U.S.A. should help Greece fight fires

[tdimou]

Much of Greece has burnt down in the past week and I want to highlight the situaltion. I think it is ridiculous. It appears that if the fires were handled more appropriately from the beginning, the damage to Greece and it's citizens could have been lessened an unbelievable amount. Greece has made errors, it appears, in fighting the fires. Now, they are asking for help and they really need it. I hope now that the global community comes in and helps Greece. I understand that France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Holland, and Israel have sent help. I have not heard or read anywhere that the U.S.A. has. I think it is time for the U.S.A. to send Greece some help in fighting the fires that have burnt so much of Greece it is unbelievable since Thursday. Perhaps, if the U.S.A. sends Greece help in this situation, many people, would not think, if it was Saudi Arabia, I bet the U.S.A. would be running to help.
Check the link below for more information:
http://www.firegeezer.com/archives/1256?referer=sphere_related_content
PLEASE NOTE: GREECE IS IN A "STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY"

 

[MikeyDB]

And I'm sure that just as soon as America puts out its own fires and dries out vast areas flooded by climate change that isn't happening...(Walter... America would be happy to spend yet more millions responding to the needs of Greece.....

Greece has made such a significant effort in helping other nations.....

 

[DurkaDurka]

Did Greece come to the US's rescue after Hurricane Katrina?

I would think it would make more sense to solicit help from neighboring countries, since they can be there in a relatively short amount of time.

 

[triedit]

Perhaps they should use foam instead of water. You know how fast a grease fire can spread *wink*

Seriously though, why the US and not Canada?

 

[Zzarchov]

Why the USA at all?

The USA helps Saudi Arabia, because the government of Saudi Arabia helps the USA..alot when you start reading into it. They seem to do alot of US dirty work.

 

[TenPenny]

Let's see. The flying range of the water bombers is short enough that it only makes sense for neighbors to send aircraft.

Many of the water bombers shown on the news were built in Canada, by Canadair.

Many of the water bombers in North America are rather busy right now.

 

[JBeee]

The US is too busy starting fires through out the world.

 

[Curiosity]

My neighborhood has a huge forest fire burning - has been burning for over a month and they don't expect to put it out before September 7th - should I call you guys? I mean if we're checking out sources of help - nobody has offered to put out the fires we've had all summer - or the floods in other parts of the nation. Nada.... zip....zilch......

 

[Tonington]

Canada offered water bombers earlier in August, Greek authorities denied the offer saying the fires were under control. Now they are asking for our help, and I'm sure we will give it.

 

[wallyj]

Much of Greece has burnt down in the past week and I want to highlight the situaltion. I think it is ridiculous. It appears that if the fires were handled more appropriately from the beginning, the damage to Greece and it's citizens could have been lessened an unbelievable amount. Greece has made errors, it appears, in fighting the fires. Now, they are asking for help and they really need it. I hope now that the global community comes in and helps Greece. I understand that France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Holland, and Israel have sent help. I have not heard or read anywhere that the U.S.A. has. I think it is time for the U.S.A. to send Greece some help in fighting the fires that have burnt so much of Greece it is unbelievable since Thursday. Perhaps, if the U.S.A. sends Greece help in this situation, many people, would not think, if it was Saudi Arabia, I bet the U.S.A. would be running to help.
Check the link below for more information:
http://www.firegeezer.com/archives/1256?referer=sphere_related_content
PLEASE NOTE: GREECE IS IN A "STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY"

On your very first post you criticize the U.S.,you will fit in quite well here. The U.S. is usually one of the first countries to help out after natural disasters,no matter where they occur. Recent earthquakes in Iran and Pakistan come to mind,I am sure there are many more cases if one bothered to look it up. Remember the tsuanami a little while back. The states were there ,johnny on the spot,while Canada was dithering about what to do for weeks and then after making a decision had to find airplanes to lift our DART team there. But don't let these facts bother you,as you can tell from the tone of some of the above posts,anti-bush and anti americanism runs deep here.Damn the truth,full speed ahead,left turns only.

