Minister Krstičević praises firemen and Canadair pilots and air technicians’ firefighting engagement
I extend appreciation to all the participants of the activities of Firefighter Season – the fire brigades, the members of the Croatian Armed Forces and other components of the System“ Minister said.
The Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević on 20 August 2019 visited the Operational Firefighter Command at Divulje, and attended the presentation of the cross-cut of the Firefighting Season 2019, delivered by the Commander of the Task Firefighter Forces of the Croatian Armed Forces and the Commander of the General Staff’s Operations Centre Brigadier General Krešo Tuškan and by the Chief Firefighter Commander Slavko Tucaković.
The presentation was also attended by the Commander of the Guards Mechanised Brigade Brigadier General Tihomir Kundid, by the Chief of Staff of the Croatian Air Force Brigadier General Michael Križanec, by the Prefect of the Split-Dalmatia County Blaženko Boban, by the Chairman of the Croatian Firefighter Association Ante Sanader and others.
Minister Krstičević, also in the quality of the Chairman of the Homeland Security Co-ordination, praised the opportunity to visit the Operational Firefighter Command a month after the first meeting, held to delineate the course of the Firefighting Season 2019.
“The exact figures over the past month suggest the number of requests for engagement of the firefighter forces has reached the figures for the period from the beginning of the year; there were some large fires, such as the one that broke out at Dubrava near Šibenik, but thorough preparation, timely response, co-ordination and co-operation of the components of the Homeland Security System and the co-operation with the local community, the threat for the local residents and their property was eliminated“, said Minister Krstičević.
The Minister also emphasised the increased engagement of UAVs over the past month and said it significantly improved the prevention of fires, along with timely response upon detection.
“The forces act much quicker, thanks to the operation of this Situations Centre, which enhances information flow and enhances co-ordination.
The Minister also commended the operation of all components of the Homeland Security System which he said had become a brand, recognisable and appreciated by the people“
“I am taking the opportunity to praise the work done so far by the Canadair pilots and air technicians, the land units of the Croatian Armed Forces, by the Police, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, by the fire brigades and by the local communities and residents“, said the Minister.
“We started from the Partnership for Security as our basis, and it takes a joint effort to ensure an efficient and successful system. There is no such thing as absolute security, yet through joint efforts we can reduce our society’s vulnerability to any threat. In the coming period, we have to remain focussed on tasks”, concluded the Minister, and announced a conference of NATO and Croatia’s European partners on homeland security and crisis management in September .
Brig. Gen. Tuškan: The Croatian Armed Forces have completed all tasks
Brig. Gen. Tuškan reported the increased reconnaissance engagement and the number of flying hours equalling the entire period from January 2019.
“The military component of the Operational Firefighter Command co-ordinates efforts with other components and exchanges information of vital importance for timely response in firefighting, said Brig. Gen. Tuškan, who emphasised that the Croatian Armed Forces completed all assigned tasks according to the Plans and Requests.
The Prefect of the Split – Dalmatia County Blaženko Boban extended appreciation to the Croatian Armed Forces, the firefighters, police and all other participants of the Firefighter Season for providing the citizens a sense of calmness and safety.
“I wish to extend appreciation for all your efforts and for making our citizens feel calm and safe, and it proves the equippedness, organisation and co-ordination , as well as high level of professionalism of all components of the Homeland Security System“, said the Prefect.
The Chief Firefighter Commander of the Republic of Croatia Slavko Tucaković reiterated the commendation for the operation of all components of the Homeland Security System.
“The Firefighting Season 2019 is not over yet, we have to keep vigilant and ready and remain at the same level of readiness and professionalism. Our mission is to protect the citizens and the tourists, and our it hasn’t ended yet“, said the Chief Firefighter Commander.
Since the beginning of the II phase of the Firefighter Season (i.e. from 17 June to 19 August 2019 at 08.00 am), the aerial forces of the Croatian Armed Forces were engaged extinguishing 29 fires, and 33 firefighter reconnaissance tasks with the firefighter aircraft.
The Chief Firefighter Commander Slavko Tucaković commended the well-coordinated operation of all components of the Homeland Security System.
The firefighting season 2019 – during the II phase of the Firefighting Season involved 1,442 flights, with 233.30 flying hours, dropping a total of 6,705 tons of water and consuming 121,339 liters of fuel. The forces transported 14 persons and 8 tons of cargo.
The land forces ( a total of 102 members equipped with 11 motor vehicles ) were engaged extinguishing the fires at Dubrava and Šibenik in the Šibenik Knin County on 27 and 28 July 2019.
The UAV System team has conducted 27 reconnaissance flights of areas assessed as highly vulnerable to fires and filming the fire sites in the period from 17 June – 13 August 2019.
The “ORBITER 3“ UAV system performed 27 flights (with 42 flying hours).
In the course of the 2019 Season the Croatian Firefighter Association received 126 requests for assistane (124 for the intervention of aerial forces and two for land forces). The firefighting involved 2,236 flights with 351, 45 flying hours, dropping a total of 10,578 tons of water and consuming 199,875 liters of fuel; 14 persons and eight tons of cargo have been transported.