Fire Lieutenant Colonel Vassilis Bikas
Capitaine Sylvain Cheval
A once in a lifetime experience for us,
is for them a daily occurrence.
AUGUST 8, 2022
When I saw the two officers I was going to talk to, the image was cinematic.
I felt under my feet, the weight of their presence and I could feel that the next few minutes would seem like an intense training drill.
Leaving, I wanted to tell them that they were as I imagined them. Super Heroes, that are made of Steel but have Hearts Of Gold!
Didn’t tell them. I’m saying it now.
They were Wonderful!
I’ll hand over my questions for you to see them as well.
So to start with, while doing some research, I came across a new type of wildfire, called “Mega” that is really a hot issue especially in Europe. Previously, Mr. Bikas told us about the new program that talks about collaboration between European countries to fight these megafires. But are there official political decisions supporting such actions?
S.Cheval:
We all see that fires become bigger and bigger each year. And maybe their number will increase even more. They start in May and end in October. As Mr. Bikas has said, it is urgent for us to adapt a strong political decision and col- laborate with all European counties for a common protection mecha- nism. It is a good suggestion that all countries in Europe participate in this effort and work together to fight these Megafires.
Have you taken part in incidents where many human lives were lost?
V.Bikas:
I was in the accident with the HELIOS that crashed in Grammatiko, in August 2005. I remember the exact moment. I had the radio on and heard the call: “Plane at Grammatico, near Sessi .” We walked all the way. the plane had crashed on a wooded hillside. It seemed to have carved an airstrip, digging into the ground, with its wings. The aircraft broke its wing on a tree, launched itself on the opposite side and was cut off by its tail. Its tail stayed on top. Right and left we found pieces of the wheels and the wing. When the main part hit the ground, people scattered into the forest and because it still had fuel, the wooded slopes caught fire.
Were there any survivors?
V.Bikas:
No. There were 115 people on board, mostly Cypriot citizens plus the six-member crew.
At what age did you have a mission that was very hard for you and what was the most difficult assignment. Have you ever been involved in an incident where human lives were lost?
S.Cheval:
I guess I am lucky because since the day I started working I have never found any mission extremely difficult, be-because we always work together, as a strong team. But one emotional and difficult mission that I encountered–the first big one– was when I was 28 years old – or maybe 27. And it was in Guadalupe, an island near America. It was just after a typhoon. As you may know, typhoons destroy everything. When we arrived, fortunately there weren’t any dead people, but the whole area was burned down. So many people needed our help and there were a lot of problems. No electricity, no food, no shelter, nothing!
Mr. Bika, at what age did you have the most difficult assignment?
V.Bikas:
I must go back 20 years to say what was the most difficult mission and I will not refer to the technically difficult missions. When I wasn’t even an officer yet, I was a regular firefighter and went to my first fatal car accident.
There were colleagues on site whose stomachs could not stand the sight. Others like me “took” it with them. I remember that I could not forget it. I thought about it constantly without being able to push it away for a long time. I experienced up closely and I wanted to understand exactly what it is like when you suddenly receive a phone call or when you are told that your loved one is no longer alive.
You mentioned the impact of death. Death marks you. It stays inside you. The next day, how do you carry on when you know that unfortunately there will be more such moments?
V.Bikas:
Inside you are always the same person and every time you experience it like the first time. The fireman’s uniform is more than equipment, it is a suit of armor that you have accepted the duty to wear in order to stand strong against those who will need your help. You learn to live like this. And the main thing. When I have to extricate the man from a trapped vehicle I am not allowed to have emotions that will block me. I have to have complete control over them, make the rescue. To be able to save him and not have to enter the warehouse of my mind as a loss . Because as I told you. I don’t forget and I shouldn’t.
You’re telling me you’re training for this? No one is trained so that he can bear to see a person in front of him and at the same time know that what he sees is the past. But day by day you become more steeled.
For me it was, is and always will be very difficult to be close to a person who has lost his life. I remember so many things that happened in the distant past. Because we, will retrieve a person from a ravine or from a car, we are perhaps the first ones whose people will come to ask us: What happened? How is it? What did you see? And when it comes to parents who have to tell them something bad is happening to their child, it’s tragic. How can you say it? These moments shock me.
They are tragedies, not only because I am now a father myself but also before I became one. It is the most painful thing for a person to lose, his child. I’m taking his place. This is done automatically with me. I feel like it’s happening in my own family (not like it’s happening but that it’s happening). But at the same time I try to show and be a rock for them.
