The Regional Fire Service Command of Western Macedonia, in Greece, has strengthened its operational capabilities with the acquisition of a state-of-the-art unmanned aerial vehicle (drone), officially delivered on Friday, Jan. 9.

The drone was handed over by the Governor of Western Macedonia, Giorgos Amanatidis, to Fire Service Commander Ioannis Amanatidis, marking another tangible outcome of the close cooperation between the Regional Authority and the Fire Service in the field of Civil Protection.

According to an official regional announcement, the new drone enhances the Fire Service’s equipment used for the monitoring and surveillance of wildfires, as well as for a wide range of operations carried out around the clock. Its capabilities include search-and-rescue missions involving both people and animals, significantly expanding the Service’s response capacity.

Governor Amanatidis highlighted the broader framework of effective collaboration between the Region and the Fire Service, noting that this partnership proved its value during the previous wildfire season. As he stated, the cooperation delivered concrete results in both preventive measures and in the rapid response and suppression of fires.

“These outcomes clearly demonstrate the necessity of this collaboration,” he emphasized, adding that coordination on the part of the Region is overseen by the Deputy Regional Governor for Civil Protection, Giannis Kioses.

The Region also announced plans to further reinforce the Fire Service by leasing a second drone during the upcoming wildfire season, underscoring its commitment to strengthening civil protection and emergency preparedness across Western Macedonia.