The response of firefighters to the needs of people in the Ukraine has been both massive and swift writes Will Stone.
Firefighters across the UK have been taking part in a huge drive to donate fire and rescue equipment to Ukraine - with one even offering to volunteer to help firefighting in the war-torn country.
One convoy saw 40 firefighters join more than 60 volunteers from Fire Aid, the charity co-ordinating one of the donation drives to help transport two lorries full of vital equipment including thousands of sets of PPE, hoses, body armour and thermal imaging equipment and fire appliances.
Claire Hoyland, project manager at Fire Aid, said the "mega convoy" on March 19 was made up of 22 vehicles, which also included an incident response unit and a hydraulic rescue platform, along with more than 5,000 pieces of equipment.
She said: "We’re calling this a mega convoy as it is not only mega in size, but it has been truly a monumental effort from all involved.
BIGGEST EVER DONATION
"Within two weeks we have put together the biggest ever donation of aid from UK Fire and Rescue services."
Leading the convoy, firefighter Mike Pitney, of Kent Fire and Rescue Service, described the firefighting equipment in Ukraine as "past-life" and said "something needed to be done with it".
Fire Aid has been supporting emergency services with firefighting equipment in over 50 countries for more than 25 years. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Fire Aid volunteers quickly mobilised to gather donated equipment to transport over to Poland where it will be transferred to Ukraine.
'We're calling this a mega convoy as it is not only mega in size, but it has been truly a monumental effort from all involved'
Another convoy, organised by the Scottish Emergency Rescue Association (SERA) charity, drove four fire engines and an 18 tonne box lorry full of life saving equipment including body armour and helmets.
Scottish FBU member Michal Stachowicz was among them and says the 80 flak jackets, donated by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) after being bought to allow firefighters to respond to terrorist incidents following the Manchester Arena bombings, was "one of the best things" that they took.
He told Firefighter: "Firefighters are still firefighting under persistent shelling, so the body armour helps to protect them.
"It's nice to give them a bit of firefighting equipment that nobody thinks of, but are in fact essential to keep them safe like the ballistic vests, it's a pleasure and privilege to do that.
"The borders are full of people who walked for weeks, poorer people reaching the border with plastic bags with them, it puts it all in perspective.
"Even a little help or donation makes a massive difference to them.
"When we were showing the guys how to use the machines we brought, the guys were amazed as all they've got is old ex-Soviet trucks from the 70s and 80s, so something like this is transformational for them."
He recalled being in Ukraine a few years ago to help train firefighters but never believed they would ever need their new skills in a war zone.
Frank Johnson, a retired former watch manager at North Hull fire station, flew out to the Polish border with his son to help shuttle people between refugee centres, the airport and railway station as well as transporting all kinds of everyday equipment for use in Ukraine.
ARRANGED VERY QUICKLY
"The trip was arranged very quickly realising that the needs of the fleeing families is immediate," he said.
"On a human level we saw mothers and children left at the border by young men returning to fight for their country, pregnant and nursing mums in transit centres not knowing if they'd ever see husbands or family again.
"One lady we helped transport to a new life abroad, Olana, had lost her father (a radiological engineer) and her uncle in the aftermath of operations to make the Chernobyl nuclear plant safe.
"The centres try to make life bearable with activities for kids, info desks teeming with people seeking advice and making impossible decisions as to where they want their new home to be.
"There are also psychological counsellors ever present to help people with loss of home, possessions, relatives and certainty."
Another brave retired firefighter, Bruce Reid from North Yorkshire, flew out to Poland with the hope of crossing the Ukrainian border to help Ukraine's fire service.
He told Firefighter: "I went to the site of the Twin Towers after 9/11 but that's just one site.
IMMENSE STRAIN
"What's happening in Ukraine is city after city across huge swathes of the country. The strain on the fire service is immense so I wanted to try and do my bit to help.
"I took two sets of full firefighter kit, leggings, tunic, one helmet, gloves, boots, a respirator and a few bits and pieces."
However, when he finally made it to the Ukrainian border at the rendezvous point near Lviv he was told the only way he would be allowed to cross the border would be to go to a military training post.
I've got no military experience and had no desire to do a crash course in using an AK47
Having promised his family he would refuse to fight, he decided to make the long journey home - but not without the satisfaction that he tried.
"I've got no military experience and had no desire to do a crash course in using an AK47," he added.