Have you ever been dangerously trapped?
S.Cheval:
Fortunately, no! To become dangerously trapped, there must be a mistake. Fortunately, this has
never happened to me. But there is one time, before this job that I was working at helicopters. Our mission was to go out there and fight the fire. The fire was very quiet and was going to the north but all of a sudden, the wind went strong and to a south direction. We had to run quickly, jump into the helicopters and go away. There is a photo in which you can see the flames just under the helicopters.
You Mr. Bika?
V.Bikas:
I was caught in a forest fire. The fire had come under the vehicle. There I mechanically reacted and acted as I had been taught at the Academy. The easiest thing to do is to go to scorched ground because it can no longer burn.
Is it the easiest?
V.Bikas:
Easiest and the most logical. When you try to put down the fire on the green area and you start to be in danger, you have to run to the burnt one . There you will be saved.
And the smoke?
S.Cheval:
There is a rule, you will never go to the smoke. You must follow the hose, because, if there is any smoke, you could be trapped. And after, it becomes difficult to breathe. One time when I was younger, on a fire I was near the hose, and I wanted to see something, so I went forward, following along to the hose. And I was lost. I don’t remember where I was. I was in the smoke, and I could not breathe. Fortunately, a plane just near me dropped water around me and I was able to fall back.
V.Bikas:
Your equipment protects you from it. Forest fires are always dangerous missions. The younger you are in service age, the more difficult the position you are in is, because you have no experience. In the field you must deal with what you have been taught in theory, using your training, learning more and more each time.
Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t hear the alarm and it was very difficult for you to get out?
S.Cheval:
No, never I am lucky.
Have you experienced incidents where the firefighter’s helmet has melted, or the uniform has been damaged, and it is a miracle that he survived?
You told me that yourself, you were lucky, but what about your partners?
S.Cheval:
I am lucky I have never had any such accident, but things like that can happen. For example, when the fire increases, it is highly possible to burn the uniform and, softly burn the body behind the uniform.
When there is fire burning on your uniform, what’s the, the reaction?
S.Cheval:
The uniform doesn’t really burn because it protects you. How does it work? the uniform will become hotter and hotter and then it hurts. When it’s too hot, you feel it and you have fall back to a safe spot at that moment.
Is PTSD common?
Do you have colleagues who have quit because of it?
V.Bikas:
That I might have some PTSD? Probably. I admit I haven’t looked it up. I feel like I’m resisting looking it up.
I talk with my friends and especially with friends – colleagues. That’s kind of how I manage it. And I also have new children entering the Corps-young girls and boys who are on missions, for example, with very painful car accidents. I empower them. I try to make them durable. That’s the only way we’re useful. You may see us in an incident and call us insensitive. Our composure may give you this impression. After all, isn’t calmness required for each person to feel safe when we take action?
However, trauma is trauma. It is an open internal wound. The first fatal traffic accident I was involved in as a firefighter was very, very hard to picture and I will certainly not forget it as long as I live. Dismembered people are images that you know that you might come across them but you are never truly ready.
Of course, the joy you get when you save a person is incredible. And for these feelings there are no words. You can’t describe them. It is absolute joy. It is something big, bigger than human stature. It is a gift of life for the one you save and for yourself.
When the grandma or grandpa you helped say, “Thanks, lad!” everything that weighs you down is erased at once even if only for a while. You feel grateful for life and the Fire Department, which gives you such unforgettable moments. You take deep breaths and continue with more strength as the next incident may require you to give your soul.
From your experiences, is PTSD often?
S.Cheval:
We don’t discuss about the incidents for a long time, but I think this a real problem and we must take it into account. Everyone sees a fireman as a strong man without problems. But in fact, we see very hard scenes, mostly with car accidents. This is very difficult for us. I know some guys that never get over these moments. For example, if there is a fatal accident, it’s extremely important after the incident, when we are at the fire station, to discuss it all together: to talk about how you feel and what you think about it. If people talk about that, it’ll be easier to get over it. In France, we have psychological assistance available after every mission.
Which is your funniest memory of an incident?
S.Cheval:
There is not a funniest memory, but it’s a very good memory. It was just after a fire; we were in the mountain house, and we were with local firefighters and people living there. Some of them came with guitars. And we were, at the burn area, everything was dark, dark and black and we started singing while playing guitar, while having the sea view in front of us. It is a good memory to have.