 

[Curiosity]

WallyJ

Thanks for that message - this is the first summer I haven't seen the big red Canadian water bombers - but I think the fire near me is being handled by building a break around it and letting it burn itself out rather than dropping water.

I am always proud when I see the big red ships coming across the landscape getting the foschek down to the fire....

We don't need to stir the pot on Canadian vs. American help - both nations do what they can - but it does rile me when the U.S. is often expected to step in automatically - and then gets hell if things don't work out.

 

[tdimou]

I understand your points about everyone has their own problems however, as one person posted elsewhere from Greece this is Greece's 9/11. And wallyj you mistook my comment as criticism of the U.S.....it was not, however, I pointed out that the U.S. in this situation has an excellent chance not just to help out the little guy Greece here but also perhaps do some damage control on it's own image with many people by being helpful to Greece. I do not think anyone will say, I believe that they went in to Greece for the oil. I am of Greek background and watching the Greek citizens trying to help the official fire fighters put out the fires with lawn hoses and buckets of water,on the news being delivered from Greece, is very difficult and I would like to try and do something. I have already called my M.P. in Canada Jack Layton's office yesterday and will again today. I have asked what is Canada doing to help and if nothing yet please go help. I am encouraging other's to contact their government officials too and let them know they are interested in how is their country is helping Greece. The World thanks Greece for the Olympics and many thank Greece for being the Cradle of Democracy....it would be nice if Greece could thank the world for it's concentrated effort to help stop the terrorists, political extremists, land developers, or whoever is starting the fires in Greece and for assisting in putting the fires out as soon as possible from this point. Greece is already getting help, thank-fully from it's neighbours and fellow E.U. members and from Israel. However, the fires and attempts to start fires are still continuing in Greece.
You may find this following video interesting:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JFeFJ2VGnws

 

[triedit]

Bumped for Karlin....and Im not a butthead *Grin*

 

[Unforgiven]

On your very first post you criticize the U.S.,you will fit in quite well here. The U.S. is usually one of the first countries to help out after natural disasters,no matter where they occur. Recent earthquakes in Iran and Pakistan come to mind,I am sure there are many more cases if one bothered to look it up. Remember the tsuanami a little while back. The states were there ,johnny on the spot,while Canada was dithering about what to do for weeks and then after making a decision had to find airplanes to lift our DART team there. But don't let these facts bother you,as you can tell from the tone of some of the above posts,anti-bush and anti americanism runs deep here.Damn the truth,full speed ahead,left turns only.

Maybe they could have shown up for Katrina.
I would like to point out also that a number of those tsunami sensors put in place there have been turned off due to the false alarms. As well, there is a lot of that money that just never went anywhere sitting around.

Someone put an interesting idea about America forward over dinner the other night. Americans love to help people. They are never too shy to roll up their sleeves and dig in to help. America is a leader in the global village. Most people love many many things about America.

The problem is that Americans never know what the right thing to do is. Most often they bluster in, make a lot of noise, spread some shyte around and then leave and leave a bunch of their crap all over the place.

America doesn't get that idea that as much as everyone needs America, America needs everyone else. No one needs McDonald's or Coke, no one needs A battle group. Everyone needs America to show how the world can be fed, and safe and people can go about their lives happy and doing what they love to do.

But America doesn't get that. And you can tell by what's in the American news.

"In international news, an American was killed in..."

 

[Cannuck]

Firefighting is a very tough issue. The fire service in North America is mainly volunteer and is generally a municipal service. I can't speak with any real authority on the US but here in Canada, there is very little the feds can do except offer some token forestry firefighters...and when we are having a bad year like we are, available bodies are few and far between.

After Katrina, the US appealed directly to the fire service and asked for volunteer emergency workers. There was no strong national system in place. The fire service just isn't like the national guard or the army.

