CIVIL PROTECTION ADMINISTRATION 1
Republika Srpska 2
3
INTRODUCTION Civil Protection Administration of the Republic of Srpska (the CPA RS), in accordance with the vulnerability assessments and experiences during the last years, abstracted 4 protection and rescue plans that local communities are obliged to develop every year: 1. Plan of activities in preparation and implementation of measures for protection and rescue from forest and other open air fires in the Republic of Srpska; 2. The flood defense plan in the Republic ofsrpska 3. Plan of activities for implementation of measures for protection and rescue from major snowfalls and snow of interest for the Republic of Srpska; 4. Plan of activities in the preparation and implementation of earthquake protection and rescue measures in the Republic of Srpska 4
The most frequent natural disaster in the Republic of Srpska are open space fires that we inevitably have every year, mostly in the summer months of July-August, and which cause great problems and a huge material damage. We have to point out that, not only in 2017, we have made detailed analyzes of fires, but the CPA RS has been working with other entities of importance for this natural disaster for the last 15 years, since 2003. Given that the past 2017 was one of the hardest when it comes to open space fires, the CPA RS submitted to the Government of the Republic of Srpska at the end of August 2017 Information on fires in the most vulnerable area of Republika Srpska, i.e the region of Eastern Herzegovin which can be applied to the entire territory of the Republic of Srpska as well After the Government of the Republic of Srpska got acquainted with the information, it made a conclusion that once again emphasizes its support to the process of strengthening the protection and rescue system in the Republic of Srpska and by which it entrusts the CPA RS to, in cooperation with other subjects, primarily the Firefighting Union of the Republic of Srpska and The Public Forestry Enterprise "Forests of the Republic of Srpska" compiles the analysis of the fire in the most endangered area, the way of treatment of the protection and rescue entities and their material and technical equipment, as well as suggestions on how to edit and improve the system of protection and rescue from fires. 5
The CPA RS has organized a working meeting with representatives of the subjects of importance for protection and rescue from fires with aim of elaboration of the analysis with the following participants: Head of the The Department of Explosive Materials and Fire Protection at the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Srpska; Representative of the Republic Administration for Inspection Affairs of the Republic of Srpska - Fire Protection Inspectorate; Representative of the Firefighting Union of the Republic of Srpska Representatives of the Public Forestry Enterprise "Forests of the Republic of Srpska"; coordinator for fires of the City of Trebinje; Director of the CPA RS with his associates. 6
Atthe working meeting, the representatives of the mentioned institutions and organizations presented the fire analysis for the requested period from the scope of their competencies and from the aspect of their institution-organization. The main reason for a broader list of attendees at the working meeting (in relation to the institutional framework established by the Conclusion of the Government of the Republic of Srpska) was due to the fact that it was necessary to include a wider circle of relevant subjects, that is, all the contributors and contributors in the area of defense from fires in vulnerable areas. For the development of this document, the presentations of the participants of the aforementioned working meeting were used as well as the analyzes obtained from the level of vulnerable local communities. 7
ENGAGEMENT OF THE AUTHORITY AND THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA The most important subjects of importance for the protection and rescue from fires in the Republic of Srpska are: TERRITORIAL FIREFIGHTING UNITS, VOLUNTARY FIREFIGHTING SOCIETIES AND UNITS OF CIVIL PROTECTION OF TOWNS/ MUNICIPALITIES The Public Forestry Enterprise "Forests of the Republic of Srpska" Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Srpska BH Armed Forces 8
During the analyzed period, through the Operational and Communication Centers 121 in the regional civil protection departments and the Republic Operations and Communications Center 121 in East Sarajevo, the CPA RS was monitoring the situation on the ground and, through the reporting regime adapted to the situation on the ground, collecting and processing the information on the situation in the fireaffected areas as well as on the situation daily and informing the Government of the Republic of Srpska in the form of regular and extraordinary reports 9
The CPA RS was receiving and processing requests from local communities to provide assistance of BH Armed Forces through its regional civil protection departments. The requests were related to the engagement of the personnel and helicopters of the AF on extinguishing fires at critical points. 10