Your funniest memory from an event or the strangest request from a citizen?
V. Bikas:
After a call, we go to the Northern Suburbs. The lady who called us shows us a tree and tells us imperatively: “Take it down!” We looked up and saw a parrot. As the vehicle leader I had to propose a rescue plan for the parrot, but the ladder was out of the question because he was sitting carelessly on a branch that could not be reached for safety reasons. Hesitant and troubled I tried to think this through. I wasn’t taking action. This made the lady nervous, and she was barely keeping her cool. I was sure she was thinking something like, “Imagine how long it would take if I told him to bring down a dinosaur!”. Time passed torturously for her and for us too. “Colleagues, bring water…” I said and before I could finish the sentence, the lady jumps in: “Put him down first and then I’ll bring you water”. “Ma’am, I don’t want to drink. I want make his wings wet.” We start shooting with the hose. I thought that by getting him wet, he would fly away and maybe go to a lower branch so we could put up a ladder. But he was a smart bird. As soon as we poured water on him, he jumped and went to another branch, to another, to another, to another, to another. We were playing Tom and Jerry until he got tired of playing with us and spread his wings and disappeared. So did the lady, confused and speechless. But we’re not done yet… A gentleman appears on a balcony protesting: “You tried to kill the poor bird!”. We left like wet cats. “Sometimes you just can’t handle people” I thought.
The 24-hour emergency is for strong nerves. Within 40 minutes you must be ready to enter hell, what is your psychology?
S.Cheval:
Ιt’s a little complicated for me to answer this question. We never do a 24-hour shift. My unit , we are on duty from Friday to Friday and we work from 08:00 to 18:00. But we are still on duty even when we are at home. Withing 30 minutes after we receive the phone call we have to go to the fire station and from there everywhere in the world or in France. It’s a one–week duty. But we have to be ready for everything. For example, in my car, I have all my stuff, my uniform, and paperwork. If I go on an earthquake, I have a checklist. If I go on a fire, I have a checklist. If I go on float, I have checklist, everything. I have my passport ready; I have everything ready. I must be prepared all the time.
24-hour vigil requires strong nerves. In 40” you must be ready to enter hell. What is your psychology these hours?
V.Bikas:
Almost all fire services are on call 24 hours a day. I insist that it is important for the firefighter to do everything to be rested. He will do his training, spend relaxing moments with his colleagues because they are his team. He will enjoy his food, rest in his room. This is in the nature of our work. But we know that when the event “hits” there is no excuse such as: I’m going to the toilet, I haven’t eaten yet, and I’m a little tired. You must leave without knowing when you will come back.
Do you slide down a pole like in the movies?
V. Bikas:
There are poles in some old fire stations. I have only seen one in Kastoria. The evolution of the pole came to be as it was convenient at the time, to slide from the upper floor directly “to the back” of the vehicles to enter them.
How long does it take to get ready?
V.Bikas:
When you rest you only take off your boots. Everything is waiting for you in the vehicle: clothes, belt, jacket, breathing apparatus. Essentially all you do is take your bag if you don’t want to leave it in the vehicle. You enter and you leave immediately.
We talked before about social, social media and how they affect, confuse and actually sometimes make things more difficult than they have to be. What’s your opinion on this ?
S.Cheval:
I think that social media is powerful. We need them. But only in the right way. Unfortunately, now social media are everywhere, and we must be careful about fake news. We want to give journalists the real information.
The engagement of social media and media in general with your work, does it affect you or not?
V. Bikas:
I like to think of social media as a knife. The knife in the hands of a chef is a tool for excellent work, but in the hands of a casual it becomes a murderous tool. So, it needs proper management. When you go to an incident you don’t care about the media even though sometimes, they can ruin your work if they communicate the wrong idea. We have too many examples, which if we start to mention we will never stop. We definitely need them because very quickly they can spread knowledge around the world, and we can also receive knowledge from around the world. On the other hand, there is, as in all professions, the ill-intentioned person who can, for his own reasons, destroy your work. The truth is that the fire personnel in Greece and France are popular. The citizens love them. The Fire Department always comes to help. It does not come to punish delinquent behavior. This has a positive impact, and we are relying on it. Social media can hardly damage our work and this image we have created. Of course, it also depends on how they will project it each time. If a picture comes up of me drinking coffee and looking more relaxed, maybe some people won’t think that I’m working hard enough, especially during periods of increased wildfire danger. In such isolated exceptions, we do not have the possibility of counterargument.
