Summary Magazine 112 year 2024
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
January
Fire of car wrecks and cylinders in Kladno
On Thursday, April 27, 2023, a fire at the premises of KOVOŠROT GROUP CZ, s. r. o., in Kladno, was reported to the emergency line 112 of the Fire Rescue Service of the Central Bohemian region. A unit from Kladno station was dispatched to the scene of the incident, the fire started in the middle of the areas of stored wrecks at a height of 10m. It quickly spread to the bottom of the pile and produced a high amount of toxic combustion products and radiant heat. About 5 000 tons of car wrecks were stored at the site. A special level of fire alarm was gradually declared. The total damage caused by the fire was CZK 36 million, the saved values amounted to CZK 250 million.
P. 6
Exercise CZECH MODEX 2023
Last year in October, the three-day international exercise CZECH MODEX 2023 took place in the Moravian-Silesian region within the framework of the Union´s Civil Protection Mechanism with the participation of international modules whose activities are connected with floods and are focused on high-capacity pumping. The aim was mainly to train cooperation and exchange experience during practical activities, but also to test procedures for crossing the borders, coordination of activities in the international coordination staff on site and cooperation with local authorities in the Moravian-Silesian region. A total of five high-capacity pumping modules from Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Poland, Sweden and a special extreme high-capacity pumping module from the Netherlands participated in this exercise.
P. 10
A conference on cooperation that crosses borders
On October 4 and 5, 2023, the final conference of the project "Joint solution to crisis management and cooperation of security forces during the refugee wave of persons from Ukraine to the Czech-Polish border" which is implemented as part of the Interreg V-A Czech Republic - Poland programme, took place in Jeseník. The conference was attended by 120 representatives of project partners and cooperating entities, mainly Czech and Polish fire services and other relevant institutions. The goal of the project is to create a systemic and institutionally sustainable tool for effective cross-border cooperation of public administration institutions.
P. 28
Virtual reality as part of preventive educational activity
The Fire Rescue Service of the South Bohemian region and Moravian-Silesian region uses a three-dimensional educational environment as part of preventive educational activities. Its involvement in the preparation of the population is primarily aimed at older pupils and students, but it can also reach other hard-to-reach population groups, especially adults. The FRS of the Moravian-Silesian region has been working for several years on the creation of educational programmes in the upcoming Health and Safety Center called Safety City. At České Budějovice fire station, they purchased HTC Vive Pro glasses with financial support, thanks to which they can use the created virtual game "Escape 112". The required level of preparedness of all residents can be better achieved through experiential education, where it is possible to safely experience dangerous situations.
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February
Fire in the production hall in Žebrák
In August 14, 2023, at 10:55 a.m., a fire in the production hall of the NOVARES company in Žebrák, Beroun district, was reported to the regional Operational and Information Center of the Fire Rescue Service of the Central Bohemian Region. The event was reported as "plastic parts warehouse fire, 700 to 1,500 m2, 200 people inside, black smoke". The intervention was complicated by the placement of a cylinder with a volume of 10,500 l of nitrogen and two silos with a supply of plastic granulate. After about an hour, a special level of fire alarm was announced. Part of the D5 highway was closed in the section between 34 and 41 km, production was interrupted and the premises of the hall were evacuated. Damage was preliminarily estimated at CZK 1.5 billion.
P. 12
RadTech International Workshop 2023
In May 17 and 18, 2023, the RadTech 2023 international workshop took place at the airport in Vyškov and at the University of Defence. Its goal was to present the current state-of-the-art possibilities for monitoring the radiation situation and at the same time show the equipment and readiness of the integrated rescue system for this type of emergency.
