Souda Spotlight: Stelios Saravelakis, Firefighter

Story and photo by Joel Diller, Public Affairs

Stelios Saravelakis, a native of Crete, has been a firefighter for the Fire & Emergency Services Department for six years, where he plays an important role in maintaining the firefighter’s breathing apparatuses to keep his fellow firefighters safe as they protect Team Souda in the event of a fire.

Why did you want to become a firefighter?

I studied to become an engineer but then the financial crisis in Greece hit me. I thought that after I got out of the Army – because the Army is not voluntary here in Greece, we have to go – it would be better, but it was worse. So yes, I was looking for a job. I heard about the job over here. In the beginning I didn’t know what to expect but from the first time that I interviewed here I liked it. I liked the feeling of the station. Everybody was very welcoming and it made me feel very good.

What training did you complete to become a firefighter?

After we passed some agility tests, we had to pass an interview. When we got hired we had an academy for three months. We did physicals every morning for an hour – it was tough. And then we were coming here and spending at least four to five hours for theory. And also after that we did the practicals – hands on skills – everything that we had to do to practice what we learned that day or the previous days. There we combined everything so we would have a good outcome.

What is a typical day like for you?

The day starts with our daily assignment. Everyone gets a place in a vehicle and then you have a specific area that you are focused on. I work in the SCBA (selfcontained breathing apparatuses) program. It’s a very big program because it has to do with our survivability in the field because it’s the breath of air in the case of an emergency – it’s very important.

What do you do for the SCBA program?

We fill the bottles. We maintain the compressors – we have two compressors. We do the service for the maintenance for our packs – we do it ourselves for our team. We do the fit tests on every firefighter, the assistant chiefs, everybody that can wear a pack. The system that we have to check the packs has some standards that every pack has to pass every year. Those standards have to do with the safety of the firefighter that breathes the air in order to breathe the right amount and the right pressure of air.

What is your life like outside the office?

I like to travel. I also have a daughter who is 13 months old. We are very excited – she is walking, she is laughing, she is everything – she is our joy in the everyday life. And also, I have a hobby, I spearfish … I like the sea a lot.