TV channels have online reporters with microphones running after firefighters asking them questions while the fire is raging, without considering this people have spent 10 hours in the flames, in the ashes and with suffocating psychological pressure trying to save lives or forest lands. Another case in point: Firefighters may come home after a hard day’s work and see on the news that they are being criticized for failures and mishandling along with the Fire Service for incidents that they have just experienced and know that there are inaccuracies misinformation and even deliberate misdirection. How do you feel then? Do you show indifference?
V.Bikas:
Sometimes the media can influence public opinion, but also in general the Fire Brigade can be blamed for events in which it participated and acted very correctly and crucially. Wont go into detail here.
So another question. Is it necessary to have a good relationship with your partners?
S.Cheval:
Yes. We do not need to be friends, but we have to work together. We are professionals. But in fact, we all work on having very good relationships. And we do some activities to increase team chemistry. If we all have the same mind, the same spirit, same purpose, even if we do not know each other, we will become stronger. Cause together we are stronger. In fact, in France with my team, we do hiking, we do exercise, some dinner or some lunch. Together, the team will be stronger. Hence, we spend a lot of time together. When there is no stress, there is no tension. Friendly relationships are very useful. My role as the leader is to instruct and maintain team morale.
I mean there is bonding, relationships developing. And even if you don’t have the best relationship with someone, when you have the same purpose, you share the same fears. Furthermore, when you have many years or months of experience together it is natural for the relationship to improve.
S.Cheval:
When everything is going well everyone loves everyone. Yes, we always serve our duty. But when you are tired, you become stressed. That depends on the people or other various reasons, like being away from home for a very long time, especially from your family, it is tough. For example, let’s say everything is alright. We have not faced any problems at work. But the guys have been away from their family for 12 days. It’s a bit long. Hence, we spend a lot of time together. When there is no stress, there is no tension between us. So it’s the team’s leader job to be mindful of that. But of course, friendly relationships are very useful. But if there aren’t any, we have to work on improving them. My role as the leader is to instruct and maintain team morale.
Do you need to be friendly with your fellow firefighter, or is it only when you’re in the field that you feel like a team?
V.Bikas:
There is no need to love each of your colleagues, nor to be the same. It is necessary to have a common code of communication and to be able to work as a team. I use the word as an acronym: Team: Together Everyone Achives More. With teamwork, we will more easily achieve the desired result, which is inextricably linked to the mission of the Fire Department. If everyone acts as a unit there is no group. I will liken it differently, to a basketball team where everyone plays for themselves. Even if you have the five best players in the world, if they do not act as a team they are not going to bring the desired result, let alone victory. It’s the same. Except that for us success is not a high score. It is the smallest rescue and help that will relieve our fellow man when we are asked. Or even “rescuing” a burning tree, or an endangered animal. I can’t say that we have frequent joint outings with our families. But when you’re with the same people 24 hours a day, Christmas, Easter, Summer, Sunday, holidays, it’s normal to bond with them and care about them. You learn his strengths and weaknesses, because we all have both. We must become a fist to act together in the field.
Have you ever seen a pyromaniac? Is it evident that he is mentally unstable or is it hard to identify?
S.Cheval:
Yes there are pyromaniacs.
I mean these people act the way they do without any logical explanation. When pyromaniacs get caught, when you see them, when you face them, can’t they fool you? Can’t they be seen just like another human or is it clear there is something wrong with him/her?
S.Cheval:
I have never seen a pyromaniac . I know there are some. I don’t think that they are easy to detect. I am sure that they have mental issues though.
Do they fool you or you are able to tell right away?
V.Bikas:
I haven’t seen a pyromaniac either, so I can’t accurately describe the features and whether I’ll recognize him or not. From what I have heard, I am very impressed that there are incidents involving children who set fires because they find the aerial mobilization of firefighting planes impressive, as well as the ground operation. They create an inferno because they find the spectacle exciting.
Isn’t it sick that they find joy in this? What causes this?
V.Bikas:
I don’t know. Are they influenced by movies? From video games? Does the action get their adrenaline going even if it results from malicious planning on their part?
They are impressed by the descent of a plane into the sea to get water. I like it a lot too. But when you are the cause of it, you exceed the moral boundaries.
