Nikšić firefighters, thanks to the "Protect the Forests" project, which was implemented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Directorate for Emergency Situations and the local administration of Nikšić, received equipment worth ten thousand euros.
According to the commander of the Protection and Rescue Service, Veselin Gardašević, these are boots for forest fires, glasses and gloves for technical interventions.
"In 15-20 days, we will receive work uniforms worth ten thousand, which will be realized by the local administration. We have done a lot in the previous two years, and we have equipment that can be envied by every service in Montenegro. There remains some personal and some collective equipment. It is being worked on first of all, about the suits for approaching the fire, which are quite expensive, and ours is quite worn out, and we hope that in the coming period it would be necessary to make it happen so that they would also complete that part of personal equipment", said Gardašević.
He pointed out the good cooperation with the NGO Fors Montenegro, thanks to which they received equipment worth about 60 thousand euros in the previous two years.
Rescue firefighter Goran Tripković said that as part of the "Protect the Forests" project, it was planned to hold a lecture for the students of the Elementary School "Ratko Žarić" on prevention and the importance of protecting forests from fires and various other disasters.
"Because of the situation in which we and the whole world find ourselves, unfortunately this project has not been completed, but we hope that, when all this is over, we will hold lectures for our youngest, to educate them about forest protection and fire protection", Tripković pointed out.
Members of the Nikšić Protection and Rescue Service are still located in the building in "Stojana Kovačevića" Street, in Stara Varoš, which once served as a prison. Firefighters have been warning unsuccessfully for years that an unconditioned and dilapidated building cannot possibly be the "home" of those who save other people's lives and property, often risking their own lives.
At the session of the Nikšić Municipality Assembly at the end of August 2018, a Decision was adopted on the purchase of office space of up to 500 square meters worth up to 170.000 euros for the new fire station that will be in the Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy. Although the works have been completed, the firefighters still will not move to the new home because, as they said, it does not meet the prescribed standards.
"Our position is very clear and simple - just to involve the profession and give an opinion on what the Municipality of Nikšić intended for us. The new home does not meet the dimensions and standards that a fire and rescue home should meet. The standards that must be met have not been met. The garages do not meet the standards, neither ours nor the vehicles parked in them. There are certain measures that must be observed in order to park a vehicle in those garages. There must be access to those garages, so that the doors when the firefighters enter are open enough to so the firemen could get into the truck normally. Right now it's not satisfactory. Whether it can be fixed, I don't know. We're missing a lot there. There's a saying that a dog house is made for the dog. Unfortunately, that house is very small for us", said Tripković.
Gardašević said that a lot has been done on the new home, but that there will most likely be some more content.
"I think that work will be done on that issue, and it has already been done. Now we will see when that will be. I think that it will also end quickly, I can't specify the deadline. I always say that the fire service must have its training grounds and a lot of that content. We will surely find a common solution to end it all," said Gardašević.
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