Something More After the Smoke2 min read

The recent wildfires in Greece have seen the death of many people in a small vacation town.

In the midst of smoke and fear came people to the rescue. People who put their own lives on the line to save others.

When a crisis of this magnitude hits, it is easy to only remember the bad but all throughout this situation good deeds by good people have been done.

Many died and they will be mourned so it is important to remember the bravery and love common people demonstrated during the fires.

The authorities of the town encouraged people to call and tell them when looking for their families so they could help in any and all ways possible.

Brave souls of Firemen rushed the area with rescue efforts under extreme pressure and stress they did all they could risking their own lives to save strangers.

More than 280 fire rescue agents were in the North East of Athens shooting down flames to prevent it from spreading further and another 200 were attacking a fire to the west of the capital.

Coast Guard members came in droves, hurried and worried, fitting as many people as they could to safety.

People on fishing boats witnessed the scene firsthand and offered up all the help they could with their boats. Total strangers were risking everything to save total strangers.

According to the Deputy Shipping Minister, Nektarios Santorinios, 12 Coast Guard vessels with 30 private boats rescued 710 people trapped in a town and pulled dozens of people from the Ocean.

The Prime Minister of Greece announced three days of mourning for those affected. During this time people are being drawn together and holding their families closely, realising the fragility of what they have.

There will be three days of mourning but the rescuers’ efforts will be celebrated forever. Especially by the people who had been saved. Having life when it could have been lost will motivate them to do good.

An event like this in a vacation town where everything is picturesque is a reminder of how fragile life is. It can vanish at any moment moving as swiftly and arbitrarily as the wind pushing through the flame.

The love of other people will always be around tragedies.

Many stories will never be heard from inside the fires or they will be too intense for words but their endings involved love and sacrifice.

The dead will be missed and the survivors will be cherished. How the survivors see life now will never be the same. Such a close brush to death is a reminder of life being temporary.

This can be seen as hopeless or a chance to do as much good as possible while alive.

Now, everyone around the world is helping to relieve as well. Greek communities, Greek Churches, Red Cross organisations, practically everyone are creating funds for relief.

Everywhere as well there are prayers and thoughts for the victims and the heroes.

 

Photo by Joshua Newton on Unsplash