The French Directorate General of Civil Security and Crisis Management posted a series of pictures on their official Facebook page showing a french GRIMP unit of 10 firefighters in Beirut.
The GRIMP, which stands for ‘Groupe de Reconnaissance et d’Intervention en Milieu Périlleux’, is specialized in identification of and intervention in dangerous environment.
These firefighters participated in the restoration of the Saint George Hospital (Al-Roum), one of Beirut’s main hospitals, and which was severely impacted by the port explosion.
The St. George hospital has recently regained the functionality of one of its floors where the health workers have now resumed work.
The GRIMP unit is also working on restoring other impacted high-rise buildings, alongside local rescue forces, in order to secure them from collapsing. It includes removing parts of these buildings that pose a danger to passers-by and to public safety.
The French Directorate General of Civil Security and Crisis Management announced that “Civil security remains mobilized alongside the Lebanese.”
France has been of great help to Lebanon, sending reinforcements that were on the ground the very next day of the explosion, standing as the first international relief force in action deployed in Beirut, with 63 rescuers.
“Lebanon is not alone,” has said the French President, and his country has indeed moved at once to campaign for donations and funds under the slogan “Solidarite Liban.”
Even the staff of AirFrance has been campaigning for donations to Lebanon.
On the political scene, France has been also very active and more involved than any other country, pressuring the Lebanese state for urgent reforms, and even creating a roadmap that can bring Lebanon out of its demise once and for all.
Within these efforts of France for Lebanon, President Macron is scheduled to arrive in Beirut on September 1st as he promised.
Needless to point out that efforts to rescue Lebanon have been pouring from governments around the world. The question remains whether the Lebanese government or state will be finally willing to shake itself off and do its part to save its country.
