Operation Florian Montenegro Project Update
Operation Florian continues to work in partnership with the Association of Firefighters and Rescuers of Montenegro.
Read the full storyOperation Florian team arrive in Bulawayo Zimbabwe
The Operation Florian team safely arrived in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on Saturday 3rd December to start phase 9 of the training mission.
Volunteers Anthony Burscough, Shephard Ndlovu, Mark Brisco and Stephen Snape were met by members of the Bulawayo Fire and Ambulance Service and were transported to their accommodation for some well-earned rest. On Sunday they travelled to Famona Fire Station to set up for two weeks of intensive training which would commence the following day.
On Sunday evening the team met with the Chamber Secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, acting CFO, Mr Linos Phiri, Senior Administrative Officer for Bulawayo City Council, Mr Bornface Ngulube, and Senior Divisional Ambulance Officer, Mr Peter Dube. The meeting allowed the Operation Florian team to brief them on the plans for this phase of the project and discuss future development.
On Monday 5th December the team visited the city hall to meet the Mayor, Mr Solomon Mguni, who thanked Operation Florian for their commitment to improving safety in the community and for the equipment that has been donated so far. The team then went into the council chambers to meet the council department heads and introduce themselves.
On return to Famona Fire Station, there was an opening ceremony with the students attending the various courses. Prayers and speeches were given by the senior officer and our team members had the chance to introduce themselves.
The team are now in full swing delivering training and distributing donated equipment including three fire appliances which are due to arrive by the end of the week. Keep an eye on our social media profiles for more updates on the project developments and activities.
Operation Florian Supports Blanket Donation to Ukraine
Operation Florian received a large donation of blankets that was arranged by supporter Lesley Routh-Jones in collaboration with AW Hainsworth Textile Mill. These were conveyed to the charity by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and are now being sent to the people of Ukraine.
Retired Firefighter Andy Barnes has been donating vehicles for use on the front line since the start of the war and has filled some of his vehicles with the blankets which are now being used to keep people warm during the depths of winter.
A more recent collaboration is with International Aid Trust who are taking convoys of aid to the Ukraine and Moldova on a weekly basis . Last week, Chair Michael Doherty and Treasurer Tony Burscough handed over a large consignment of the blankets and they will be on their way to the Ukraine on the next convoy.
We would like to thank all those who have supported this effort and a special thanks to Amanda McLaren (MD) A W Hainsworth Textiles and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service who transported the donation to our storage facility at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Training Centre.
Read the full storyOperation Florian to embark on phase 9 of the Bulawayo, Zimbabwe training mission
Operation Florian is delighted to be starting phase 9 of the Bulawayo, Zimbabwe training mission.
This partnership originally started in 2009, with the first phase taking place in 2011. Phase 9 will run from 5th – 15th December 2022 and will include a two-week intensive training programme. Attendees will take part in exercises on ladders and pumps, hazmat incidents, risk assessments, leadership and command skills, equipment maintenance, technical fire safety, community fire safety and first aid skills. They will also benefit from refresher sessions on breathing apparatus and road traffic collisions.
The Operation Florian phase 9 team consists of:
- Anthony Burscough – Operation Florian Project Manager for Zimbabwe and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service – Rtd
- Shephard Ndlovu – Senior Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire
- Mark Brisco – Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service – Rtd
- Stephen Snape – Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service – Rtd
This project would not be possible without the vision and commitment of Bulawayo City Council. This mission is also a collaboration of several organisations, including:
- Operation Florian
- City of Bulawayo
- University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)
- Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
- West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Cleveland Fire Brigade
- Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services
- Ballyclare (PPE Distributors)
- Fire and Rescue Services throughout the UK donated equipment.
This partnership has resulted in Operation Florian being able to send two containers of equipment and three fire engines to Bulawayo Fire and Ambulance Brigade this year. This donated equipment is vital for not only the training of emergency personnel but also for their everyday use in responding to emergencies.
This year Operation Florian has also donated two containers of equipment and four fire engines to Harare Fire Brigade. Chinnoyi and Masvingo also received donated fire engines from Operation Florian.
Working with students from the University of Central Lancashire
We are also excited to have a unique element to these missions through the inclusion of undergraduate degree students from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) in many of the mission phases. The students will use their experiences from assisting the Operation Florian team as evidence for their BSc (Hons) Fire and Leadership Studies degree studies.
This partnership with UCLAN started in 2012 and over 50 students have benefited from this partnership so far. The University continues to sponsor students to assist with our missions and we hope students will continue to assist with our 2023 missions.
About Operation Florian
Operation Florian is a UK based humanitarian charity. As a non-political organisation, we assist Fire and Rescue Services and Ambulance Services around the world that need assistance. Much of our work concentrates on disaster re-building work, helping to assist and support communities to improve their fire fighting and rescue infrastructure and providing a progressive move towards normality and stability of their emergency services. We work to enable them to meet the needs and demands placed on them by the communities they serve.
The process of assisting these services often takes several years to achieve; therefore, Operation Florian is a UK Charity (Registered UK Charity number 1149445) that provides continuity and support until the receiving community can support itself. The success of such projects can only be achieved by working in partnership in an atmosphere of trust and cooperation.