V.Bikas:
There are proven arsonists, but they are not the main cause of fire in Greece. From the statistics I know, most incidents happen due to negligence, criminal negligence. Others happen because “lightheartedly” someone decides to burn the dead branches in the garden. And they say:” But I have a bucket of water next to me!” I will tell you how naïve this is. Have you seen fire running, Panagiotis? I’ve been in a fire where I chased it on foot and couldn’t catch up with it, but even with a vehicle, if you’re in such a fire, it runs frantically faster.
We talked about movies previously. They are not realistic at all. You as a fireman, how do you feel while watching them?
S.Cheval:
I don’t get anxious because I am not an anxious guy, but emotion is there for sure. For example, there is a good film called Save or Perish which is the motto of Paris firefighters. It’s a story of badly burned firefighters who struggle to survive and are afraid for their families. The film is quite realistic, with not many technical issues. I get emotional when family is impacted. I am a sensitive guy that is why.
Do you feel stress or are you relaxed because you think to yourself “It is just a movie”?
V.Bikas:
I see them from two angles. First as a spectator, because some are very impressive but also from the point of view of information. Although it may be a Hollywood film, it may have some interesting elements for my work. I think about what I can take from them and incorporate them into my work. I might see some equipment or some technique. Neither the screenwriter nor the director thought of these. In almost all films and especially in action films, there are technical advisors who ensure that what is happening on the screen looks believable. So, it’s a fun way to copy what’s interesting and possibly helpful.
In the movie Interstellar the Astrophysicist and Nobel Laureate, Kip Thorn, was assigned to be the scientific advisor. What are your thoughts on his interpretation and representation of reality?
V.Bikas:
They give a very realistic result.
When there is some exaggeration in the equipment or display of an emergency that distorts reality or the way they operate, how do you see it?
V.Bikas:
It’s not so much the excesses in equipment because equipment is equipment. The exaggeration that exists and that I emphasize every time I teach in a seminar or to citizens, is for example the wrong image-perception that action movies have formed about crashes. Tell me what’s the first thing you’ll think of when you see it happen?
An explosion?
V.Bikas:
Exactly. But this is not the rule but rather it is the exception. Rarely does such an explosion occur and it falsely creates a false sense of fear in the citizenry. When an accident happens, you won’t see the car explode, fly 8 meters off the ground and then land with a thud on the ground. From the crash, fatally, it will catch fire. Usually during a collision, fuel will leak from the car’s tank, which with the presence of a spark is very likely to ignite. The ensuing explosion comes from the tires, the broken windows and the exploding battery. Yes, these will explode. Gases in the fuel tank may also cause an explosion. The first crash I was in as a probationary officer was unfortunately fatal with three of our young fellows in the vehicle. For the first time, I saw death from burns. After the victims were retrieved, I wondered if it was right to get so close to the car. Why? Because I thought that after the frontal collision of the car with the truck and the fire that was initially caused, an explosion would follow. Since it was such a severe crash it was probably blown up. But the deafening noises I heard, came from the tires popping and the windows breaking. If a car that has nitrous, like the one driven by one of the stars of the movie Fast and Furious, and it crashes, it will explode. But this is the exception.
Okay, so moving on to another interesting question. I don’t know how much you can elaborate on this. Have you ever operated outside of protocol because lives were at risk or because of another justified reason?
S.Cheval:
(laughter). Okay. I think that the protocol is here to protect us. But in fact, I am the leader, and my job is to achieve the mission and protect people overseas and myself. And in fact, if I am on the field and the protocol doesn’t fit to the situation I make my decision. It’s my job to decide when to follow the protocol. But there are protocols you cannot avoid. The security protocol is on example.
I think that mostly applies to the operating protocol, right? So, when there was like a good reason and the decision was actually helpful, the headquarters, people in charge back in the stations, even though you went out of protocol, if the outcome was positive, they will not have a problem.
S.Cheval:
Depends on the guys. It depends on the guy you can work with. Stupid guy will come and tell you that you acted wrong. That you were out of protocol! Because the most important thing for them is to respect the protocol. But your guys will come to see you and say, good job. That’s because they know that you did what you had to do. But at the same time, I know guys, that don’t follow my orders because they don’t want to. So now it’s not the same. It’s my job as a leader to tell them you’re wrong. It’s complicated, especially on an incident to follow every guideline because of the difficulty of the situation. But if we all do, everything is safer for everyone. I will never tell a guy that he did something that wrong if he did to be safer.
Have you ever operated outside of protocol because you judged lives to be at risk?