P. 16
When firefighters encounter violence
Emergencies, in which fire protection units participate, are often characterized by a high degree of burden and strain for the affected persons and the intervening bodies of the integrated rescue system. In the course of their work, firefighters encounter people who, due to a strong stress reaction, may show borderline behaviour, including aggressive and violent reactions. Likewise, firefighters may meet individuals who are influenced by mob behaviour or are involved in criminal activity. The one-day training of the post-traumatic care team of the Fire Rescue Service of Zlín Region, focused on the topic of managing interventions in which there is a risk of violent behaviour by the affected persons, took place in November 2023.
P. 22
Camp school with firefighters for seniors
From the point of view of professional firefighters, senior citizens are among the population groups at risk. That is why every opportunity to give them a lecture or a practical demonstration is welcomed - whether everything takes place in homes for seniors, in retirement clubs, or at a camp school for seniors. The organization of one of the camp school was sponsored by the Regional Council of Senior Citizens of Olomouc Region. It is a one-week stay for seniors in a non-traditional environment with the aim of maintaining active old age as long as possible, regardless of age. In the versatile program, there was also room for a lecture on Safe Household, or how to prevent fires.
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March
Fire in the batteries of the photovoltaic power plant near Frýdek-Místek
On Tuesday, August 29, 2023, a fire in a family house in Lhotka near Frýdek-Místek was reported to the emergency line. During the intervention, the battery of the photovoltaic power plant exploded. The fire units disconnected the electricity supply from the photovoltaic panels to the house in the technical room, as well as the external supply and extinguished the fire in the cabinet with a powder fire extinguisher. The intervention commander requested a technical vehicle with the CCS Cobra device, which, after a brief introduction at the intervention site, was immediately deployed to cut through and flood the batteries. The use of this device in an intervention showed that with its help the fire units are able to get fire-fighting water inside the accumulators and pass through their container without any problems. At the same time, such a procedure proved to be very effective.
P. 6
Helmet divers checked on the final dive
In the fall of last year, eight firefighter-divers completed the "Diver and helmet diving operator" course, who improved both theoretical knowledge and practical skills as part of self-education. The final dive in backwater in the premises of the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ostrava was preceded by several days of practice dives in the Šumbark indoor pool in Havířov. The conditions of diving in clean water were gradually made more difficult for divers, e.g. by sealing the visor of the helmet, and the resulting loss of visual perception.
P. 12
Implementation of cross-border cooperation for solving floods in the Western Balkan countries
Members of the Fire Rescue Service of the Moravian-Silesian region organized several workshops, the aim of which was to create methods and procedures for managing flood risks within the framework of cross-border cooperation on rivers flowing through the territory of the Western Balkans. The key point was sharing of experiences, identification of shortcomings and finding good practice in the field of cross-border cooperation on watercourses at the national, regional and local level.
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Two years of conflict in Ukraine from the point of view of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism
In February, two years have passed since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. This unprecedented act of war, taking place on the European continent, has become commonplace for us in two years and we already perceive it as a common reality. Most of the countries in the world and international organizations still support Ukraine, not only morally and militarily, but especially in terms of the delivery of humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, the huge wave of solidarity that started at the beginning of the conflict and was unprecedented in modern history has subsided. Currently, the support provided through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism is steadily decreasing.
April
The fire at the sleeper dump in Tisová near Sokolov
The biggest fire in the last thirty years in the Karlovy Vary region broke out on Friday, August 25, 2023 in the evening. The fire started inside a closed area with a dump of railway sleepers and other flammable materials, such as tires. After the arrival of the fire units, two work machines were already fully affected by the fire and the fire was fully developed. A huge column of black smoke rose from the dump. Firefighting units from several regions, helicopters for aerial firefighting and special equipment of the Rescue Unit of the FRS of the Czech Republic intervened during the liquidation. A mobile chemical laboratory was also called in for air monitoring. According to the conclusions of the investigators and the owner, the damage caused by the fire is almost 50 million CZK.