Learn more about our work at: www.operationflorian.org.uk
You can also follow us on social media:
www.facebook.com/OperationFlorian
DONATED FIRE APPLIANCES BEGIN THEIR LONG JOURNEY TO ZIMBABWE
Three fire appliances left Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Training Centre on Monday morning heading for Teesport docks ready to be shipped out to Zimbabwe. The vehicles were driven in convoy by Operation Florian members. Two of the vehicles were donated by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and the third one came from Cini Fire Tech Ltd, who provide Professional Fire Cover for Film, TV and Events.
We are extremely grateful to these organisations. Donations of vehicles and equipment are vital to the success of our projects and there is no doubt that they will be used to save lives and property when they arrive at their final destinations.
Our thanks also go to Martin Brien and Paul Heppenstall from Greater Manchester Fire Service Engineering Department, Adam Flynn from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Fleet Services and Operation Florian trustee Bernie Lees for giving up their free time to make this happen.
Montenegro Team Return Home Safely
Following a very intense and successful mission to deliver training and distribute donated equipment our team have arrived safely back in the UK. The training and equipment were very well received by the Montenegrin emergency workers and community safety initiatives were also very successful. Work will now continue to develop the project and continue to build on existing partnerships to ensure the continuity of the long-term plan.
For this to be achieved there is an urgent need for sponsorship and donations. All our members give their time and skills for free but there is considerable expense to the charity to make everything happen. If you are able to support us in any way please donate via the website or contact us to discuss sponsorship and any other support you can offer.
Fundraising has commenced already to support the continuation of this excellent project. Please help in any way you can
Training Project in Montenegro
An Operation Florian team is currently working in Montenegro in partnership with the Association of Firefighters and Rescuers. A team of specialist instructors are delivering phase 1 of a 3 to 5 year project plan to enhance the skills and knowledge of the Montenegrin firefighters. The aim is to improve firefighter and public safety.
This is a high profile project within the country and is being well received by everyone involved. The British Ambassador Karen Maddocks visited for the launch of this long term programme of training and equipment donation. She said she was particularly pleased to meet Martina, only the second female firefighter in Montenegro and a role model for a diverse workforce.
Training is taking place at Podgorica and Berane fire stations and includes incident command /multi-agency working , breathing apparatus, command and control procedures, road traffic collisions and swift water rescue. A total of 127 officers and firefighters along with Police officers are involved in the 5 day training programmes.
Further updates and pictures can be found on our social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This project would not be possible without the many supporters who donate time money and equipment to Operation Florian to help us protect these communities. The project team would like to extend their utmost thanks and appreciation to the British Ambassador, Karen Maddocks and her team, along with Goran Jankovic, the chair of the Association of Firefighters and Rescuers of Montenegro and his team.
Read the full storyHM Queen Elizabeth II
May I convey the deepest sympathies to His Majesty the King and his family in the passing of his dear mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Our Queen and leader of the commonwealth.
Her departure is a tremendous loss to all of us. May she rest in peace.
Michael A Doherty BEM
Chair, Operation Florian
Read the full story
Kenya Homa Bay Delegation visit to Operation Florian Hosted by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
On Wednesday 11th May 2022 a delegation representing the Homa Bay Region of Kenya visited Operation Florian main stores at Washington Hall, Lancashire Fire and Rescues International Training Centre. The purpose of this visit was to view two equipped Volvo Fire Appliances for potential donation to the communities of Homa Bay.
This Operation Florian project is in partnership with Workington Rotary International in Cumbria under the guidance of Chair Ken Kirkwood. The original project started in 2019 and the next phase was delayed due to the pandemic. Representing Homa Bay was Mr Kipnyango W Seroney the goodwill Ambassador for the Kootab Myoot Community of Kenya and Lydia Tet Olet Director of Kenya in the Park.
Representing Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service was DCFO Steve Healy, Service Training Manager Tom Powell and Darcy Williams Internal Communications Officer for LFRS.
The Operation Florian team consisted of Michael Doherty Chair of the Charity, Tony Burscough Trustee, Bernie Lees Trustee, Shephard Ndlovu Trustee, Gary Higson Homa Bay project team member and Paul Rigden LFRS and Operation Florian member.
Also attending was Angeline Ward Regional Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa-International Recruitment for the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN).
The visitors toured the donated ex GMC Fire Appliances-
The two fire appliances have been donated by GMC FRS and equipped by donations from many UK FRS’s. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service supplied PPE, helmets and RTC equipment.
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has been a supporter of Operation Florian from its concept in 1995. Without the help and cooperation of rescue services the charity could not operate and provide much needed vehicles and equipment to communities in need throughout the world.
Michael Doherty, Kipnyango W Seroney, Lydia Tet Olet, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Healy and Group Manager Tom Powell
Discussions took place on the future development of the Kenyan project and potential future phases.
At the present time Operation Florian is running and developing projects in Kenya, Montenegro, Philippines, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Cape Verde and Macedonia. The storage facility area provided by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service at Washington Hall is vital to the charity to meet the needs of these projects.
Lancashire Appliance Handover to Ukraine Firefighters
Prior to leaving the UK as part of the third convoy to the Ukraine the two drivers of the Lancashire appliance, both Operation Florian members, were presented with messages of support to Ukrainians from the children at St Annes primary school in Leyland. The appliance has now been handing over to the Ukrainian Fire Service and these messages of support were on display during the handover ceremony.
Operation Florian members being presented with messages of support
