The Operations Coordination Center of the Fire Department is expected to operate within the next week, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, was informed during his tour of the facilities, at the Fire Department Headquarters, in Lakatamia, Nicosia, after inaugurating the Center.
The Center's operation will allow information integration, rapid data analysis and immediate coordination of forces in the field, leading to faster decisions, better utilization of available resources and more effective protection of human life and property, Chief of the Fire Department, Nikos Logginos, said.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, on 28 April President Christodoulides noted that this project "is a substantial investment in the security of citizens and the operational readiness of our country."
He added that the project, with a budget of €6.5 million, is co-financed by the European Union's Cohesion Fund and falls within the framework of Priorities for promoting adaptation and resilience to climate change as well as disaster risk prevention.
"The EU is investing in strengthening not only national preparedness, but also the overall European effort for security and stability," the President continued, also highlighting the importance of the foundation of the European Regional Air Firefighting Hub in Cyprus, following the announcement by the President of the European Commission last September.
He said that six firefighting aircrafts will be stationed there initially. "With the co-financing of the European Union, we are already working to host more aircraft, while it will also operate as a centre of excellence for best practices and knowledge exchange," he added, noting that the project is in the final phase of implementation and the inauguration will take place very soon, in the presence of the President of the European Commission.
(Sources: CNA)