 

[lone wolf]

Canada's on her way - 5 CL 415's and 3 support aircraft.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...greek_foreign_070828/20070828?hub=CTVNewsAt11

Wolf

 

[I think not]

Much of Greece has burnt down in the past week and I want to highlight the situaltion. I think it is ridiculous. It appears that if the fires were handled more appropriately from the beginning, the damage to Greece and it's citizens could have been lessened an unbelievable amount. Greece has made errors, it appears, in fighting the fires. Now, they are asking for help and they really need it. I hope now that the global community comes in and helps Greece. I understand that France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Holland, and Israel have sent help. I have not heard or read anywhere that the U.S.A. has. I think it is time for the U.S.A. to send Greece some help in fighting the fires that have burnt so much of Greece it is unbelievable since Thursday. Perhaps, if the U.S.A. sends Greece help in this situation, many people, would not think, if it was Saudi Arabia, I bet the U.S.A. would be running to help.
Check the link below for more information:
http://www.firegeezer.com/archives/1256?referer=sphere_related_content
PLEASE NOTE: GREECE IS IN A "STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY"

To my knowledge, Greece has not requested help from the US. Show me where I can read an article, English or Greek is fine, that Greece has requested assistance from the US. Countries don't send help unless they are asked. Greece made a plea to the EU, and from an earlier article, to Canada as well.

On another note, anybody that thinks that the US has not helped other nations in times of need, are just plain STUPID. Not to mention a bug up their leftist asses.

 

[Tonington]

I was trained in basic forest fire suppression as a kid when I worked summer jobs for NS Dept. of Natural Resources, but never had to use the training. My supervisors went to many fires across Canada every summer. Fires are kinda rare in NS, at least in comparison to Western Canada. It's not unusual for the foresters to be sent out west in the summers, even down south to Montana and other States.

 

[tdimou]

You know what.....

I am sorry, I guess you and I must be so different I think not that you can not understand me. For one, I did not think that Greece had to beg for help but that the U.S.A. might see from posts such as mine and similar shows of interest from the Global community that Greece and what is happening to Greece and it's citizens is of importance to people. I also, thought perhaps they might offer to help Greece on their own. It is an opportunity for example for the U.S.A. to do some damage control on the image many people have of the U.S. as only participating in situations that have a "monetary value" to them. I am not a U.S. hater. In fact, if they took my advice here and went to help Greece(which I would like) in this situation with an offer to help instead of waiting to be asked I honestly think it would help their image(which I would also like). Although, I have not heard the U.S. is in Greece to help yet, I did read somewhere online that they have asked what aid is needed for Greece. Hopefully, this means they will help, and not just with money after even more of Greece is burnt and lives lost, but with man power, expertise and planes or whatever else may be needed as soon as possible(hopefully the planes and manpower are enroute or already there). The U.S. has the largest number of people of Greek descent outside of Greece living there, I have read in more than one place. I have heard from my M.P.'s office that the Canadian government is planning on sending the planes to help Greece....hopefully, again it happens quickly. You should understand, people in Greece are still attempting to start fires. According to the Greek news from Greece, one man was caught trying to start fires in Northern Greece by locals. He had 27 cannisters with him and a number of cell phones which could have been used to start more fires. He said he was paid to start the fires according to the news but did not say by whom. The fires in Greece are not just one forest fire having gotten out of control. It is as though a concentrated effort is being made to destroy the greenery of Greece and terrorize it's citizens. I would also like to add that I think that very smart people do not call other people stupid.

 

[tdimou]

Check this out

Please, if you have time, use your favorite search engine and try searching for information with regards to Greece helps with Hurricane Katrina.
Here is a URL to help get you going on the topic :
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EVOD-6FXGUK?OpenDocument
Well regardless of the information found at the above URL, which states that Greece has offered aid to the U.S. in the past, the U.S.A. should just help because it is a very good thing to do.