Ambulances

Since its establishment the Chernobyl Children's Project International has built up a fleet of almost 200 ambulances in Belarus and Western Russia. The absence of a sufficient fleet of ambulances in many parts of Belarus prompted the initiation of this programme. The fleet of ambulances work in tandem with orphanages and hospitals and allow them to carry out work in remote locations which was not previously possible. Expert Irish and Belarusian mechanics maintain and source the spare parts for these vehicles through our Spare Parts Programme.

Various fundraising initiatives by the Project, through its outreach groups and other volunteers have allowed the organisation to source and purchase these ambulances. The purchasing of these ambulances by the Project has made a huge difference to many institutions throughout Belarus and Western Russia.

Spare Parts Programme

Keeping ambulances on the road requires continual maintenance as great care must be taken to ensure the maximum benefit of these vehicles.

It was out of the need to ensure that these ambulances remain functional that the Spare Parts Programme came into existence. Martin Dunne is the coordinator of and supervisor of the Spare Parts Programme and maintenance team. Maintenance involves servicing the vehicles, replacing parts and keeping a check on each vehicle in order to plan ahead and be in a position to source replacement parts in time. This is a very successful programme and a lifeline to many of the orphanages, hospitals and institutions that are situated in geographically isolated areas and rely on transport provided by the CCPI to reach remote villages and towns.

The purchase and ongoing maintenance of our ambulance fleet is made possible by the commitment and fundraising resilience of our outreach groups, volunteers and various partners. Providing ambulance back-up to hard-pressed hospitals, clinics and orphanages throughout the Chernobyl Zone is an ongoing priority for our organisation but turning need into product is only possible by the continuous efforts of those groups, voluntary organisations and businesses who understand the importance of this programme and who raise the required finance through a myriad of fundraising initiatives that ensures our fleet of ambulances continues to grow with each passing year.