P. 6
Air accident at Air Show Roudnice nad Labem Air Show – tactical exercise
At the end of September last year, the airport in Roudnice nad Labem was the scene of the largest tactical exercise of the integrated rescue system bodies in the district of Litoměřice in the last few years. The subject was the fall of a small sports plane into an area with a large number of spectators during the traditional Memorial Air Show event. The goal was a realistic exercise of coordination of all intervening units during a joint intervention in the emergency - a plane crash with a subsequent fire and a large number of injured persons at the site of the intervention.
P. 12
The Institute's international activities contribute to strengthening the Czech Republic's strategic goals in Africa
Population Protection Institute regularly conducts chemical safety training in the East African region. The year 2023 has become a milestone for pan-African chemical security. A large-scale "CHEMEX Africa" exercise was organized for the entire African continent and training courses were handed over to the newly formed East African Instructor Team.
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Emergencies at the level of the European Union
At the end of last year and the beginning of this year, several European countries faced devastating floods. The northwestern part of the European continent was particularly affected. The situation was worst in Germany and France. Both of these countries activated the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) and requested flood relief equipment and teams to assist them manage the situation. The Czech Republic also responded to France's request and deployed a team to the Canton de Calais, Hames-Boucres and Les Attaques regions in January.
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May
A forest fire in Jetětice in Písek district
The response to the forest fire in Jetětice in Písek district in July last year was quite exceptional in terms of its scope, climatic conditions, rugged terrain and the number of and intervention equipment. It was very demanding both physically and psychologically for the firefighters who intervened. The summer temperatures were high and the wind was blowing strong. The fire spread to an area of about 40 hectares. The combination of continuous ground and aerial firefighting clearly contributed to preventing the further spread of the fire. The fire was brought under control after less than 20 hours. The damage caused by the fire was preliminarily estimated at 10 million CZK.
P. 8
Joint training of German and Czech firefighters in the border area of the Karlovy Vary region
In March this year, several joint training sessions of German and Czech firefighters took place in the border town of Waldsassen in the Federal Republic of Germany. The training took place on a mobile fire simulator that simulated a fire in a burning product pipeline and on a simulator designed for extinguishing fires with portable fire extinguishers. Firefighters could thus get closer to a real intervention conditions during training. The goal of the joint training was to get to know and subsequently understand the different tactics of leading an intervention in the same type of emergency.
P. 12
Special backpack for firefighters-sawyers
Members of the Fire Rescue Brigade of Hradec Králové region came up with the idea for the production of a new technical device for firefighters specializing in operating chainsaws. They were led to this mainly by the experience gained during the liquidation of the fire in the territory of the Behemian Switzerland National Park in 2022 and during technical accidents. The result is a backpack made of durable material, which is designed for intervention in inaccessible terrain, and which allows you to carry all the necessary technical and personal equipment. The purchased ten pieces will be tested both during courses and during special interventions.
P. 14
Twenty years of membership of the Czech Republic in the European Union in the field of civil protection
On Saturday, May 1, 2004, the Czech Republic became a member of the European Union. This membership for 20 years now entails not only obligations, but also benefits, including the possibility of drawing financial resources. During this time, it has already headed the Council of the European Union twice and was thus able to influence the topics discussed in the Council of the European Union. The Czech Republic also participated in the approval of key legislative standards affecting civil protection and critical infrastructure protection at the European level. The topic of our first CZ PRES was "Raising the awareness of EU citizens in the event of emergency situations” and in 2022 the current issue was "Prevention, preparedness and response to long-lasting emergencies".
P. 27
June
Fire at an agricultural building in Prasek
The intervention during a fire at an agricultural building in the village of Prasek in the district of Hradec Králové lasted seven days from the announcement of the alarm until its liquidation. The emergency was reported to the emergency line shortly after 1:00 p.m. on November 7, 2023, when flames reached part of the building with a large amount of stored straw. About 80 bulls were stabled in the adjacent part of the building. The liquidation of the fire was announced in the morning hours of November 14, 2023. At the same time, the intervention site was handed over to the owner of the agricultural building, all the straw was taken outside the building and left to burn under the supervision of the owner, who had a fire tank available on site.