V.Bikas:
Protocols are a tool to codify our work. For me the protection of human life is above the papers, rules and laws. There’s no way I’m not going beyond my authorization to save a human. If I have to hang from a balcony to get to the next balcony for rescue, I will do it. There was no protocol that dictated to the firefighters at the Twin Towers, in New York in 2001: “Go in, the Tower is going to fall but you have to go in.” But they got in and most of them NEVER got out.” Why? They entered because fellow human beings were in danger. They entered because they had the sacred obligation that derives from the oath they gave to their Homeland, and they certainly entered outside of protocol.”Above all is human life, Panagiotis, including that of my colleagues. I will not violate the protocol to save a life, while sacrificing the life of my colleague. Events are different each time and each time something unprecedented may arise. Something that the protocol has not had time to adapt or even include
Are there differences in forest firefighting in Greece compared to other countries?
V.Bikas:
We don’t have big differences, technically we speak the same language. The techniques we apply are the same. What we didn’t have for about two months, has now been included in our legislation, is that we can now officially use the Antifire method. It means putting out fire with fire. For us it is something new, which will be done only by trained people, who received this training last month in Spain. It is one more weapon in our quiver, which we will see how we will use it, against natural disasters and forest fires. It is something we did not have, while many European countries had it. Now we have officially included it in our legislation.
Because I don’t know exactly how this process works, how exactly is this done?
V.Bikas:
A section of forest is burning with the direction of the fire, let’s say towards the west. As long as the fire finds a wooded area, it feeds, it advances and expands without stopping. If we burn a piece of forest, it will not find additional trees to burn, it will find soil, i.e. unburnt materials, and it will die out. Something like what happens with the drawing of fire zones during the winter periods. Except that with the use of fire it is done faster. Instead of cutting down trees, removing them, which is time-consuming, you burn a piece covered in vegetation and create another form of firebreak. As you understand, this cannot happen to mature trees because you do not have time to burn them and remove them, while at the same time it is very likely that the fire will spread and spread from top to top. In practice, the method is applied to areas with low vegetation. B.C. a grassy area. We take advantage of this grassland zone; we burn it and a big gap is created with the rest of the forest and the fire cannot spread even if it wants to. It sounds simple but in practice it is not easy because we are talking about altitude gradients, terrain relief, wind speed which in Greece changes at any time. We also take into account that the forest fire creates its own microclimate . You realize that it is not that simple and there is a big difference from theory to practice.
Why was this legislation not implemented in Greece for so many years?
V.Bikas:
I don’t know about it. It is important that it passed in the parliament and from now on we will use it.
Now a bit of a technical question. Is there like a difference in firefighting, between Greece, your country and Europe in general.
S.Cheval:
They have More and more coffees than us . Is that true? But no, I think there are not many differences because we hold the same spirit. If we do this job it is because we want to help people, to save people to work together. And you can find this in every firefighter. In Europe, when we do some exercise, every guy works the same way with different protocol, different techniques. But the purpose is the same.
Okay. But, regarding the funds and the water distribution I think they differ from country to country.
S.Cheval:
They differ from country to country. But, in fact there is more difference between Belgium and Greece or France, than between France and Greece. Because in France we have a Mediterranean climate. So we have almost the same way to fight forest fire. It’s not like in Russia or the Netherlands who are rainy countries.
Um, Okay last question. It is the most common one. Why did you become a firefighter?
S.Cheval:
I think I was at school? I saw lights in the fire station. I wanted to see what was inside. I also wanted to join the military. To do this trained for both. My unit, we were military personnel and firefighters at the same time. So, I attended the French Officer Academy of San and after working to be sure I could be a member of both units. My motive was to save people so the firefighter in me won.
Before I ask you the same question Mr. Bika, let me add something. I had dismissed the idea of this question, but nothing is holding me back now from asking it. In kindergarten I dressed up as a fireman for Halloween. ‘ Everyone took it for granted that I dressed what I wanted to be when I grew up, and as soon as they saw me. they would say, ” Oh, you look like you’re going to be a firefighter. But I just did it out of admiration. I remember now how bad I felt. I was thinking to myself: ” I wish a real fireman would tell me what to say. Because my dream was to play in the NBA. So please tell us how you decided to join the Fire Department.
