Operation Florian was established as a charity in 1995 (Charity Number 1054657).
It is a UK Fire Service Humanitarian Charity working to promote the protection of life amongst communities in need, world wide, by the provision of equipment and training to improve fire fighting and rescue capabilities.

Operation Florian has a Board of Trustees that is responsible for the management and direction of the Charity

• Why was Operation Florian Formed?
• How Operation Florian works
• Vehicles & Training
• What it has achieved so far?
• Other missions
• Plans for 2008/2009
  
  
• Our Corporate Patron

Why was Operation Florian Formed?
Bosnia and Croatia had been badly damaged by the war and much of the fire fighting equipment was destroyed. Following a visit from the town of Split to its twin, firefighters from Manston were asked to help identify and provide some resources to help restore the ability to deal with fires. Whilst visiting the area a serious fire developed on the island of Brac just off the Istrian Peninsular adjacent to Split. It soon became evident that the people on the island did not have the resources to prevent the fire spreading and destroying acres of forest and buildings. Firefighters from the Defence Fire Service decided that they wanted to assist further hence the formation of Operation Florian - named after the patron saint of firefighters. The first donation of a fire appliance and some equipment was to the island of Brac and is still in service on the island some 13 years later. However, the success had a price, further aid was needed which necessitated an escalation in effort, involvement and commitment.

Subsequently the Charity has developed significant links with Croatia which has seen significant assets delivered bridging a shortfall in that country's ability to protect the communities. At the same time it allowed the country with OF assistance to develop its own resources and capabilities so much so that there is now a flourishing fire industry some items of which are exported within and outside the region.

Florian took a position in these early years to provide resources that provided fire cover to all peoples and not selected sectarian groups. After early activity with international agencies it became evident that to really make a difference Florian needed to be more agile and more focussed on the areas of need identified within the country itself. A local 'Operation Florian' was created that acted as the focus for both identifying areas of need but also to enable a delivery of aid based upon the most - needy. This enabled Florian to act in a neutral capacity and they were able to carry out several missions with great success.

This model has stood the test of time and is the bedrock for its unique success.

How Operation Florian works
The charity is run purely by volunteers and any members of the emergency services can help. Funds for the charity are made up of fund raising events and donations.

Just about 100% of the funds raised are converted into aid. However as a registered Charity the demands to meet the exacting rules and expectations has recently required the Charity to adopt a more professional basis for support and has appointed it's first full time employee.

More recently the Charity has been able to secure funds by becoming the delivery partner for the UK MOD itself part of the much wider international effort concentrating on securing peace across the region. This work has allowed Florian to deliver significantly more aid in recent years yet still maintaining its operational autonomy and decision making. Often even though it is delivering to joint aims it is able to maintain its own profile and presence.

There is no doubt that the success of the early years has provided a profile and access for Operation Florian that few if any other governmental or non governmental agencies have been able to achieve.

As with all Charities raising funds remains the single biggest focus for without them we are not able to deliver our prime purpose. What we offer is a significant profile for companies who wish to be associated with a successful Charity that has proven international success and recognition.

Operation Florians' uniqueness lies within its ability to provide a local focus for delivery of local needs and priorities. We have been able to form local Operation Florian resources which have built local trust, identified and with our support from here in the UK ensured successful delivery of projects. Often the earliest mission is to carry out a scoping visit to learn as much as possible about the environment and needs. It is this that forms the backdrop to identifying the type of aid needed and where the priorities are. This also provides opportunity to build the local relationships and awareness of what Florian is all about.

Vehicles & Training
We identify a suitable mission in conjunction with either a partner where we act as the delivery agent or through our own local resource. After agreement by the Trustees a project is formed which will have a clearly agreed scope.

Vehicles are sourced either direct from Fire Services workshops after their operational and financial usage has been fulfilled within the local authorities or through auctions or sales. However these vehicles are sourced they are serviced and tested (re-painted where necessary) and made ready for deployment. Equipment will be added to the vehicle to produce "first strike" capabilities. This will include some hose, branches, some small tools and breaking in equipment, some capacity when available to rescue persons trapped in vehicles following collisions and breathing apparatus. We will also provide as much personal protective equipment as we can source, enough to meet the mission in any case. Often this will be the first quality protective equipment that the firefighters have been able to wear.