P. 10
Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union
In June 2024, Belgium's six-month presidency ends. This brought in particular the intensification of discussions on the future of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and the Emergency Response Coordination Centre as part of it. The priority of the Belgian Presidency was the architecture of risk management in the European Union. This includes striving for greater intersectoral cooperation, developing a society-wide approach and exploring deeper cooperation of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism with the private sector and other civil protection actors. A presidential seminar on this topic was held in Antwerp at the beginning of January with the participation of more than 80 delegates from most of the member and participating states of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Other important events during the Belgian Presidency were the two meetings of the Directors General of Civil Protection held in Brussels in February and April this year.
P. 24
„Jamboree 2023" – presentation of the activities of the IRS bodies at the largest scouts meeting in the Czech Republic since 1931
The motto that applies to Scouts all over the world is: "Be prepared!" And this is very close to the hearts of firefighters and members of the integrated rescue system. This was also the reason why the Fire Rescue Brigade of Hradec Králové Region joined the National Scout Jamboree project. The goal of the event was to have a preventive effect on a specific age group and present the activities of the individual bodies of the integrated rescue system in an entertaining way.
P. 28
Modernization of the School and Training Unit of the FRS CR in Brno
In the course of 2023, a new training area was put into operation at the School and Training Unit of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic in Brno. The main objective of this project was to modernize the existing facility in order to create conditions for acquiring expertise and training skills for solving real situations. It was co-financed from European structural and investment funds, specifically from the Integrated Regional Operational Program for the period 2014-2020, and was prepared and implemented in the period 2017–2023.
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July
The fire at the Juta industrial building in Turnov
On Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 9:47 p.m., a fire of gas-powered forklift in the area of the industrial building of the company Juta in Turnov was reported to the emergency line 112 of the Fire Rescue Brigade of Liberec Region. The regional operational and information center of the Fire Rescue Brigade of Liberec Region deployed fire protection units from the 1st fire alarm level to the scene of the incident, and a special fire alarm level was gradually announced within a few tens of minutes.
P. 8
Tactical exercise: Fire of an escort bus with three dozen prisoners
The transportation of persons who are in custody, in prison or in protective detention has its own strict rules. However, not even escort vehicles can avoid traffic accidents or even fires. And precisely the intervention in such a fire was the subject of a tactical exercise of the bodies of the integrated rescue system in Hradec Králové, which took place on March 22, 2024.
P. 12
The anti-gas container has been in use in Klatovy for five years
Since 2019, the anti-gas container has been part of the fleet of the Klatovy station, and its construction and equipment have already proven themselves many times during demanding interventions. It is primarily intended for interventions where increased demands on the use of breathing techniques can be assumed. It forms a fire-tactical unit with a container carrier.
P. 16
Cooperation of the FRB of Liberec region on project days with BESIP for secondary schools
At the beginning of 2023, the Ministry of Transport, a separate department of BESIP and the main coordinating body for road safety in the Czech Republic, turned to the Ministry of the Interior- Directorate General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic with a request for cooperation on project days with BESIP for secondary schools. The aim of the nationwide event was to educate young novice drivers. The BESIP department invited other partners to the project, namely the Police of the Czech Republic, traffic psychologists, medical rescue service and the Czech Red Cross.
P. 32
August
Apartment fire in Adamov
Last year, firefighters responded to a fire in an apartment in a nine-story apartment building in the town of Adamov. The positive aspects of the intervention were the rapid dispatch of fire units from the Adamov volunteer fire unit, the activities of the regional operational and information center, the use of an evacuation bus, the cooperation of the South Moravian Region's Medical Rescue Service, and the provision of emergency masks by municipality's volunteer fire unit. The negative aspects were the long arrival time of the unit from Blansko station due to bad weather, the missing boarding area for fire vehicles or the heavy smoke in the stairwells.
