Finland to send 50 firefighters to Greece to combat wildfire

Finland is sending 50 rescue workers to Greece to help manage wildfires, said the Ministry of the Interior in a press release on Friday.

The Emergency Services Academy is the employer of the posted experts.

Greece has requested assistance from the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism in the management of wildfires. This is the first time that assistance has been requested in advance through the Civil Protection Mechanism.

The Emergency Services Academy is responsible for the training, recruitment and material logistics of the posted rescue workers.

All departing rescue workers are included in the register of international rescue experts at the Emergency Services Academy.

The rescue workers will leave in two groups. The first group will leave on 1 August and the second group will leave on 15 August.

Both groups will work in Greece for about 15 days.

The groups will be led by Peter Johansson, Chief Executive Officer of Rescue Services of Eastern Uusimaa, and Petri Lyttinen, Executive Fire Officer of Eastern Uusimaa, who were selected from the national register of experts at the Emergency Services Academy.