Once the scoping visit has been completed a project manager will be appointed he/she will then co-ordinate the requirements for the project. Once a deployment area has been identified and the vehicles and equipment sourced and readied the vehicles will commence their long overland journey with the Operation Florian team undertaking all necessary exportation and customs paperwork. A convoy leader will be identified from our list of volunteers and a travel pack handed over to facilitate their route. - The convoy leader being fully responsible for the safe passage of the vehicles, equipment and personnel.

It has been a fairly common sight over the years to see a convoy of up to 12 British fire engines travelling in convoy through mainland Europe.

If training has been requested or identified, Operation Florian can provide teams of professional, dedicated instructors and volunteers best suited for the project requirements.

Operation Florian have personnel trained in all aspects of Emergency Fire & Rescue disaster techniques such as:

• Breathing Apparatus
• Search & Rescue Techniques
• Road Traffic Extrication
• Specialist Rescue
• Basic Fire Fighting
• Advanced Fire Fighting
• Rope Rescue
• Urban Search & Rescue
• First Aid
• Hazardous Materials
• Civil Protection
• Some of these courses are accredited to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards by Texas A&M University.

And have worked with both municipal civil authorities and military units with great success

What it has achieved so far?
Delivery of the following:

• 163 fully equipped fire fighting and rescue vehicles
• 7 Aerial Ladder Appliances
• Over 650 breathing apparatus sets with cylinders
• 6 Rope Rescue units
• Over 3000 sets of protective clothing
• Specialist chemical protection equipment used in decommissioning munitions factories
• Radio Equipment
• £1,000’s of small rescue gear
• Hospital Equipment
• Specialist mountain rescue units
• 40 Hydraulic Rescue Sets
• 110 Portable Pumps & Generators
• 42 Winching Units
• 20 Ladders
• 5 sets of Diving Equipment
• Training camps for over 300 multi ethnic workers and fire fighters
• A UK seminar, facilitating the agreements between the Croatian Fire Service and the major professional fire engineering bodies in the UK and the opportunity to view the British Fire Service in all aspects of operations.
• The delivery of 2 mountain rescue dogs and training
• A Symposium specially dedicated to Civil Protection arrangements
• First Aid training delivered as part of every core training event
• Provision of a 4x4 vehicle to Civil Protection Department in Mostar

Other Missions:
Delivery of fire appliances and ambulances to the Ukraine and Chernobyl

Soldiers to Saviours Project (Training 200 ex soldiers as firefighters) in Bosnia in Herzegovina

3 x Training schools in Podgorica, Montenegro.

3 week training camp in Kosovo training both serving Kosovo Protection Corps and local municipal firefighters in rescuing trapped persons

Provision of Equipment and training to Paraguay

Provision of a 4x4 vehicle to Argentina

Training Camp Mostar, Bosnia (Sept/Oct 2005) incl. Firefighter training, driver training Road Traffic Collision course, breathing apparatus course, TL training, First Aid course.

2 x Training with Montenegrin Students - one course in UK (March 2006) and the follow up course Nov 2006 in Montenegro. Training students to become instructors in Breathing Apparatus & Road Traffic Collision. Provided 10 sets of Hydraulic Rescue Equipment to Stations in Montenegro + one fire appliance.

Urban Search & Rescue Course in Kosovo (June 2006) with further courses to following 2008.

On behalf of HM Government have donated Green Goddess fire appliances to following countries: Montenegro, Paraguay, Uruguay, Kosovo, Panama, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Albania, Bosnia & Gambia. Along with donations to UK Museums.

Equipment to Belarus

The list of agencies with which Operation Florian works in conjunction with or in support of reads like an international Who’s Who, these agencies include:

• HM Government UK, including Ministry of Defence and Department for International Development and Cabinet Office
• Office for the Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)
• Office of the High representative (Bosnia in Herzegovina)
• United Nations
• Stabilisations Forces in all the Balkans States,
• Kosovo Protection Force
• United Nations Mission in Kosovo
• International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

Plans for 2008/2009
Whist many of these are still at an early stage of planning Operation Florian already has an exciting programme for the coming year. Some of these will be with other agencies and in particular UK HM Government (MOD and ODPM)

• Refresher training for Kosovo Protection Corps Civil Protection staff
• Further Civil Protection training and development needs to Kosovo
• Equipment & Vehicles to Bulgaria
• Equipment, Vehicles & training to Macedonia
• Continuation of training in USAR skills in Kosovo
• Equipment to Communities in Bulgaria

This is a short history of Operation Florian. If you want to know more, or if you are interested in joining the Charity and assisting in any capacity, or if you want to raise funds or donate funds or equipment then please do not hesitate to contact us on 01522 569728 or by using the links provided on the website.