MP Ozgur Ferhat raises firefighter shortage in Eastern Macedonia–Thrace before Greek Parliament

The written parliamentary question — co-signed by New Left lawmakers — was submitted to the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, highlighting what MPs describe as critical personnel shortages across regional fire services.

Union Data Points to Sharp Declines

According to the Firefighters’ Union of Macedonia, Thrace and the North Aegean, significant staffing gaps exist in the regional units of Kavala, Drama, İskeçe, Rhodope and Meriç.

In some departments, active personnel reportedly fall below 30% of officially designated staffing levels.

The situation in Kavala was described as particularly alarming. Officials noted that the Kavala Fire Service had 69 personnel in 2017, a number that has reportedly dropped to 35 as of 2026.

In multiple city units, shifts originally planned for 9–10 firefighters are now operating with only 5–6, while fire engine crews are frequently reduced from the standard three-person configuration to just two — a change that directly affects response times and operational capacity.

Risks Ahead of Wildfire Season

Lawmakers warned that in the event of simultaneous natural disasters, serious service gaps could emerge before reinforcement teams arrive. They stressed that the region has historically faced frequent rural and forest fires, increasing vulnerability ahead of the summer season.

The parliamentary inquiry requests detailed clarification from the ministry on:

• The official staffing capacity versus active personnel numbers in each fire unit
• A timeline for permanent recruitment
• Whether emergency deployments or new hiring plans are scheduled before wildfire season
• Potential restructuring of regional fire services to meet rising demands
• Measures to ensure each city unit operates with at least three fully staffed firefighting teams in line with safety standards

Public Safety a “Primary State Responsibility”

Ferhat and co-signing MPs emphasized that strengthening fire services in Eastern Macedonia–Thrace is a matter of urgent public security and civil protection.

They underlined that the state bears responsibility for ensuring that emergency services operating 24/7 under difficult conditions are adequately staffed, equipped and able to respond effectively.

The Ministry has not yet issued an official response.