Firefighting equipment donated to Ukrainian firefighters

We are donating hydraulic cutting equipment and thermal imaging cameras to be included in a national convoy, which is making its way across Europe next month, to support Ukrainian firefighters.

The donation of the equipment, which we no longer require, follows a donation of one of our retired aerial ladder platforms last year.

We, along with 16 other fire and rescue services in the UK, are taking part in this eighth convoy.

This eighth convoy means a total of 119 vehicles have been donated, alongside 200,000 pieces of equipment, since the invasion began three years ago.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Glynn Luznyj, said: “We are proud to be working alongside our UK fire and rescue service colleagues, Fire Aid and the NFCC to help donate equipment for the eighth convoy next month.

“We are pleased that this project will go some way to help firefighters in Ukraine whose life-saving equipment has been destroyed during the war.”

Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams said: “Russian attacks in Ukraine continue to have a detrimental impact on Ukrainian people, buildings and services, including the emergency services.

“I’m delighted that Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service is helping to donate essential equipment to help firefighters in Ukraine in their common purpose of keeping people safe, saving lives and protecting property.”

The war has had a devastating impact on Ukrainian firefighters. Latest figures from the State Emergency Services of Ukraine show that since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, 100 firefighters have been killed and a further 431 injured. Meanwhile, 411 firehouses and 1,700 fire vehicles have been destroyed and 95 firehouses are now in occupied territories.

Despite these challenges, Ukrainian firefighters continue to operate in the war zone – not to engage in combat, but to save lives and protect property, often at great personal risk.

In response, UK fire and rescue services (FRSs), in partnership with the UK Government, National Resilience, International Search and Rescue, FIRE AID, National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), and the Fire Industry Association (FIA), have come together to support their Ukrainian counterparts.

English and Welsh FRSs have donated all the appliances and kit for the eighth convoy, which ranges from basic firefighting equipment such as hoses, PPE and road traffic collision equipment.