V.Bikas:
I graduated from the University of the Aegean/Department of Environment in 1993. At that time the protection of forests in Greece, in the broadest sense, belonged to the Forest Service. Since 1998 with Law 2612, the responsibility of suppressing forest fires belongs to the Fire Brigade. I decided to follow the profession of firefighter, so that I could offer to the society through my scientific knowledge. That was the primary reason for my decision. Along the way, however, I realized that there is not only the forest and forest fires. There is also urban fire, human and animal rescues, traffic accidents, technological disasters, a job that involves a very high degree of risk. I confess that before entering the department, I hadn’t realized all this. But I quickly realized that the core of the Corps is to help those in danger, which is now the main reason I took this decision. I haven’t regretted it. I was also given the opportunity to design and develop firefighting science while helping my fellow humans. This gives me incredible joy and strength. That’s how I ended up being an environmental firefighter.
You lead me to ask you: What is the meaning of life for you?
V.Bikas:
The meaning of life? Since you’re interviewing me as a firefighter I must answer like a firefighter. Because as a human I would think of something different. However, it is a deeper conversation. For me, the meaning of life through my profession is that I have the ability and the blessing to help my fellow human beings, and I believe that God will return this offer to me. “Giving without expecting anything in return”, is a life principle for me. I am convinced that the good you give in any case will be returned to you. This is a priceless gift of life. On the other hand, as a fire officer, I like to serve my country, and when I say serve my country, I serve it either by protecting people, or by protecting the natural environment, which is my first profession, and the first science that I was taught.
Okay. And now the final one and the most important one. What is the meaning of life for you. Take your job into consideration.
S.Cheval:
Uh, I think that people’s opinions on me should not matter. You have to choose how to live your life, if you are to enjoy it. I think that the most I think about life is that it’s beautiful.(laughter)
Perfect. I think that’s the end of the questions and interview. Uh, thank you both very much. It’s really been a pleasant discussion. I think it was perfect.
only for a while.
You feel grateful for life and the Fire Department, which gives you such unforgettable moments.
Friday 5th of August 2022
I have planned every hour, minute and second for the next 6 days. I hear the man’s voice on the unknown call I answered. It is cold and strict. Then comes a dialogue:
-Voice: Mr. Koulouridis?
-Me: No, I am his son.
-Voice: His son? You are the son of Panagiotis Odysseas Koulouridis?
-Me: Emm, no. I heard “Mr.” and I thought you were referring to my father.
-Voice: (no comment on my silly remark) . You have asked for an interview from the Fire Department, along with representatives of foreign units. Is that right?
-Me: YES! YES! That’s right!
-Voice: (his voice becomes soft) My name is Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, calling from the office of personal relations of the Fire Department. I have scheduled a meeting between you, the head coordinator of international units in Greece and the captain of the French squad.
-Me: Thank you so much! Only problem is that …I am leaving for Spetses today. Is there another date available?
-Mr. Vathrakogiannis: Look these days, we are at maximum risk of wildfires occurring nation-wide.Please make up your mind and call back in 10’. If you go through with this, you will discuss details with Mr.Bikas.
I called back, hoping I would be able to still go on vacation. But Mr. Bikas made it even more direct and strict for me.
-Mr. Bikas : Monday morning, you will come at the Fire Academy, accompanied by a parent, at exactly 10 o clock. The interview will last 30 minutes including the photos we will take. Do you agree?”
I thanked him and it hit me. I had to prepare in an instant! I spend the weekend pulling all nighters, trying to come up with good but also interesting questions. I got back from the Island of Spetses at 6 o clock,Monday morning. I got to the station together with my parents at 9:50. I had gotten no sleep, and I wasn’t feeling confident. I thought that the interview would be a disaster. I saw them coming towards me at the gate. I felt that 10 minutes had gone by already. “There it goes, only 20’ left”, I thought to myself.
I got it all wrong. They spared two hours of their time, answering my questions with patience and goodwill. Throughout the interview, the two men had asked a younger officer, Mr. Kontis, to be with us and answer some of my questions as they had to leave for a few minutes on some occasions to take care of missions or planning issues. Mr. Kontis was very passionate about his job and eager to share his knowledge with me.
When the interview was over, Mr. Bikas wrote my name on the board where they kept a record of all the recent interviews. I saw my name among national and international media.
I wanted to scream “YEEEEEEEEEEEEEES” but I kept my calm. Once I left the academy,I screamed “LETS GOOOOO”. I was proud and happy with how the interview unfolded. But most of all, I was grateful to the great men I met, as I understood that their primary goal during the interview was to make me feel the way I did when I left their facilities.