P. 6
Fire investigation in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park
Two years ago, the largest forest fire in the history of the Czech Republic broke out in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. On the basis of all the established facts, two investigative versions of the origin of the fire were determined: manipulation of an open fire by an unknown person and manipulation of fireworks by an unknown person. Currently, a trial is underway at the Regional Court in Ústí nad Labem with a defendant who confessed to starting several fires in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park.
P. 16
Ukrainian refugee crisis in maps and statistics
The Army of the Czech Republic complied with the requirements of the Ministry of Interior- Directorate General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic and created the HUMPO system for registering the accommodation of refugees from Ukraine. It is primarily a graphic representation of the burden of the refugee crisis on the territory, taking into account the number of inhabitants of the municipalities and the capacity of the infrastructure. Currently, the system consists of four dashboards - emergency accommodation of refugees from Ukraine, registered refugees from Ukraine, places of residence of refugees from Ukraine and emergency accommodation of refugees from Ukraine - facilities.
P. 24
National goals of the Czech Republic for civil emergency preparedness and NATO resilience
Minister of the Interior Mgr. Bc. Vít Rakušan presented the material "National goals of the Czech Republic for the field of civil emergency preparedness and NATO resilience" at the meeting of the State Security Council. In this document, among other things, the goals of the following areas are specified: preservation of the basic functions of the state and critical services to the population, ensuring the resilience of energy sources or the ability to effectively manage the uncontrolled movement of the population.
P. 27
September
Fire in a dormitory in Kralupy nad Vltavou
In January 2024, a fire in the area of a dormitory in Kralupy nad Vltavou was reported to the emergency call center 112 of the Fire Rescue Brigade of the Central Bohemian Region. Fires in buildings intended for housing a large number of people are always very challenging for firefighters and also rescued persons. Thanks to the outbreak of the fire outside the apartment unit, the timely detection of the fire, sufficient forces and means and a short arrival time, there were no losses of life. 29 people were transported to alternative accommodation.
P. 8
Tactical exercise: DESTRUCTION 2024
From April to June, tactical exercises called "DESTRUCTION 2024" took place in various parts of the Central Bohemian Region. There were six exercises in total and their topic was a similar emergency – an explosion in a multi-storey abandoned building. The goal was a realistic exercise of the joint intervention of the bodies of the integrated rescue system in the conditions of a collapsed building. Interventions of this type are among the most complex in terms of safety, as there is always the risk of another building collapse, so any activity in such an environment is very dangerous. A large number of firefighters, police and paramedics, as well as assistants, cooperated together on the exercises, which were very realistic and demanding.
P. 12
Fire trailer for the population protection units of the volunteer fire units of municipalities
In the fall of 2023, the Ústí nad Labem region handed over special fire trailers with specific equipment for the emergency survival of people to the volunteer fire units of the municipality of Stebno, the town of Krásná Lípa and the town of Košťany that are predeterminated to perform tasks for the population protection. The trailers are intended for use at the scene of an emergency for the affected population, or as a support for the intervening bodies of the integrated rescue system.
P. 23
I know and I can help myself - online competition for elementary schools
The Fire Rescue Brigade of the Pilsen Region has prepared a knowledge competition "I know and I can help myself" in the territory of Tachov for pupils of the 1st-5th grades of elementary schools. It was based on the topic of human protection during emergencies. The competition was scheduled for five weeks. Every week on Monday, a question was sent to the teacher's contact e-mail, who answered it on behalf of the school team by Friday of the same week. 42 classes from 15 elementary schools with a total number of 760 children participated in the competition. Based on positive responses, the second year was also announced. The competition has already spread to other areas of the Pilsen region.
