418 firemen, philanthropists from 3 regions head for relief works in townships of Rakhine State

Fire brigades and charity organizations from three major cities left for the Cyclone Mocha-hit townships in Rakhine State on 17 May.
A total of 418 firefighters and charity association members from Yangon Region, Bago Region, and Ayeyawady Region left the Mingaladon Air Force Base headquarters in Tatmadaw transport planes.
The teams sent to carry out rescue work were led by the Myanmar Fire Brigade Headquarters and included a total of 418 personnel, including 20 special search and rescue personnel.
Three rescue and relief battalions consisting of 116 auxiliary fire brigades from Yangon Region, Bago Region and Ayeyawady Region, and 50 members from charitable social organizations who have passed the district-level search and rescue training organized by the Fire Services Department, in addition to participating in firefighting operations in Yangon Region, also joined the rescue team.
They have been prepared before the storm with search and rescue equipment, emergency medicines and foodstuffs for a month so that they can carry out relief operations at any time and place.
The aid and rescue teams have been properly organized and led by U Thein Tun Oo, director of the Myanmar Fire Brigade Headquarters.
They will cooperate with government departments and charitable organizations in the relevant region to provide relief and rehabilitation work.
The Yangon Region chief minister has given grants to 20 special search and rescue forces from the Myanmar Fire Brigade Headquarters, 116 search and rescue units from the Yangon Region, and 50 charity members (a total of 186 members) at the rate of K150,000 per person.
Similarly, search and rescue units from Bago and Ayeyawady Regions were also given grants by the respective regional governments by the regional chief ministers. — TWA/KZL