"We created our rescue team in 2001, intending to help people in danger. Our first mission was a winter night patrol on Maenalus Mountain. We were driving slowly in the mountain's snowy streets with one of our fellows' car, looking for people trapped in the snow".

Saving lives

The volunteer rescuer and head of the Arcadian region of the Greek Rescue Team, Spyros Mastorakos from Tripolis, tells us: "At about 10 pm we had finished our patrol and we were returning to Tripolis, when one of us saw a small alley and said: shall we take a look here before we leave? A few meters below we saw a dim light in the snow, similar to a bike light. We rushed to the spot to find two cyclists, unconscious and half-dead due to hypothermia. We put them in the car and gave them first aid, until they revived".

We asked Spyros why the survivors risked going out in this weather. "They told us they got excited by the snow, put on some clothes that in their opinion were enough to protect them from the cold and went on a ride on their bikes, starting from Vytina and heading to the ski resort of Ostrakina. The temperature had dropped to -18 degrees and the snow was two meters high, the bikes got stuck in ice and they were covered in snow". Their return from the snowy mountain to the hospital of Tripolis, was also very interesting: "On our way back there were too many of us to fit in the small car so we had to take turns walking next to it. We didn't mind the cold and fatigue on the contrary, we were very happy to have saved people in our first mission, even though it happened per chance".

They know the dangers 

Spyros and his fellow volunteers look every day at the maps and weather forecast and schedule patrols. They keep in mind that there are specific mountains which may be at risk of fire, places where isolated voyagers may be, distant areas where shepherds may be in danger, villages immobilised by the snow, and so they target the patrols where they might be of help.

They also attend athletic tournaments of race track, basketball, swimming, football, car rallies and other events in case someone is in danger and needs help. They belong to that kind of Samaritans who smell the human life's dangers and get themselves into the fire to cope with them. All this they do with no any financial reward, which they think goes against their principles.

Group secretary, John Spyropoulos describes another rare rescuing experience: "We saved a shepherd once. He had been trapped at the top of mount Artemisio with his herd of 120 sheep, in three and a half meters of snow. It was a very hard mission in the dark and sub-zero temperatures. We were impressed to see that when the alpha aries of the herd saw our headlight, it followed us and led the flock to us".

The rescuers have taken part in much more difficult missions that have been on the national news. They assisted in the deadly snowdrift of Maenalus, which happened a few years ago, but also in the overflowing Lucius River in Gortynia which turned out to be fatal for many people.

They enjoy nature

As the rescuers are roaming the mountains for people who may be in danger, they also discover the raw beauty of the landscape. They go hiking and climbing, they dive in the rivers with cold waters, they ski on the snowy slopes and they take their motorcycles and jeeps on the mountains. They enjoy Arcadia at its fullest.

The rescuers are pleased to discover remote monasteries and the chapels. They say it helps them stay on track and keep their spirits up. On Good Friday they put on their formalwear and follow the Epitaph procession in the alleys and the narrow stairs of the monasteries. "It's easy to save lives and people's properties, but it is hard to save your soul. That's why we include in our training the climb on steep and high cliffs, at the tops of which there are small chapels. Two in one, exercise for the body and the soul".

They're not alone

The volunteer rescuers of Arcadia are not alone. They are an offshoot of the famous Greek Rescue Team which counts numerous achievements. "It's our native team and we are proud of them", they say. The original team started in Thessaloniki, and spread in every county of the Peloponnese.

Boys, girls, men and mothers of little children volunteer to make their community a better and safer place. In the process they have built strong friendships but also share a love for adrenaline. Everyone is proud of these peculiar soldiers, who fight and win without any guns.
TEXT-PHOTOS: GEORGE ZAFEIROPOULOS
SOURCE: www.greecewithin.com

MORE PHOTOS

Rescue people from in ruins.

Many women are members of the Volunteer Team.

They train rescue dogs.

They carry the Epitaph and they take part in religious ceremonies.

Under the statue of Theodoros Kolokotronis at Areos Square in Tripolis.

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