Lasithi: 15 firefighters and new vehicles for the service

Reinforcement with 15 firefighters and a new vehicle fleet has been announced for the Fire Service of Lasithi prefecture. The strengthening covers both personnel and equipment, with fire trucks, water tankers, and personnel transport vehicles being added to the prefecture’s force during a period when the fire season reaches its most demanding phase for the entire island.

The new equipment addresses three distinct needs: immediate fire suppression, water supply to areas without network access, and crew transport to intervention sites. The 15 firefighters are distributed among the prefecture’s services, reinforcing shifts during peak months. No detailed breakdown by service has been announced, nor the exact number of vehicles per category.

Lasithi MP Giannis Plakiotakis announced the development, characterizing it as particularly significant for the prefecture and thanking both political and administrative leadership of the Fire Service for responding to the requests that had been made. As he noted, strengthening with personnel and modern equipment is essential for more effective handling of incidents in the region.

Lasithi combines mountainous terrain, extensive agricultural areas, and remote regions, with services covering large distances between Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, and Ierapetra. Water tankers are critical where no fire service network exists near the front, while personnel transport vehicles reduce deployment time for crews in forested and shrubland areas.

For residents, the difference is measured in minutes. The time from alert to first attack on the fire determines whether a blaze remains limited or becomes a major wildfire, especially when strong winds blow. This year’s experience in Crete, with vast burnt areas on the island’s south side, has made the equipment issue immediately apparent to local communities.

It is unclear whether the 15 firefighters represent permanent hires or seasonal employment, a factor determining whether the reinforcement will continue after the fire season ends. No delivery timeline for the vehicles or the cost of the new fleet has been announced. Local authorities remain concerned about stable year-round staffing, so operational readiness does not depend on seasonal summer reinforcements.

The fire season runs through late October, with the coming weeks considered among the most critical as vegetation dries out and temperatures remain high. The real evaluation of the reinforcement will come from responses to field incidents, while requests from local authorities for permanent staffing are expected to return after summer ends.