Rescue Team

  Greece

Rural Areas

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: On-going

Description: The volunteers will participate in rescues, maintain equipment, and have regular training in necessary courses. (1st Aid) The rescues involve; sea rescues, fire fighting, and transporting sick or injured people to the hospital.

The rescue team of FNEC started its activity un-officially in the summer 2000, as members of FNEC were often asked by the local port police, to assist with the clubs boat in some rescue activities. These activities included search of boats that had emitted MAY DAY and/or towing of boats experiencing engine damages. Some times also our members were called to assist the local police in traffic accident and similar occasions. With the time FNEC decided to form officially a Rescue Team that would be active in cases of emergencies assisting the local community.

Any volunteer involved in the RESCUE TEAM should be advised that RESCUE missions can not be scheduled or pre-planed. It is possible that for many weeks or even months, our rescue team remains inactive. That also means that there cant be any daily schedule for the rescue team. Emergencies occur at any time of the day or night and usually they occur exactly when none is expecting them. Therefore rescuers must be ready for action at any time of the day or night, weekends or days-off.

All the volunteer rescuers will be trained according to our equipment and local conditions. Unlike other voluntary rescue teams that are mainly responsible to assist until professional help arrives, we are most probably expected to carry out a rescue mission from the beginning to the end, since there are no professional forces in the area where we are active.

Our volunteer rescuers should be aware that they might have to face and deal with horrible accidents, unpleasant situations, strenuous conditions and life risking operations.

Training of the rescuers is never ending and continuous. As the variety of incidence we are expected to deal with is large, the FNEC rescue team will appreciate any volunteer that has special knowledge that can help us.

Volunteers are expected to take part in equipment cleaning, repairing and maintain. All cars, boats and other vehicles need to be kept in operational good condition. Training will cover a considerable part of their stay. Training will be repeated almost every week.

Highlights: After finishing the voluntary placement here you will receive a Certification of Participation.

Fiskardo's voluntary rescue team acts whenever an accident occurs, when a nautical accident is reported or in cases of mass catastrophes, case in which volunteers might have to leave the facilities in Fiskardo and travel for a period to another place in Greece or even the world.

Qualifications: No necessary qualifications.

Cost in US$: 270

Our private camp is free to anyone that wants to use it.

If our extremely basic accommodation doesn't suit you we can arrange for a rented room for you at an additional price.
Price doesn't include; meals, flights, visas or insurance.

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Greece Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 2-5

Application Process Involves:

• Resume
• Written Application

The Hellenic Foundation for Youth & Volunteering's Mission Statement: The Hellenic Foundation for Youth & Volunteering (HFYV) and its department (Ionian Sea Research Centre, Fiskardo's Nautical & Environmental Club) is a non-profit organization established on the island of Kefalonia (Cephalonia) in Greece in 1998 and deals mainly with the promotion of volunteering and youth mobility. Since 1999 we are a member of the European Commission supported project, European Voluntary Service and in the year 2003 we have been awarded as one of the 4 best projects in Europe. Parallel to this and since 2000 we are running various internship programs for shorter periods of time (1-2 months). From 2008 we work only with independent volunteers from all over the world on long and short term projects, from 2 weeks to 6 months. The Hellenic Foundation for Youth & Volunteering offers courses, volunteer projects/internships, work camps, and the possibility of learning experiences in the fields of research, rescue and environmental protection.

Year Founded: 1998