On Tuesday 12th April 2022, EPAYPS held a scientific event at Serafio Hall of Athens about “Scientificity, Research and Innovation as tools for Firefighters’ development”. The conference honoured members of all political parties of the Greek Parliament, representatives of Attica Region, Academics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the President of the Hellenic Association of Risk Managers, firefighters and volunteers.
One of the main speakers, the Head of Cabinet of the Deputy Minister of Development and Investments, responsible for Research and Innovation, Mr Michael Dritsas, presented the national Strategy for Research and Innovation, its targets, the most important institutional interventions and the multiple and important sources of funding. After Mr Dritsas, Dr of Informatics of International Hellenic University, Ms Kalliopi Kravari, presented the research programme “Resistant– Training and Knowledge Sharing Platform For First Responders and Educational Tools for students’ and citizens’ awareness and preparedness against Natural and Manmade Disasters and Risks” of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, where EPAYPS takes part in as a member of the Consortium.
The President of EPAYPS, Mr Antonis Koukouzas, emphasized that nowadays the main goal is that the professional firefighter should be able to operate safely, equipped with the best possible equipment, with as many technological resources as possible in order to be useful to fellow human beings and society as a whole, and with the ultimate goal of ensuring of the resilience of emergency management and response systems, especially today with the climate crisis in full progress. In all that effort it is important that professional firefighters should be together with the Central Administration, the local government, the academic community, and the market with a common recommendation and expectation of the safety and protection of human life, property, and the natural wealth of the country.
