Firefighters left Caerphilly town on Wednesday morning for a 1,400 mile trip to Serbia to donate six fire engines to the country.
The convoy left Caerphilly Castle and will drive through eight European countries to get to Serbia. The trip is expected to last five days.
Steve Logan, Station Commander at Caerphilly Fire Station, is the driving force behind the Blazing to Serbia project.
He said: “The fire engines that stand to be disposed of are at the end of their working life under British standards. But in developing countries like Serbia, what we consider end of working life, I think they consider is their infancy. Because we have this natural disposal programme, in my opinion, it’s criminal to scrap those vehicles and not be able to give them a new lease of life.”
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Huw Jakeway said: “This is an ethical way to use end of life appliances and equipment while supporting developing countries.
“Steve and his team of supporters have working tirelessly to raise the funds needed to transport these much needed appliances to Serbia.
“Steve and his team have been faced with many obstacles along the way, however their passion, drive and enthusiasm for the successful completion of the project has meant the planned convoy of six appliances will make their way to Serbia.
“I am sure I speak for everyone in the Service by wishing them a safe and successful journey.”
A number of months back South Wales Fire and Rescue Service approved plans to recycle old engines by sending them to Serbia for a “new lease of life”.
The three-year programme aims to assist developing countries and is a bid to improve South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority’s green credentials.
The decision to recycle unwanted appliances rather than scrap them comes as the service is just about to take charge of several new ones. The new models will replace ones which have been used at Fire Stations throughout South Wales for at least the past 15 years.
For more information and to donate to the project, please visit www.blazingtoserbia.co.uk