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October
Fire in an industrial hall in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm
On March 11, 2024, at 7:44 a.m., a fire in an industrial hall in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm in Nový Jičín district was reported to the Operational and Information Center of the FRS Moravian-Silesian Region. It was a production facility used to clean plastic crates for the automotive industry on two semi-automatic lines. The incident was reported as a light fixture fire in the hall, which is quickly spreading. In approximately 30 minutes, the roof collapsed in the area where the goods were receiving. Incident commander immediately declared the 3rd level of fire alarm. Despite the enormous personal commitment of the firefighters who intervened, the fire engulfed an area of 4,700 m2 and it took more than two days to completely extinguish the fire.
P. 9
Members of the IRS of Central Bohemian Region practiced intervention in the event of a highly contagious disease in Mělník
On June 27, 2024, the Fire Rescue Service of the Central Bohemian Region organized a joint instructional and methodical training for the basic and other bodies of the integrated rescue system of the Central Bohemian Region on the topic "Emergency with suspected occurrence of a highly contagious disease in a medical facility or other premises". In the theoretical part, means, technical equipment and personal protective equipment for the responders were presented. In the practical part, the non-intervention premises of the station in Mělník was adapted as a general practitioner's office, including a waiting room for patients. The subject of the training was the suspected Ebola haemorrhagic fever virus infection. The training was conducted in chemical suits and ended with final decontamination.
P. 12
Emergencies at the level of the European Union
In August, the forest fire season in South-Eastern Europe continued, which was very demanding, and its impact was record-breaking. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated a total of ten times in Europe during this period. In the event of a fire in Greece, the Czech 75-member team, consisting of 64 members of the Fire Rescue Service, 7 members of the Emergency Medical Service of the Capital city of Prague and four technical support workers took part in the deployment.
P. 22
Cooperation of firefighters from Valašské Meziříčí with the blind
It has been 10 years since members of the Fire Rescue Service of Zlín Region from Vsetín district began to work closely with blind and partially sighted people. For them, the firefighters planned a meeting and a training of evacuation at the Kahan Hotel in Horní Bečva, where they were staying. They also helped the United Organization of blind and partially sighted with the organization of the traditional Wallachian Olympics for their members.
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November
The fire at the Church of the Assumption of Mary in Chlum near Třeboň
On Monday, March 25, 2024, at 17:55, a fire was reported at the Church of the Assumption of Mary in Chlum near Třeboň. The fire caused a total damage of 18 million CZK, namely, to building structures, including the roof over the south aisle, the organ, historical furniture and wall paintings. However, thanks to the quick intervention of the firefighters, values in the amount of 30 million CZK were salvaged. The cause of the fire was a failure of the electric motor of the organ bellows. No one was injured and part of the historic furniture was saved.
P. 8
Tactical exercise: Extrication of a person from collapsed trench
On July 15 to 17, 2024, members of the Fire Rescue Brigade of Zlín Region from the Otrokovice and Zlín stations conducted an exercise. The aim was to check all operations connected with rescuing buried persons from the depths. The scenario simulated a landslide during excavation work. The exercise verified the abilities of firefighters and their commanders not only in rescuing trapped people, but also highlighted the need to ensure better equipment at stations.
P. 12
A fire followed by an explosion put the family house out of use
The case of fire and subsequent explosion of a family house in Šonov near Nové Město nad Metují on June 25, 2024 was caused by a technical fault in the battery storage of the photovoltaic system. Flammable gases released from damaged LiFePO4 cells formed an explosive mixture that led to an explosion. Investigators of the cause of the fire had to face a difficult task during the investigation, cooperating with representatives of the academic and professional spheres and using foreign studies on the explosive properties of these batteries. The investigation showed that the cause may have been overcharging, overheating or a manufacturing defect in the battery cells.
P. 14
An updated Standard operating procedures of the integrated rescue bodies in the provision of psychosocial assistance
The MoI-Directorate General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has updated the Standard operating procedures of the integrated rescue bodies in the provision of psychosocial assistance. This activity now reflects new knowledge, including experience from large-scale emergencies such as the tornado. The update includes the establishment of Assistance Centres and adjustments of the coordination procedures between the bodies of the integrated rescue system and non-profit organizations.
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