The Fire Brigade’s 25th annual fire safety week kicked off on Monday with Justice Minister Costas Fitiris pointing out the need for better coordination between services and departments, and a sense of responsibility among the public, to prevent a disaster similar to the Limassol wildfires of 2025.

During an event in Nicosia, the Fire Brigade presented TV and social media spots, demonstrated a new fire simulator for training purposes donated by ERB Asfalistiki and presented awards to three civilians who assisted in firefighting efforts in 2025.

The fire safety week, under the slogan “Let’s not let our dreams turn to ashes”, includes lectures, training civilians to recognise dangers and raises awareness among the public.

Addressing the event, Fitiris said that in his 40 years of service, what stood out for officials visiting Cyprus was the speed with which services and departments came together when summoned.

“What remains to be improved is the coordination,” he added.

The justice minister pointed out it was imperative to “protect human life, property and natural environment, which demanded timely planning, being continuously on alert and collective action”.

“The speed of response and cooperation are of decisive importance, however addressing fires effectively is not just up to the state and its services, but is everyone’s responsibility so that we do not repeat the tragic developments in the Limassol wildfire in 2025,” Fitiris said.

Fire Brigade chief Nicos Logginos said firefighters were called on to tackle about 13,000 incidents every year, 8,500 of which are fires, mostly in rural areas.

“The common characteristic of these fires is that over 90 per cent are caused by human intervention,” he pointed out.

Logginos referred to the changing environment, mainly through the climate crisis and technology, which altered the operational scope of the Fire Brigade. In order to respond effectively, the service was continuously upgrading equipment and training firefighters.

During the event, Savvas Savva, Panayiotis Isidorou and Menelaos Christofides were presented with honorary plaques for their response to fires and other emergencies.

Savvas Savva coordinates fire lookouts and voluntarily supports incidents and emergencies, mainly in Tseri and Alona. During fires, he provides support to firefighting crews.

Addressing the event, Savva said the ideal would be for the fire safety week to be continued all year round and stressed the need for prevention.

Panayiotis Isidorou is a Game Fund employee who noticed a fire in a Larnaca flat, entered the burning building and brought the elderly owner and her domestic aide to safety.

Menelaos Christofides has been supporting firefighters over the years and places his agricultural vehicles at the disposal of the Fire Brigade and operates machinery, including during the Limassol wildfire in 2025.

As part of the event, ERB Asfalistiki, a member of Eurobank, delivered its second fire safety training simulator to the Fire Brigade. The first had been delivered on March 23. The two simulators, worth in total over €40,000, contribute to safe and realistic training for both new recruits and the general public, with a low environmental impact.

Handing over the equipment, ERB Asfalistiki general manager Andreas Stylianou said “our experience, through incidents of fire concerning our insured clients, confirms in the clearest way how devastating the consequences of a fire can be, which makes knowledge and prevention even more important”.

ERB Cyprus Insurance Holdings CEO Takis Phidia said most fires were due to human activity and thus were preventable. Referring to the fire safety week, Phidia said fire safety began with awareness and ended in prevention, which was “the most powerful means to protect lives, properties and dreams”.

The week’s events will culminate on April 25 with an open day at Paphos’ mediaeval castle from 10am till 3pm organised by the Fire Brigade and ERB Asfalistiki.