"Rescue 3 Europe" has certified five members of Bank of Cyprus' SupportCY Volunteers Corps. The five were certified as Swiftwater and Flood First Responders after undergoing tough training at the Voidamati and Aoos rivers in the Ioannina region of Greece.

Unfortunately floods are among the most frequent and serious natural disasters affecting not only the Mediterranean region, but also the whole world, as a result of climate change. Here in Cyprus, there have at times occurred major floods that caused extensive damage, requiring the mobilising of significant resources to deal with and repair the damage.

Recognising the importance of proper training for its Volunteers Corps, SupportCY has secured certified training for five volunteers, now certified as Swiftwater and Flood First Responders. Their training was supervised by Yiannis Holeva, an experienced and distinguished instructor.

Ready to support state services

Since its inception, the SupportCY Volunteers Corps has prioritised training for our volunteers both here in Cyprus and abroad. We aim to be prepared, effective and useful whenever needed, supporting state services in preventing and dealing with crises and disasters.

For their part, the volunteers stressed the importance of training, and spoke about their unique experience in Ioannina:

Marios Stavrou: "For the first time I came to realise the dangers of rapids and floods, and understood how well trained and prepared one must be to be able to operate in rescue and assistance missions. I'd like to thank Yiannis Holeva, a serious and experienced instructor, for everything he has taught us. And congratulations to all the guys who took part and who supported one another during this demanding training."

Anjouleta Zacharatou: "An unforgettable and unique experience, surpassing all expectations. We tried things we never imagined we could manage or even dare do, under the guidance and supervision of the one and only Yiannis Holeva."

Christos Theodoulou: "To me, this training was a life experience, which pushed us beyond our limits and gave us the skillsets to work as a team and to help wherever needed."

The mission was wholly financed by Bank of Cyprus, supported by Top Kinisis, a member of the SupportCY network.