Visit of Kutaisi Firefighter to Newport

August – September 2008

With the cooperation of Rosemary Butler AM and the Mayor of Kutaisi, Nugzar Shamugia five fire fighters from the Kutaisi Fire service were invited to Newport to undergo a five day intensive training course with South Wales Fire & Rescue.

Despite the catastrophic events starting on the 8th August they arrived at the end of August, coming directly from being on duty fighting the fires that were raging in the forests around Borjomi.

This was an enormously successful initiative and due to the generosity of the South Wales Fire & Rescue Service they each returned home with their own fully protective kit.

Visit to Big Pit, Blaenavon with NKA members

It is hoped that more equipment will follow, together with further on-site training in not only fighting fires, but in fire prevention and rescue procedure.

Wales versus Georgia at the St Julians Pub

Two months on we learn that the Georgian government is funding a full-scale renovation programme of at least one fire station together with the installation of a new domestic & general water supply that will now serve Kutaisi.

More photographs of the visit