immediate reflexes that the Humanity Greece team has in crisis management, started on Monday 17/7/23, with the appearance of the first fire fronts in Kalivia, Lagonisi and Anavyssos, while it is ongoing, as long as deemed necessary, as at the time this report is submitted, the extremely difficult situation in Rhodes continues, the situation in Corfu is tragically difficult, while there are intense fire fronts in Karystos, Volos and Lamia, with a high risk index for fires throughout the Hellas.

In the Volunteer Coordination Center of Humanity Greece, a chain of support has been set up from the first moment that the big fronts started in Kouvara Kerateas, Loutraki and Viotia, while at the same time many places are burning all over the country with the evacuations of the areas occupying one another.
The specialized volunteers of Humanity Greece, in direct contact with Civil Protection and the Fire Department, supply emergency items and fresh food to firefighters, volunteer firefighters, citizens and Health Centers in areas that do not even have the necessary items to serve the citizens who constantly arrive for first aid.
At the same time, Humanity Greece volunteers were represented by specialized groups on the fire fronts of Rhodes, Corfu and Magnesia, at least until the moment when the report is submitted, where they contributed effectively, offering themselves goods for relief and support to the people who are fighting. such as isotonics, snacks and cold water.

A key pillar of the initiative is the activation of the 24-hour Contact Line: 210 5226379 by Humanity Greece, where, for the first time in Greece, a free 24-hour line staffed by volunteers was created to serve and inform all citizens who wish to help both with humanitarian aid for the people on the front line but also to be informed about the situation regarding the evolution of the fire fronts, as for the fire-affected animals in PALAI Galatsiou, where the animals from the fire fronts are collected and cared for, by the NGO Dog's Voice , with the final aim of their return to the families who lost them, and/or their adoption by third parties, in case of abandonment.
As mentioned below, there was a great need from the citizens as well as a great response for how they can support immediately, in the face of crises such as catastrophic fires.

In the context of the multifaceted nature of the action that was activated to deal with the humanitarian crisis that arose, and for its holistic treatment, there was a need for cooperation with an organization that specializes in rescuing animals, such as Dog's Voice.
Dogs' Voice is the non-profit organization that supports the work of 132 animal welfare organizations throughout Greece, has the largest network for promoting stray dogs in responsible adoptions, specializes in crisis management, implements an integrated urban wildlife protection program at local government level and provides legal support in animal abuse complaints.
Humanity Greece, on the other hand, specializes in dealing with emergency humanitarian crises, and it started with the deadly fires in August 2021, with the aim of directly supporting those affected by the devastating fires in Greece. The aim of the volunteers is the expansion and development of the values of volunteering with the participation of the entire Society for the immediate identification and timely treatment of its problems.

A basic condition for the implementation of the initiative is the active participation of the project team of specialized volunteers who frame Humanity Greece, who, based on their expertise, have taken on distinct roles, as special treatment is needed both in the staffing of the call center, in the management of Logistics at the Voluntary Coordination Center but also in offering assistance to the fire fronts.

At the Volunteer Coordination Center, which is located at 76 Millerou str., Metaxourgeio, 104 36, a long chain of solidarity was created from the first moment that the fire fronts appeared in Attica and Boeotia, as the space is available for collecting, sorting and sending goods where necessary necessary.
Through the Voluntary Coordination Center, nationwide missions were launched, with the shipment of goods to all the fire fronts of Attica (Mandra, Dervenochoria, Kalyvia, Loutraki, Lagonisi)., Ag. Theodoros, Peloponnese, Boeotia, Rhodes, Corfu, Karystos and Lamia by land
  and aerial means.

The Voluntary Coordination Center, from Monday 17/7/23 until the moment the proposal is submitted, 28/7/23, operated 24/7 to inform and support citizens, during which time more than 1700 people visited it, either in order to offer basic necessities or to help voluntarily and participate in the solidarity chain of Humanity Greece.
Through the call center, more than 2,000 calls have been recorded so far, both regarding information and guidance on ways in which one can help to support the fire-affected areas.
At the same time, through the information campaign that was created on social media as well as in the media that rushed to cover and support our work, regarding the ways of participating in the chain of solidarity and information at any moment about the situation that prevails on the fire fronts, they were informed and sensitized more than 1.2 million people – Internet users.

So far, more than 18 tons of humanitarian aid have been sent to the people on the fire fronts in Mandra, Derbenochoria, Boiotia, Lagonisi, Xanthi, Rhodes, Corfu and Magnesia, as well as to firefighters and groups of volunteer firefighters assisting from all over the country, such as SEPPAS of Agios Stefanos, Kryoneri and Rodopolis, 1st EMAK, Special Forces Club as well as Health Centers in the areas close to the fronts, such as the Kalibion Health Center in Lagonisi and the Agios Markos Health Center in Corfu, where there is a great need for medical and pharmaceutical feedback material, due to the attendance of people to provide first aid.
It is estimated that more than 10,000 people nationwide have been supported, either through their direct support and the supply of essential items such as snacks (biscuits, rice wafers, cereal bars), isotonics, energy drinks, water as well as medical equipment, such as sterile gauzes, creams burns, serums in ampoules, eye drops, betadine, masks with activated carbon filter, gloves and protective mask, etc., but also with baby items, such as diapers and baby creams, for the families who left their homes and are staying in temporary places, such as it happened in Rhodes and Corfu.
At the same time, at the Fire Affected Animals Station in Galatsi, 453 incoming animals from fire-affected areas were registered, to which first aid was offered by veterinarians of the Volunteer Action of Veterinarians of Greece (EDVEC) as well as volunteer veterinarians, with the aim of returning them to shelters from which they were collected, to their families but also to responsible people for adoption.