EFSCA ANNUAL MEETING CONFERENCE & GENERAL ASSEMBLY 29 th MAY – 1 st JUNE 2018 Carcavelos, PORTUGAL ENHANCEMENT OF WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION IN CROATIA – A CHALLENGE FOR TRAINING OF VOLUNTEERS REPORT OF THE CROATIAN FIREFIGHTING ASSOCIATION Mario Starčević , Secretary of Operativ-technical Headquarter of the Croatian Firefighting Association
In general about the firefighting system in Croatia 56.542 km2, 4,28 Million inhabitants, 21 county fire- fighting associations, 62 thousand operativ firefighters, from which 3.500 professional 1.827 volunteer fire-fighting units, 88 professional brigades ( from which 67 territorial, 21 in the economy), 3.742 fire-fighting vehicles 6 Canadair CL 415, 6 Air-tractors and 2 Mi 8 helicopters - under the iurisdiction of the Ministery of defense; At about 40.000 interventions a year, from which 1/3 fires, 1/3 technical, 1/3 others
The Republic of Croatia: a Mediterranian, but also an middle- European country 1.400 km of cost, 80 inhabited islands, 1.000 islands HR
1 . Education of volunteer fire-fighters in Croatia, with parts referring to wildland (forest) fires Cadets (hours) Firefighters (hours) Officers (hours) Subofficers Education- (hours) program Practical Theoretic Practical Theoretic Theoretic Practical Theoretic Practical 42 Hours 20 20 34 40 39 44 58 Alltogether 40 74 83 100
1. Basic achieved knowledge- to be able to be a fire-fighter Burning and extinguishing fires: 4 hours theoretical Fire prevention: 4 hours theoretical Appliances and equipment: 8 hours theoretical, 2 hours practical Fire-fighting exercises: 3 hours theoretical, 29 hours practical Fire-fighting tactics: 8 hours theoretical, 5 hours practical Organization of the fire-protection system: 4 hours theoretical Technical service in fire-fighting: 4 hours theoretical, 4 hours practical
1.1. Fire-fighting school- education of professional fire-fighters The Croatian Firefighting Association educates professional fire-fighters in Split and Rijeka (in average 50 participants in each town) 2 kinds of education of professional fire-fighters: * fire-fighter: 1058 hours, 70 % practical * fire-fighting technician: 1151 hours, 70 % practical
1.1. Additional education for suppression of wildland fires • Training program for wildland fires (not mandatory): 20 h (3 days), for volunteer fire-fighters, army members, physical performanse: Cooper test, distance jump, "abdominal", "skulls", ski squat • Training program for helicopter-desant on wildland fires (mandatory): 30 h (5 days), for volunteer fire-fighters, members of professional fire brigades, army members, checking of physical abilities: power, explosive power, strength • endurance, endurance, speed • Training program for commanders of intervention for guidance of aircrafts (mandatory): 40 h (5 days), minimum unit leader of professional fire brigade, commander of volunteer fire brigade or fire-fighting association • Education for using ICT aplication „Fire management” for fire -fighting commanders (not mandatory): 16 h (2 days)
2. System of preparing the fire-fighting system for summer season: program of special activities of fire-protection and fire-fighting 1.100 season fire-fighters, members of volunteer fire brigades (50 % payed by Government, 50% by local municipalities); Dislocation of forces from continent to cost: fire- fighting command center (Divulje), units and equipmnet; Special meassures of fire prevention, surveillance and supervision;
3.a. Meassures to be improved:Fire protection and fire inspection The fire-inspectors are employies of the Ministery of the interior; Also exist fire-inspectors for inspection of fire- brigades within the National Directorat for protection and rescue; The fire-fighting commanders can get special powers to supervise the implementation of prescribed preventive fire protection measures; Goals: ◦ Integrated system of suppression-prevention-recovery, recognized role of fire-fighting commanders (professional and volunteers) ◦ Better Fuel management ◦ Better communication between government, districts and municipalities
3.b Fire statistics Clear: exponential growth of number of wildland fires Average age of vehicles: 22 years, 1.024 fire-fighting vehicle older than 30 years Fire statistics in Croatia 1980-2017 12.000 10.000 Number of fires 8.000 6.000 4.000 2.000 0 Number of wildland fires Number of structure fires Year: 1980-2017
3.b Fire statistics 2017 was the most catastrophic year regarding wildland fires in South Croatia (Dalmatia): 88.000 ha burnt area, 110 injured fire-fighters
3.c. Meassures to be improved:ICT/Telecommunications In the Republic of Croatia fire-fighters use analog and digital telecommunications system (analog, digital: TETRA, DMR); The analog repetitors are maintained by the Ministery of the interior/National directorate for protection and rescue/Fire-fighting Associations; Goal: Unique national telecommunication net for all civil protection units In implementation: EU project of education for Integration of ICT-solutions: central data base of all fire-fighting units-17 moduls, fire protection plans, tracking and GIS (GIS Cloud technology, two-way communication), video- surviallance, alarm system (by voice call and SMS), unique fire-management of interventions of 193 and 112 call/alarm centers, dangerous goods (public portal, portal for fire-units), propagation model
3.d Bilateral agreements Croatia ha special bilateral agreements with Bosnia and Hercegowina for suppression of wildland fires Reason: Very often big wildland fires jump over into Croatia and make big damages Also local agreements are made in South Croatia: immadiately, also when small wildland fires occure along the border, fire-fighters from Croatia step immadiately into Bosnia and Herzegowina Need for regular exercises
3.e Public relations The Croatian Firefighting Association: - publishes each Month a fire-fighting newspaper, available for free on web-site since 2007 on http://www.hvz.hr/arhiva-vatrogasnog-vjesnika/ - ensures actual information on current events on web-site (http://www.hvz.hr/) - publishes instructions for citizens on public and private TV (6) and public and private radio (6) - prints leaflets for fire-prevention
Conclusion: short term meassures Empower fire-fighting commanders in fire-inspection/Extend the competencies of fire organizations (in fire prevention) Educate fire-fighters to use new technologies (ICT) Training: include training for preventive burning in wildland fire suppression training/educate firefighters to set counter- fires (opearativ burning)
Conclusion: middle term meassures Ensure decentralized financial resources for all fire fighting units (municipalities) Conduct EU projects for the renovation of fire fighting houses, exercise-grounds, vehicles and equipment Provide unique geographic maps for all civil protection units, improve applications of new technologies: ICT, satellite and video surveillance Expand the preventive campaign for citizen (and tourist) regarding behavioral measures Determine the suitability of used firefighting equipment and techniques (normization and standardization)
Conclusion: long term meassures Reduce the surface of untreated and abandoned land Prevent the "habit" of burning weeds during high-risk of fire Introduce bio-mass management procedures Increase penalties for deliberate burning during the fire season Establish a unique tax on unprocessed land
Thank you very much!
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