Terms & Conditions
Here you can find the terms and conditions required to become a member of O.A.K. Messinia.
Please read them carefully before submitting your application.
Mission & Purpose
Purposes of the O.A.K. Messinia Volunteer Civil Protection Team and Its Volunteers
To cultivate and instill in volunteers the concept of Volunteerism within the framework of Civil Protection.
To provide assistance to fellow citizens and to state agencies as part of Civil Protection actions.
To protect human life, natural resources, and property.
To prevent and respond to the consequences of natural or human-made disasters.
To train volunteers, both theoretically and practically, to acquire knowledge, develop skills, and learn how to handle the tools and equipment required for prevention or response operations.
Training includes (but is not limited to): Driving of Firefighting Vehicles, Forest Protection & Firefighting, Urban Firefighting, Road Accidents, Water Rescue, Communications, and First Aid.To foster cooperation, mutual support, and friendship among volunteers.
To visit schools, organizations, and other institutions, giving public presentations to promote the values of Civil Protection Volunteerism.
To participate, as a team and as individual members, in relief efforts coordinated by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection or any other governmental or non-governmental entity providing continuous or situational aid.
To offer assistance to society in emergencies, such as wildfires, floods, snowstorms, earthquakes, severe weather events, etc., utilizing the specialized equipment and vehicles available.
O.A.K. is a Certified Civil Protection Volunteer Organization, registered in the Registry of Volunteer Organizations of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection, with Registry Number: 0057-22-24.
O.A.K. Messinia is activated in cases of natural disasters by the Hellenic Fire Service, which holds the primary operational coordination role in collaboration with Civil Protection authorities.
However, O.A.K. Messinia may also receive calls for assistance from all official agencies — including Municipalities, Regional Authorities, the Coast Guard, the Police — as well as from citizens in need.
The Team is also able to provide its services outside the boundaries of the Messinia Prefecture when officially requested.
Members
Membership Eligibility
Any Greek or foreign citizen, regardless of gender, may become a member of the Team provided that they:
have reached the age of 18,
have been permanent residents of Greece for at least two (2) years, and
can present a Clean Criminal Record Certificate.
A fundamental requirement for becoming a volunteer is the understanding that, through their participation in O.A.K., they will be offering services to society on a non-profit basis, often under challenging conditions, such as wildfires, floods, severe weather events, and natural disasters.
According to the Team’s Statutes and Regulations, members are classified as:
a) Probationary Members
b) Regular Members
c) Honorary Members
The essential conditions for an applicant’s registration as a Regular Member are determined by the Statutes and the Internal Operating Regulations, which must be read and accepted upon the submission of the final application.
Member Obligations
Key Obligations of Volunteers
One of the primary obligations of the Team’s Volunteers, ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the organization, is the completion of the basic training program, through which each volunteer receives Certification from the Civil Protection Academy.
Other obligations within the Team’s operational framework include:
Participation in training programs and exercises
Adherence to the Team’s organizational hierarchy
Respect for superiors
Fulfillment of financial obligations
Attendance at General Assemblies
Maintaining respectful and dignified behavior toward all fellow Volunteers.
Member Rights
Rights of Regular Members
From the moment they obtain Regular Member status as defined above, members have the:
Right to vote (electorate right) under the legal requirements, meaning upon reaching the age of 18, and
Right to be elected (eligibility for office) upon reaching the age of 22, provided they have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Team.
Regular members also have the:
Right to speak, express opinions, critique, and review the decisions and actions of the Team’s governing bodies during General Assemblies.
Right to be regularly informed about the overall progress of the Team and the actions of its administration.
Right to equal treatment — all members are equal in rights and obligations.
Right to seek the protection and intervention of the Team for the support and defense of their legitimate interests.
By observing the Organizational Chart and the Chain of Command defined by the responsibilities of each department head, members may address their concerns to any Duty or Vehicle Officer, Section Leader, the Team Leader, or even to the Board of Directors (BoD).