Photo By Sgt. Cody Barber | Firefighters stand in front of their newly donated building at the Skenderaj fire...... read more read more
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Area Support Team Balkans, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Pristina, Kosovo, donated a building to a local fire department here, July 8.
The fire station received the building from the Camp Bondsteel team, as part of a process to put non-essential buildings into the hands of people and communities in the Balkans region.
“This project is part of a larger project to help communities in Kosovo to improve their capacity for humanitarian response and disaster preparedness,” said Tracey Ann Jacobson, U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo. “When [the building] became available, we knew that in Skenderaj there was a need for more capacity.”
The building was disassembled at Camp Bondsteel and the building materials were transported north over 30 miles to the town. The municipality of Skenderaj was responsible for the pick-up, delivery and set-up of the building. Additionally, it is responsible for the sustainment and proper use of the building for the long term.
Della Hodges, AST Balkans Director, said this is just one of the many buildings that have been donated to the Balkans area.
“We have donated over 300 buildings to Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia,” she said. “It has been a success story in taking in what is no longer needed at Camp Bondsteel by the U.S. Army, and putting it to good use elsewhere.”
Limon Geci, Skenderaj Fire Station chief, said receiving the building will greatly improve the capabilities for his firefighters.
“Before, we had to store the fire trucks in an unsafe location,” said Geci. “Now the trucks will be stored in the new building and we will be able to react faster and safer.”
When the ceremony concluded and the sign above the building door was unveiled, Geci was very thankful that his fire station received the donated building that could ultimately help his crew save lives.
| Date Taken: | 07.13.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 07.13.2014 11:13 |
| Story ID: | 135964 |
| Location: | CAMP BONDSTEEL, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 369 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, AST Balkans donates building to fire station in Kosovo, by SGT Cody Barber, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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