MENTOR Limited

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DBDC 2024 International Firefighting Conference

March 2024, War Museum, Athens, Greece

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The 2024 Athens International Firefighting Conference and Exhibition, organized by DBDC Ltd and Greek Defence News, took place at the War Museum in Athens, Greece, from March 13 to 14. Esteemed experts and industry leaders convened to explore innovative approaches and technologies for combating wildfires and improving disaster response strategies.

The event aimed to create a premier B2B gathering for firefighting stakeholders, providing conference participants with insights into the latest products and services available in the industry. Attendees included VIPs such as embassy delegations, representatives from the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, senior officers from the Ministry of Defence and the General Staffs of the Defence/Army/Navy/Air Force, as well as officials from the Hellenic Police, Hellenic Coast Guard, and senior representatives from the Hellenic and international defence industry. More than 300 participants, 44 companies, 19 foreign delegations, 6 Firefighting Associations participated.

#DAY 1 Highlights:

The conference kicked off with a welcoming address by the organizers, followed by an opening address by

• Opening address by representative of the President of the Hellenic Government, Mr. Vassilios Papageorgiou, General Secretary for Civil Protection

• Opening address by representative of the Chief of Fire Service Major General Athanasios Hatzopoulos

• Opening address by, representative of the Governor of Attica Region, Mr. Leonidas Manolakos, Deputy Governor of Attica Region

Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection officials, setting the tone for two days of insightful discussions.

LAMDA AUTOMATA, presented "Large Scale Early Fire Detection," emphasizing the importance of timely detection in mitigating fire risks.

AIRBUS, discussed "Secure Land Communications (SLC) Internet of Things (IoT) and other cutting-edge technologies," shedding light on advancements in communication systems for enhanced firefighting efforts.

HYNAERO, introduced "Fregate-F100 The Next Generation Amphibious Aerial Firefighter Aircraft," showcasing the latest developments in aerial firefighting technology.

EFA VENTURES, explored "Integrated Services for full support of the Firefighting Cycle," highlighting comprehensive solutions for firefighting operations.

ALTUS LSA explored the role of unmanned systems in fire prevention and monitoring activities.

SR7, delved into the intricacies of "Early Fire Detection, Prevention and Management in Forest Environment".

IAI, renowned for its expertise in aerial firefighting solutions, shared insights into "Solutions for Aerial Firefighting", shedding light on the latest advancements in aerial firefighting technology and its role in combating forest fires.

Hellenic Fire Service presented "UAVs in Firefighting", exploring the integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in firefighting operations. offer attendees a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and challenges associated with UAV utilization in firefighting scenarios.

ΑTESE SA, presented the "Disaster Management Framework", offering a structured approach to disaster preparedness and response.

Following this, DCS Instructor from the Hellenic Navy, introduced the Marine Firefighting Simulator, showcasing advancements in training methodologies for maritime firefighting operations.

#DAY 2 Highlights:

Smith Myers then, presented “Detect, Locate, Communicate. Using the mobile phone as a location device”, explored the potential of mobile phones as location devices for enhanced communication and coordination during emergencies.

Rosenbauer, a renowned name in firefighting technology, presented "Electric the Future for Firefighting Vehicles". Their groundbreaking insights shed light on the paradigm shift towards electric-powered firefighting vehicles, promising enhanced efficiency and sustainability.

LIFE SOLUTIONS, a pioneer in smart materials research, presented two compelling studies: "Utilizing Smart Extinguishing Materials for Mitigating Forest Fire Spread" and "Exploring the Efficacy of Smart Extinguishing Materials in Mitigating Li-ion Battery Fire Propagation".

The Hellenic Army made significant contributions to the conference with presentations on their involvement in firefighting efforts. Their sessions, "The Contribution of the Hellenic Army in Forest Firefighting" and "The Contribution of the Hellenic Army in Aerial Firefighting", highlighted the vital role of military support in addressing wildfires and other emergencies.

Rosenbauer returned to the spotlight with a focus on "Firefighter Protective Clothing", emphasizing the importance of providing firefighters with advanced gear to ensure their safety and effectiveness in high-risk environments.

Avy, a leading provider of drone technology, introduced their "Emergency VTOL Drone", showcasing how aerial drones can revolutionize firefighting operations by providing rapid response capabilities and enhanced situational awareness.

Officials from Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection presented the Civil protection program «AIGIS», which has three sources of funding: Greek National Recovery and Resilience Plan, , the European Investment Bank and the NSRF and the total amount of funding exceeds €2 billion. The national Civil Protection program "AIGIS" includes a series of diverse and targeted interventions to strengthen infrastructure and technical equipment, upgrade human resources skills, integrate information and communication technologies and promote innovation in the field of Civil Protection.

TYPHOON presentated the "Robotic Firefighting Spray System". demonstrating the potential of robotics in augmenting firefighting efforts, particularly in challenging or hazardous conditions.

The Special Telecommunications Service of Romania closed the conference with a thought-provoking session on "Using Technology to Improve Situational Awareness in Firefighting". Their insights underscored the critical role of technology in enhancing decision-making and coordination during firefighting operations.

The conference concluded with insightful conclusions by the Organizing Committee, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and innovation in safeguarding communities and ecosystems against the devastating impact of fires. "We are thrilled to have hosted such a dynamic and informative conference, bringing together experts and innovators to address the pressing challenges facing global firefighting efforts," remarked Dimitrios Angelopoulos CEO of DBDC Ltd. "The exchange of ideas and solutions presented here will undoubtedly contribute to enhanced fire safety and disaster management worldwide."

Organizing Committee announced that the 5th Athens International Firefighting Conference is to be held 18-19 March 2026, War Museum, Athens.

For more information about the International Firefighting Conference and future events, please visit www.dbdcgroup.com

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# Participating companies

• AERO GUIDE

• AIRBUS Defence and Space Oy

• ALTUS LSA

• ARMAGON CONSULTING

• ATESE SA

• AVIC INTL

• AVIC INTL

• BIC S.A.

• CARDEL SA/GREECE

• DIMICRO SA

• DRONES FOR GOOD AVY

• EFA VENTURES

• FLAME CONTROL MON. IKE

• FLMAKO PC

• FRAPORT

• HED ENGINEERING

• Hephaestus Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

• HYNAERO

• IAI MILITARY AIRCRAFT GROUP

• IKnowHow SA

• JJGK-AERO

• LAMBDA AUTOMATA

• LEONARDO

• LIFE SOLUTIONS AE

• Łukasiewicz Institute of Aviation

• MENTOR Ltd.

• Mielec Aviation Company

• OTE

• PRONOIA

• ROSENBAUER

• RSE

• SEA GUARDIAN

• SEA GUARDIAN

• SKY FORCE

• SMITH MEYERS

• SR7

• TERRA SPATIUM SA

• THE SPECIAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE ROMANIA

• TYPHOON

• UCADRONE

• WATEROUS – Pumps Foam & CAF Systems

• Wentli Enterprises LTD

For more information about the International Firefighting Conference and future events, please visit www.dbdcgroup.

For more information, please contact dbdc@skynet.be or dbdc.defence@gmail.com