BiH Armed Forces are engaged according to the following data: Р/Б date Request accepted/ rejected Area of engagement Personnel/ resources engaged 1. 17.07. accepted Љубиње Пустипуси, Обзир, Паројска њива 1 helicopter and 15 soldiers 2. 08.08. accepted Требиње Жаково, Туље, Попово поље 1 helicopter and 15 soldiers 3. 14.08. accepted Требиње Загора-Власаце/Требињска брда 1 helicopter and 15 soldiers 4. 19.08. accepted Берковићи Хргуд - Сњежница 1 helicopter and 15 soldiers 5. 24.08. accepted Гацко Планина Баба 1 helicopter 6. 25.08. accepted Требиње Требињска брда 1 helicopter 7. 26.08. accepted Невесиње Горња Трусина 1 helicopter 8. 27.08. accepted Требиње - Бјеласница 9. 30.08. accepted Гацко планина Баба 10. 30.08. accepted Требиње Љеково, Орашје 11. 31.08. accepted Требиње Бихова, Волујца, Рупа, Биоград 1 helicopter 12. 01.09. accepted Берковићи плато Ком, село Врачићи, 13. 01.09. accepted Требиње - Бјелсница 15 soldiers 11
The CPA RS has also contacted the Serbian-Russian Humanitarian Center in Nis, the Republic of Serbia, and in coordination with the Center's management, agreed upon the engagement of the Center's air forces in case of need and in accordance with the regulations. 12
REPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FOR INSPECTION AFFAIRS Republic Administration for Inspection Affairs of the Republic of Srpska - Fire Protection Inspectorate, inspectors for forestry and hunting carried out inspection of the most risky forest farms, national parks and plantages Based on the number of inspections, the inspectors have determined the level of organization of fire protection measures in accordance with regulations, monitoring plans and information, establishment of forest order, i.e. cleaning of forest mass remaining from the exploitation of forests with road communications, formation of on-duty fire groups in individual departments, places for observation, informing and establishing liaison with firefighting units. 13
Inspectors of the Inspectorate, within their jurisdiction, supervise other inspection areas, and may request the opinion of professional institutions for the proper assessment of the facts and, within the limits of the possibilities and interests of the subjects of supervision, provide advice, suggestion and opinion. The opinion of the Inspectorate is that it is necessary to consider decisively the available possibilities and needs of firefighting technic and equipment (allocation of funds under Article 81 of the Fire Protection Act), in obtaining the consent of the RS Ministry of Interior to the Plan and the Annex of the Fire Protection Plan/, The Department of Explosive Materials and Fire Protection /, due to suspicion of the partiality of the inspectors, authorized bodies for the development of plans and certain persons about the tendentious approach to procurement of fire vehicles as it is a significant financial investment. 14
LESSONS LEARNED Lessons learned during the fire season 2017 can be a good guide for further work in the coming years as negative and positive experiences in fire protection and rescue were noticed. 15
Positive experiences It must be emphasized that members of fire brigades in all vulnerable areas have committed superhuman efforts, devoted to field work, with the maximum efficient usage of insufficient and modest but at that time available material and technical resources, engaged in a long time period and in a large area, preventing the loss of human lives and preserving housing facilities. They also prevented much more damage to public and private property and the environment. 16
The fire brigades were also significantly supported by the civil protection, the workers of The Public Forestry Enterprise "Forests of the Republic of Srpska", members of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Srpska, workers of public companies, villagers, and the people and helicopters of the BH Armed Forces. Good co-operation and coordinated field activities between the above mentioned subjects should be emphasized as well as a good co-ordination in the field of extinguishing from land and air. There are also numerous examples that some parts of fire brigades, in the period when they were not threatened by fire at all or were not so much threatened, provided assistance and participated in extinguishing actions inother local communities. 17
The principle of work of firefighting units to save human lives first, then residential buildings, and only after that to extinguish the fire lines proved to be justified. Extinguishing the fire at night also proved to be justified from the point of view the air temperature is lower and the engaged personnel is being spent less". The techniques and improvisations during firefighting actions, for example, relaying lines up to 2 kilometers, extinguishing fire across the crown, using tractors and horses for the transport of water and other means and equipment and in the conditions of a long dry period, when wells and springs are dried up, usage of water from ponds also proved to be efficient. 18
On August, 27 th 2017, in Trebinje, within the IPA project "Cross-border cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro in the field of fire and fire protection", 18 sets of personal and protective equipment were delivered to the fire brigades of local communities that were involved in the project. From the Republic of Srpska, the project included the city of Trebinje, and the municipalities of Čajniče, Foča, Gacko and Bileca. 19
