Ukrainian community in Alberta helps deliver firefighting gear to Ukraine
July 2017. EDMONTON, ALTA. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) – Alberta Provincial Council assisted in the delivery of over 15,700 lbs of firefighting gear to Ukraine as part of the Firefighting Aid for Ukraine project.
The equipment on its way to Ukraine consists of 657 sets of bunker gear, 118 helmets, 92 pairs of firefighting boots, 89 pairs of safety boots, 87 pairs of firefighting gloves, station wear, medical supplies, various tools, and some specialized firefighting equipment.
The Firefighting Aid for Ukraine project is led by CEO Kevin Royle. “This gear will help Ukrainian first responders save lives and provide many of them with the equipment to keep themselves safe and enable them to carry out their duties during these difficult times,” stated Royle. “Our volunteers travel to Ukraine this September to distribute the equipment and provide training on maintenance and best practices.”
The firefighting equipment is expected to arrive in Ukraine in July and will be distributed to firefighters in western Ukraine – Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Berezhany, Ternopil and Uzhorod.
“On behalf of our Ukrainian community here in Alberta and across Canada, we are very grateful to everyone involved in Firefighting Aid for Ukraine and to the many partners who made this project possible,” stated Olesia Luciw-Andryjowycz, President of the UCC Alberta Provincial Council. “As Ukraine defends itself from Russia’s aggression for a fourth year, resources have been stretched thin by the war effort. This equipment will help address a vital need for Ukraine’s first responders.”
Many partnering organizations across Canada participated in the donation, collection and delivery of the firefighting equipment through the Firefighting Gear for Ukraine:
- Rotary Club International,
- Rotary Club of Canada (Edmonton Spirits, Jasper, Vegreville)
- Amigo Relief Mission
- Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Alberta Provincial Council
- City of Edmonton/Toronto
- FIRM: Fire Industry Repair Maintenance Inc
- Alberta Fire Gear
- Medical Mart (Edmonton)
- Motion Canada, Nisku
- CN: Canadian National
- Prime League
For more information on the Firefighting Aid for Ukraine project, please see https://www.firefighteraidukraine.com/
