Protection and rescue units in Sarajevo Canton demonstrate strength and readiness for all situations

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Cantonal Civil Protection Administration of Sarajevo Canton, on the occasion of March 1 - International Civil Protection Day, organized a review of protection and rescue units today in the parking lot in front of the Zetra Olympic Complex. On that occasion, exercises were performed that clearly demonstrate the strength of the services and prove that they are ready for all situations.

As stated, the International Civil Protection Day is an opportunity to thank those who have shown a high level of professionalism and humanity in the prevention and fight against disasters in the past year, as well as those who risked their own lives while saving others' lives and material goods.

It was emphasized that the rescue services of Sarajevo Canton have shown readiness and made a great contribution in overcoming natural disasters, caring for injured persons, extinguishing fires, rescuing people...

The Director of the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration of Sarajevo Canton, Dženan Brkanić, in his speech congratulated all Bosnians and Herzegovinians on March 1, the Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the International Civil Protection Day.

He stated that it is imperative to create conditions for a faster and timely response in the protection and rescue of people and material goods through the organization of municipal Civil Protection headquarters, as well as Civil Protection commissioners in local communities. Also, as he added, through the organization of municipal Civil Protection headquarters and Civil Protection commissioners of local communities, it is necessary to conduct additional training and equip the population in terms of personal self-protection.

He explained that the operational bearers of protection and rescue activities in Sarajevo Canton are the PVB KUCZ KS, voluntary firefighting societies, protection and rescue services of KUCZ KS, municipal Civil Protection services, as well as mountain rescue services.

"The very fact that the PVB KS has nearly 2,000 interventions in one year, of which more than 75 percent are fire-related, speaks enough about the importance of this administration and the significance of the work it performs in the interest of the citizens of Sarajevo Canton," stated Director Brkanić.

He also reminded of the important role of firefighting units during the siege of the City of Sarajevo and how Civil Protection played a significant role in organizing and protecting the civilian population during the aggression.

"In November 2021, we witnessed unprecedented floods that hit Sarajevo Canton. But we also witnessed that all services within the KUCZ KS did an excellent job and carried out the protection and rescue of people and property, without any fatalities or injuries," said Director Brkanić.

He concluded that the tasks and duties of Civil Protection are humanitarian in nature and know no form of limitation, that disasters know no borders, and therefore they want to bring the civil protection system in Sarajevo Canton to perfection.

The Commander of the Civil Protection Headquarters of Sarajevo Canton and Minister of Communal Economy, Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection of Sarajevo Canton, Enver Hadžiahmetović, along with congratulations on the occasion of the Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Civil Protection Day, said in his address to those present that Civil Protection in modern society represents a part of the government's security sector in the overall system of protection and rescue.

As he explained, in addition to its preventive action, Civil Protection has a significant role in crisis situations. He explained that additional civil protection capacities have been found in business entities, public companies, governmental and non-governmental organizations...

"We should also highlight emergency medical services, professional firefighting units and voluntary firefighting societies, the Red Cross, police forces, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and others. It should also be noted that all of them are functionally integrated into the protection and rescue system for a planned response to individual natural and other disasters, as well as immediate war dangers. As the Commander of the Civil Protection Headquarters of Sarajevo Canton, on this day I want to thank all services and say that I am proud of their work, and as a member of the Government of Sarajevo Canton, I will try to further improve your work," stated Minister Hadžiahmetović.

Unselfish support in the work of the rescue services of Sarajevo Canton was provided by the Chairman of the Assembly of Sarajevo Canton, Elvedin Okerić, who congratulated those present on today's holidays.

According to his words, Civil Protection at all levels, even in the most difficult moments of defense against aggression, showed the ability to provide protection to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all this was confirmed during the hardships that the citizens of Sarajevo Canton faced in peacetime.

"I am glad that the leadership of KUCZ KS is working on capacity, human resources, material and technical means, so that it can respond to all challenges. I am confident that the Civil Protection of Sarajevo Canton will continue to respond to all challenges and protect citizens in the best possible way," stated Okerić.

Members of the professional fire brigade of KUCZ KS, mountain rescue services, and members of the Institute for Emergency Medical Assistance performed a demonstration exercise today of rescuing injured persons and a traffic accident, with fire extinguishing and evacuation of the injured from difficult-to-access terrain.

More than 2,000 members are directly or indirectly part of the Civil Protection system, and the units lined up today represent a smaller part of the operational protection and rescue forces in Sarajevo Canton.

In the lineup today were members of the Professional Fire Brigade of the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration of Sarajevo Canton, voluntary firefighting societies (Vogošća, Vratnik municipality Stari Grad, Bjelave municipality Centar, Trnovo, Novo Sarajevo, Alipašin Most and Ilidža) and mountain rescue services (station Sarajevo, municipality Stari Grad, Novi Grad, Ilidža, Vogošća, Hadžići, and station Trebević).

Also present were members of the Emergency Medical Assistance, the Red Cross of Sarajevo Canton, the Association of Radio Network for Danger in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina formed at the Municipality of Centar Sarajevo, the Center for Advanced Technologies, and KJKP Park.

In addition to the listed units, the services of the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration of Sarajevo Canton also include: Sarajevo Forests, Water Supply and Sewerage, General Hospital Prim. Dr. Abdulah Nakaš, Institute for Public Health, Veterinary Station, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and Bosman.