The new building of the Volunteer Fire Station in Sireti, Straseni district was officially inaugurated on April 4, 2024.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Jana Costachi, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Colonel Alexandru Oprea, the head of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU), His Excellency Kent D. Logsdon, the Ambassador of the United States of America, representatives from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Moldova, Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova, Comunitatea Mea Program, and officials from local public authorities.
Jana Costachi, in her address, emphasized the importance of developing volunteer fire stations for the safety of rural communities and encouraged firefighters volunteering initiatives. She also expressed gratitude to the partners who contributed to the implementation of this project and assured that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in collaboration with IGSU, will provide necessary support in training volunteers to ensure swift responses to community needs.
Colonel Alexandru Oprea congratulated the community on these achievements, highlighting their role in mitigating disaster risks and enhancing the safety of citizens. He mentioned that there are currently 20 volunteer fire sections nationwide, citing the Sireti station as a positive model for other rural communities.
The renovation of the volunteer fire station was carried out under the project “Community cooperation for the improvement of the firefighting service in Sireti and Roscani communities” as part of the Comunitatea Mea Programme. The renovation was made possible due to the financial assistance totaling $266,000 from the United States Agency for International Development, Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova, Straseni District Council and Sireti municipality.
The new Sireti Volunteer Fire Station has a specially equipped space with 4 boxes and furniture for storing intervention equipment. It is also equipped with a special vehicle, firefighting equipment, machinery, and climbing equipment.
The project also extended the fire hydrant network in the community station’s intervention area, installing 15 external hydrants – 11 in Sireți and 4 in Roșcani. Additionally, training courses were conducted for volunteer firefighters, enabling them to respond to fires and emergencies, until professional firefighters arrive. Twelve volunteer firefighters, selected from the local population, work at the station responding to exceptional situations both in Sireți and Roșcani, serving approximately 7500 inhabitants.
