Fewer open-air fires in Tivat

The Protection and Rescue Service (PRS) of the Municipality of Tivat last year had a total of 311 activities that involved the deployment of personnel and equipment to the field.

"Compared to the previous year, there is a noticeable slight trend of decreasing the number of interventions, which, according to data analysis, is attributed to the decrease in the number of fires in open spaces, as a significantly lower number of fires in containers and waste dumps was recorded, which is a direct consequence of increased preventive work and constant presence in the field, i.e. a reduction in the number of water delivery services, with the lower number of interventions in this category being the result of the decision to prioritize maintaining the operational readiness of the emergency unit," explained the Head of the Tivat Fire Department, M.Sc. Milorad Giljaca.

Last year, Tivat firefighters extinguished a total of 10 fires in closed spaces, four of which were in residential and four in commercial and industrial buildings, and twice fires were extinguished in burned auxiliary buildings.

"Among the successful interventions in the past year, the most notable was the indoor fire in Donja Lastva, which was very demanding, where the rescue of an injured person from the upper floor of a residential building that was engulfed in fire was successfully carried out, as well as the outdoor fire - a forest fire on the Luštica peninsula, which was of larger proportions, and which we efficiently extinguished," Giljača pointed out.

Including the large forest fire on Luštica, the Tivat Fire Department intervened a total of 37 times last year to extinguish fires in open areas. There were four interventions to extinguish fires on motor vehicles and one to extinguish fires on power lines and electrical installations. On three occasions last year, Tivat firefighters intervened to rescue injured people in traffic accidents, and on seven occasions they pulled out vehicles stuck on flooded roads or that had fallen under the road.

Last year, there were no rescue operations for people in natural disasters (floods, collapses, landslides, etc.), but one rescue operation was conducted in the mountains and canyons, and 12 rescue operations for people in residential buildings. Last year, firefighters also intervened in five cases when animals needed to be rescued.

Last year, the Tivat Fire Department provided fire protection on 66 occasions during the organization of various sports, cultural and other mass events, and also had 51 cases of providing assistance to other state authorities during their activities, namely the Directorate for Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Maritime Safety Administration and fellow firefighters in other Montenegrin municipalities that were affected by fires and larger-scale accidents.

The Tivat Fire and Rescue Service employs 37 people, of which 33 are operatives (firefighters-rescuers). Another systematized position of protection and rescue inspector needs to be filled, whose engagement, which is a priority, according to Giljača, in accordance with the legal powers of these inspectors, will significantly improve the preventive protection system.

The Tivat Fire Brigade has 12 vehicles, ten of which are fire and rescue vehicles for various purposes. The average age of the fleet is 15 years, which, according to Giljača, indicates the need for systematic renewal of the fleet in order to maintain the necessary level of operability and efficiency for interventions, and the safety of the firefighters themselves. In this regard, last year the Municipality allocated 340.000 euros for the purchase of a new compact fire truck for extinguishing fires in closed spaces and for technical interventions in urban areas, the dimensions of which are suitable for use in parts of the city with narrow roads. This vehicle should be delivered to the Tivat Fire Brigade in the coming months.

Last year, with the purchase of forest fire boots, personal protective equipment for the entire Tivat Fire Department was fully completed for all types of interventions and hazards, and new TETRA system handheld radio stations were purchased to improve communication in the field, a compressor for filling breathing apparatus, various motor pumps and other small equipment.

The procurement of vibraphones (a modern technical device intended for finding people buried in ruins), thermal imaging campers, and electric submersible pumps is also in the process.

Last year, the municipal budget planned to spend a total of 812.740 euros for the needs of the Social Security System, of which 723.183 euros or 88,9 percent were realized by the end of the year.

In addition to the professional SZS, there are also three voluntary fire departments operating in Tivat: "Krtoli", "Boka" and "Tivat", which together bring together several dozen volunteer firefighters.

"The Protection and Rescue Service has a legal and operational obligation to equip voluntary societies: DVD "Krtole", DVD "Boka" and DVD "Tivat". In the previous year, no funds were provided for these purposes. We expect that the Municipality of Tivat will allocate the necessary financial resources in the current year so that these entities are adequately equipped for joint operations in the field," said Giljača.