Firefighting Season Readiness Exercise “Ljeto 2013”

The Exercise entailed extinguishing of the fire of open spaces and rescuing from the fire by the land and aerial firefighting force, who demonstrated professionalism, trainedness, preparedness and efficient firefighting. The Exercise also included co-ordination and joint operation of the firefighting forces, as well as command of the forces in the field

“By doing this perilous, honourable and important yet underpaid job, you oblige all of us. You risk your lives without being remunerated duly, and it will unfortunately remain so for the time being. When the circumstances allow it, you are going to be a priority in that regard” said Prime Minister Zoran Milanović in recognition to the Exercise participants. He also appealed to them to continue working by the highest standards of the profession and added that the “security diplomacy” and co-operation of firefighting train them into true professionals whose expertise and skills meet the international demands too.  

Along with the Prime Minister, the Exercise was attended by the Envoy of the President of the Republic, Zlatko Gareljić, Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović, Minister of the Interior, Ranko Ostojić, Director of the National Protection and Rescue Directorate Jadran Perinić, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, RADM Ante Urlić and other senior civilian and military officials.

Jadran Perinić, the Director of the National Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Republic of Croatia in his address underlined the increasing occurrence of fires, which demands continuous practicing. “My opinion is that through this Exercise we have demonstrated that different forces, from the Armed Forces, through firemen at the local and regional level to the national one can operate in a well-coordinated manner and resist even the biggest challenges. Security is the mission of all of us here, but it is you, the field forces, that provide the added value”.
The Exercise was co-organised by the Ministry of Defence and the National Protection and Rescue Directorate, and the participants included the Air Force and Air Defence force with the Canadair aircraft, the Air Tractors and the Mi-8 transportation helicopter, which proved to be an indispensable asset for fighting forest and open spaces fires. 

The Firefighting Season 2013 will engage 231 members of the Croatian Armed Forces. Under the respective Operations Plan (OPLAN) the Croatian Armed Forces Firefighting Task Force as of 1 May 2013 has been placed under the command of the General Staff Commanding Operations Centre (ZOS). The Firefighting Task Force’s assignments range from assisting the regular firemen with extinguishing forest fires and open spaces fires from land and air, transportation of fire forces to searching and rescuing and the like

Furthermore, the Firefighting Season 2013 includes establishment of the Coordination Centre at the Divulje Base, succeeding the Operations Firefighting Command Divulje, manned by the National Protection and Rescue Directorate augmented with a co-ordinator from the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence.