KWU Delivers Fully-Equipped Fire Engine Semenivka

AS UKRAINE ENDURES ANOTHER CHRISTMAS UNDER BOMBARDMENT, KENT WITH

UKRAINE DELIVERS FIRE ENGINE TO BORDER REGION

Grassroots humanitarian organisation Kent With Ukraine has successfully secured, equipped, and transported a fully operational fire engine to Semenivka in northern Ukraine.

Delivered in partnership with UK charity Fire Aid UK, the fully equipped fire appliance is now in active service supporting emergency responders working under daily threat, just miles away from the Russian Border.

The Semenivka community, located in the Chernihiv region is just a few kilometres from the Russian border, and faces relentless bombardment and sustained attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Local authorities in the region report how repeated strikes against residential areas, utilities, and public services, have severely stretched emergency response capacity. The newly delivered fire engine, complete with essential onboard equipment, will therefore strengthen Semenivka’s resilience and ability to protect civilian life amid continuing war of aggression.

The fire truck was driven across Europe to its new home in Ukraine by volunteer firefighters.

Cllr Jordan Meade, Founder of Kent With Ukraine, said:

“Kent With Ukraine is proud to have worked in partnership with FireAid UK to secure and deliver a fire engine for the community of Semenivka. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, this border district has been struck repeatedly, and emergency services have operated under constant threat and immense pressure. We hope that this fire engine will make a tangible difference on the ground in Semenivka, strengthening local resilience and helping to protect lives at this incredibly difficult juncture for Ukraine. In the new year we look forward to

strengthening our support for the brave emergency workers and volunteers across the Chernihiv region.

I want to place on record our sincere thanks to all of our donors whose generosity made the delivery of this fully-equipped fire engine possible, and to the volunteer firefighters who, last week, in their leave, drove this vehicle all the way from Kent to Ukraine, in an extraordinary act of solidarity and kindness.

The people of Kent stand firmly with our friends in the Chernihiv region as they endure the daily hardship of holding the frontline against Russian aggression, they should know that they do not stand alone, and that our support and friendship will grow stronger over the months and years to come.”

Fire Aid UK played a critical role in the project, drawing on their international operational expertise to facilitate logistics, vehicle deployment, training, and specialist familiarisation.

Claire Hoyland, Head of Development and Partnerships at FIRE AID, said:

“FIRE AID was delighted to support Kent With Ukraine in the donation of a fire appliance to the Chernihiv region of Ukraine. Drawing on our expertise in international fire and rescue support, we were able to smoothly facilitate the donation, working alongside volunteers from Kent Fire and Rescue Service, who met with firefighters from Chernihiv to provide practical familiarisation and training on the vehicle. The need for fire and rescue equipment in Ukraine remains acute.

We are extremely grateful to Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for donating both the fire appliance and the essential onboard equipment, which is already in active service supporting frontline responders in the region.”

The Mayor of Semenivka, Serhiy Dedenko, welcomed the arrival of the vehicle, confirming that it will significantly increase local capacity to safeguard communities under fire. He said:

“Another modern fire truck was donated by our friends from Great Britain to the Semenivka community! The issue of civil protection of community residents is currently one of the priorities in our work. We thank European partners for their assistance and the leadership of the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration for their assistance in the implementation of this project.”

The delivery builds upon Kent With Ukraine’s expanding programme of humanitarian support, civil protection assistance, and partnership-based reconstruction initiatives across Chernihiv region.