Nine volunteers from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service set off on Monday, June 3 at 3.30am for a 1,800 mile aid trip to transport more much needed fire engines to Romania – with the good wishes of Shrewsbury Rotary Club.
Firefighters, back room staff, a Press officer, fire authority member and Assistant Chief Fire Officer Steve Worrall have all given up their holiday to prepare and deliver a Land Rover and two redundant fire engines bought from UK fire stations.
On board will be 500 brand new firefighting uniforms, to replace the Romanians’ inadequate firefighting kit, donated by the LHD Group in Middlesex, which provides protective clothing to many UK fire and rescue services. The organisation has also made a donation towards buying the fire trucks.
The contingent will set off aboard the fire appliances and a Land Rover for the week long trip to Transylvania travelling by ferry to France and on to Germany, Austria and Romania stopping at fire stations on the way.
A 1950’s style Romanian fire truck with cracked windscreen… to be replaced by a UK fire engine delivered from Shropshire.
Shrewsbury Rotary Club has presented a scroll depicting views of Shrewsbury which will be delivered to Rotarians in Romania, who have bought one of the English fire trucks.
“One of the fire appliances has been sponsored by Reghin Rotary Club in Romania and the Rotary Club of Shrewsbury is delighted to be invited by Assistant Chief Fire Officer Steve Worrall to make contact with our fellow Rotarians in Romania and to send greetings to them by means of the scroll and a pennant.
“The Rotary Club of Shrewsbury wishes the team a safe and successful journey and looks forward to hearing about the venture at one of their future meetings.”
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Steve Worrall said: “I am delighted to receive the scroll of Shrewsbury Rotary Club and will ensure that it is passed onto your fellow Rotarians in Reghin.”
The Shropshire delegation has paid £150 each towards the aid trip and have raised more than £4,000 with charitable events.
A number of aid trips have been made to Romania by Shropshire fire and rescue staff over the past few years delivering a total of 13 old UK fire engines to support the rural areas where fire protection is “medieval” and many old people’s homes are in need of support.
The trip is being made with the help of the Mihai Eminescu Trust, which preserves ancient villages in Romania - and has Shropshire experts helping out – the Trust patron is Prince Charles who has a house there.
