This summer, heroes, and today their heroic act is almost forgotten - that's how one could describe the situation with firefighters from several protection and rescue services (SZŠ) who throughout the year, and especially in August, fought exhausting battles with fire elements across the country.
Some municipalities showed that their dedication did not go unnoticed, while others lacked financial incentives.
Although they announced that they could not reward the firefighters financially, the Government said that they would send the rescuers engaged in extinguishing the fire for rehabilitation at the "Dr Simo Milošević" Institute in Igalo.
Councilor of the Upheaval in the Capital City Assembly Srdjan Peric He believes that firefighters brag and pat themselves on the back during the fire season, "but as soon as it's over, the promises are mostly forgotten."
He also told "Vijesti" that this injustice must be spoken about openly if we want to eradicate it.
"Vijesti" asked several protection services whether municipalities had rewarded firefighters and rescuers for their courage during the fire season, as well as whether they had taken advantage of the rehabilitation opportunity in Igalo.
According to the submitted responses, the municipalities of Nikšić, Ulcinj, Tivat and Kolašin did not pay variables to firefighters for the fire season. However, the municipalities of Podgorica, Kotor, Bar, Herceg Novi, Cetinje, Mojkovac, Bijelo Polje and Danilovgrad did.
When the fire season arrives and there is no adequate systematic response, management wants to cushion the blow by talking about caring for firefighters. Compensation, bonuses, improved financial status, paid recuperation, and other benefits are promised... However, as we get out of the season, this is almost never mentioned...
The Nikšić Protection and Rescue Service unofficially told "Vijesti" that the municipality did not reward them, but that they "received anonymous payments from several companies from that city."
"... Who wished to remain anonymous. Their goal was not to gain media exposure. When it comes to rehabilitation in Igalo, five or six groups of firefighters exercised that right. There are two more left until the end of the year."
The acting (vd) commander of the Ulcinj Protection Service said something similar. Abdula Nimanbegovic who said that the Municipality did not reward the firefighters-rescuers financially. He claims that 12 employees have used their right to rehabilitation in Igalo so far.
"The answer to your question regarding the employees of the Protection and Rescue Service of the Municipality of Ulcinj is that none of the firefighters were financially rewarded by the Government of Montenegro for this year's fire season. Only some of the service members, who wanted to go, were sent for rehabilitation at the 'Dr Simo Milošević' Institute in Igalo, which was organized for the firefighters by the Government," said Nimanbegović.
"Vijesti" was confirmed to "Vijesti" by those services that the municipalities have not paid money to the Tivat and Kolašin firefighters either.
"Three members of our service have applied for rehabilitation in Igalo, and two employees have exercised that right, while one is waiting to use those services," said the commander of the Tivat SZŠ. Milorad Giljaca.
A similar situation also found firefighters and rescuers from the Kolašin SZŠ:
"There were no firefighters interested in rehabilitation in Igalo. We received nothing from the municipality of Kolašin for the fire season."
Municipalities awarded prizes ranging from 500 to 1.500 euros
During the summer, fires burned in several locations across the country. For days, firefighters, bare-handed, without protective masks, goggles, gloves, boots, or firefighting suits, "pulled" the hillsides of Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Bijelo Polje, and the coast from the fiery elements.
The commander of the Capital City Protection and Rescue Service told "Vijesti" that the city elders recognized this as a heroic act. Nikola Bojanovic.
"The municipality rewarded the firefighters with 1.500 euros. These funds were distributed over three months in the amount of 500 euros. More precisely, 500 euros were paid out for September, October and November," said Bojanović, adding that the employees "are making great use of the rehabilitation opportunity in Igalo."
Firefighters from Bar also received a municipal incentive, each receiving 500 euros. Firefighters from the Herceg Novi Fire Department also received a cash award for their heroism and effort during the summer season.
"The Municipality of Herceg Novi gave each firefighter 350 euros in salary. There were 16 members of the Fire Brigade for rehabilitation in Igalo. We received a letter of thanks from the Municipality of Bar for our engagement in extinguishing fires during August. We were surprised that the Municipality of Podgorica did not thank us, even though we participated in extinguishing fires there for six full days."
After the summer fire season ended, firefighters from the Bar, Danilovgrad and Bijelo Polje fire departments received a reward of 500 euros each, while rescuers from the Cetinje service received 300 euros each. For the Kotor fire department, the amount was 450 euros per firefighter.
Commander of the Mojkovac Protection and Rescue Service Marinko Medojević He told "Vijesti" that the firefighters were rewarded by the Municipality in the amount of 150 to 200 euros "net value".
"Firefighters went on a rehabilitation vacation to Igalo. A total of six firefighters went. I also think that this is an excellent move by the Government and that in the future firefighters should be sent for rehabilitation as often as possible due to the volume and difficulty of the work they do," he said.
Without long-term fire season treatment
Preokret councilor Perić believes that the concept of caring for firefighters is actually "evidence of political demagogy."
When fire season arrives and no appropriate systematic response is provided, "management wants to cushion the blow by talking about caring for firefighters."
"Then they promise compensation, bonuses, improved financial status, paid recovery and other benefits... However, as we come out of the season, there is almost no talk about it at all. So, in that situation, the government only wants to alleviate the public's odiousness and estimates that this is the simplest way for it. Such actions are necessarily accompanied by statements that make the most expressive compliments, which are deserved, but which are not accompanied by a fundamental change in the long-term relationship. In fact, they only want to survive in the media an unpleasant position that arises from the clear information that unacceptably little has been done systematically," said Perić.
He pointed out that there is no overarching policy aimed at a strategic and long-term approach to firefighting. He also emphasizes that there is a lack of an approach that would provide "a clear, continuous and reliable measure of improving the working conditions of all firefighters."
"At the same time, there is a lack of a well-thought-out model of cooperation with the local community, especially in remote settlements, where the state would have an interest in having locals involved in the rapid response and intervention system. With a certain compensation, this would also yield results in fire protection, integrate the community and expose firefighters to less effort and danger. We have proposed this on several occasions, but the government has remained silent on it. These are not large funds, but the benefit to the common good would be enormous, because, economically speaking, the damage caused by fires is measured in tens of millions of euros, and a significant part of it could be prevented with just one such measure," says Perić.
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