Deficiencies noticed 1. A large number of Territorial Fire Brigades in Republic of Srpska generally do not have adequate working conditions. 2. In most local communities in the Republic of Srpska, the number of firefighters, according to the level of risk and the length of the fire season, is insufficient, and some do not comply with the legal minimum of 12 firefighters. If we have in mind that a certain number of firefighters belongs to older age, they get sick and use sick leave, the situation is even more unfavorable. 3. The status of firefighters in all units is not adequately addressed, such as: Not all workers have been issued a decision on employment, For each unit, the competent authority passed a regulation on the internal organization and job systematization, The position of head of a fire department is performed by workers with a lower education qualification than the one prescribed by law. 4. In most of the territorial fire brigades firefighters do not have a adequate uniform or protective equipment. 5. Most of fire vehicles, other technical means and equipment, due to the long-lasting fire season, exposure to heavy terrain and unfavorable meteorological conditions, suffer damage what requires additional costs. 6. Heavy and inaccessible terrain and road deficiency made it impossible to approach certain fires in the mainland. 7. There is also a lack of firefighting vehicles. 8. Most of the equipment and resources, including fire trucks in units in the Republic of Srpska area, have been largely outdated, especially in the area of Eastern Herzegovina which is the most prone to this natural disaster in Republic of Srpska. 9. Training of firefighters is not at the required level, nor the plans on the basis of which it is implemented. There is a noticeable lack of initiative and responsibility of the intermediate level of command of fire brigades (group leaders and deputies). 10. Despite the implemented preventive measures in the Republic of Srpska region, most of the fires during year occur in the area of Eastern Herzegovina and most of them are caused by human factors. Irregular burning of agricultural plots and pastures, and deliberate placement are the most common cause. The lack of results on the detection, prosecution and punishment of perpetrators badly affects both the awareness of citizens and the moral of firefighters. In this sense, a small number of police patrols are present in the fires. 11. A number of local communities still do not have a vulnerability assessment and other planning documents prescribed by the Law on Protection and Rescue in Emergencies as well as planning documents prescribed by the Fire Protection Law. 12. In addition to the damage recorded when it comes to property and the surface caught by fire, there is a more obvious and negative impact 22.-23.фебруар on the 2018. environment. Подгорица, The high temperatures developed due to fire leave negative consequences to the soil, whose structure due to the mentioned Република factors Црна is Гора being changed and, besides erosive processes, the appearance of plant diseases and pests are also noticeable. 13. Firefighters were exposed to the dangers of mines and UXOs 20
PROPOSAL OF MEASURES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF FIRE PROTECTION 1. Local communities are charged to regulate the status of firefighters in the manner prescribed by the Fire Protection Law. Local communities are obliged to harmonize the number of firefighters in firefighting units with the provisions of the Fire Protection Law, the Fire Protection Plan of the local community and Assessment of vulnerability. 2. Local communities are in charge to provide adequate conditions for accommodation in cooperation with the Firefighting Union of the Republic of Srpska, which includes conditions for work, on-call time, training, firefighting, garage space for fire vehicles as well as warehouse space for storage of equipment possessed by firefighting units. 3. Firefighting Union is in charge to, in cooperation with local communities, provide a priority equipping of firefighting units of most endangered area of Eastern Hercegovina as well as to provide each local community a firefighting vehicle and a vehicle for technical interventions. 4. Local communities are in charge, in cooperation with the fire brigades and the Firefighting Union of the Republic of Srpska, to repair and the equipment and assets damaged or destroyed during the past fire season as soon as possible, and that each fireman possesses the prescribed uniform, as well as personal and protective equipment in accordance with the regulations. 5. The Mayors/ Heads of Towns/ Municipalities are responsible, in coordination with the CPA RS, to conclude contracts and agreements on the execution of tasks in case of a larger scale fire with other local communities which are less prone to fires. 6. The Firefighting Union of the Republic of Srpska and the cities/ municipalities are responsible for the timely, planned and on purpose realization of the funds collected in accordance with Article 81 of the Fire Protection Law. 21
Collective data on the consequences of fire at the level of Republic of Srpska in 2017 Burned facilities Republic of Srpska No of fires Surface caught in hectares residential additional transmission lines Damage assessed in BAM 1.172 20.695 3 20 160 2.166.000 22
Thank you for your attention! RS Government Civil Protection Administration Spasovdanska 3 71123 Istocno Sarajevo tel/ fax 057/344-258; 057/344-925 e-mail: rucz@rucz.vladars.net Radoslav Prelo Head of Regional Department Trebinje phone : 059/261-179 e-mail : rccztb@teol.net 23