Blog 2/4 More Than a Donation: A Mission of Fire and Friendship
There was a common theme to the start of our first full day in Ukraine: waking up in Uzhhorod with bleary eyes, snooze buttons hit more than once, strong coffee, late showers, and hastily grabbed breakfasts. Our Rotarian counterpart had kindly arranged a tour of the historic city for those keen to explore, while others stayed back to prepare for the day’s big moment—the official handover of the fire engines.
Uzhhorod itself was absolutely delightful, rich with history and charm, but let’s not get too distracted—this isn’t a travel blog.
As we collected the fire trucks from the compound, where they’d been safely stored and guarded overnight, and began the short journey to the fire station, the sense of anticipation built with every turn of the wheels. But nothing quite prepared us for the moment we turned the final corner and caught sight of the Uzhhorod firehouse for the first time.
Sirens blazing, lights dancing, and a drone hovering overhead (the picture-taking kind, for clarity), we were greeted by a vibrant crowd: active firefighters, local dignitaries, government officials, Rotarians and press. It felt like someone had just thrown the afterburners. The energy was palpable.
The trucks had barely stopped before our team was out of the cabs, and their team was rushing forward – greetings exchanged with the warmth of long-lost family rather than first-time acquaintances. The emotion of the moment slowed everything down to a heartbeat-by-heartbeat blur. It wasn’t just that this project had come to fruition, or the reality of the appliances being donated and used within this community; more than anything, at its core, it was a powerful reminder that the firefighter sister and brotherhood is just as alive in Ukraine as it is anywhere else in the world.
We were formally welcomed by the local fire chiefs, and Chris Standley, our firefighter project lead, took the opportunity to introduce his team and equipment. There was time for more casual conversations, photo ops, and heartfelt exchanges before we moved into the formal handover ceremony, culminating in the proud, symbolic passing over of the keys.
It’s worth noting that although the handover took place in Uzhhorod, the unit will be permanently based in the remote village cluster of Pylypets, serving nine rural communities. Holding the event there wasn’t practical, but the Pylypets’ crew were honoured guests and the proud recipients of the keys.
So, on to the ceremony. Thank-yous were shared and speeches made, but words didn’t quite seem enough. Many hugs were exchanged, and, as is tradition in Ukraine, gifts and certificates were handed to the entire team – some even recognising those in support roles back home. In return, to honour their culture, we brought items to gift back, as a shared memory of this remarkable day. Simon Massey of Actions Beyond Words presented a commemorative decanter to the watch chief of the Pylypets’ station, which left the final, most important gesture to Chris Standley, East Anglian firefighter and active watch commander. Chris stepped forward, shook hands with his counterpart, embraced him warmly, and handed over the keys.
As the crowds dispersed, the press disappeared, and people returned to their day’s work, what happened next was a privilege to witness. The four-strong firefighting team from East Anglia, who’d never actually worked together on the same vehicle before, began a meticulous, hands-on handover and training session with the Ukrainian crew. For the next two to three hours, under blazing sun (and with at least one team member turning a gentle shade of lobster-red, as the sunscreen was forgotten in the hurrah), they left no button unexplained, no valve unturned, no hose unsprayed, and no ladder undemonstrated.
Through a mix of English, Ukrainian, and the universal language of firefighting—point, dial, and demonstrate – they worked shoulder to shoulder. Occasionally, translation came from one of the Ukrainian firefighters with good English, but often, the message didn’t need words. It was a masterclass in camaraderie and cooperation.
Meanwhile, with the technical work well in hand, the rest of us returned to our own tasks -setting up for tomorrow, grabbing a shower, or finally finding a cold beer. We settled in for the next few hours to decompress, download media, record audio, write up thoughts, and just share the experience with one another.
As for the fire crew – true to form – they did what they love best: settled into the station kitchen and got some proper food on the table. It was a meal somewhere between a late lunch and an early dinner. Chris Standley said “ If there’s one place that firefighters know where to relax, socialise and make fun of each other, it’s around the mess table. The world over, this is the place that stories are shared, calls are debriefed and friendships forged. The mess room in Uzhhorod fire station was no exception. The language barrier was almost negligible, with a little help from Google translate of course! The Ukrainian firefighters demonstrated that even though we are thousands of miles apart, we are the same people, with different equipment and shift patterns, but doing the same job, saving people and putting out fires.
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We shared their food with them, most of it lovingly made by their partners. What a feast it was! This is where I felt most relaxed and felt at home…close your eyes, listen to the laughter, and you could be on any fire station in the world.”
With that, the business end of the day wrapped up. However, this is Ukraine – nothing ever truly ends with the work. If the job’s done, hospitality carries on. That evening we went out for Uzbek food -surprising, yes, but absolutely fantastic -and later, we sat outside, watching a Ukrainian evening wander by, with a few well-earned beers, whilst trading stories from the day.
One more short sleep, and next stop: Podilsk, Odesa Oblast.
If you missed our journey down, you can follow the link to that blog here. If you want to see what happened on the next leg, click this link instead.
And finally, if you donated to this mission, thank you. You helped fund something truly special.
If you’d like to support future efforts, whether with your time or your wallet, just get in touch or click the links below.
Be sure to follow us on social media, and we’ll see you on the road to Podilsk, so see some very special friends.
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