3. Fire Protection, the Integrated Rescue System, Protection of Inhabitants, and Crisis Management
Rescue brigades and services play, in cases of disasters together with the Czech Police, military forces and intelligence service, an important role in internal security and public order protection and are involved in life, health, security, property and environment protection against all kinds of security threats.
Individual units of the Integrated Rescue System (hereinafter ”the IRS”) must be able to react to natural disasters (e.g. floods, accidental contamination of water sources or air, etc.); they are also involved in emergency crisis management outside the Czech Republic (natural and industrial disasters, humanitarian and rescue aid, etc.).
The basic activities of the Fire Brigades of the Czech Republic (hereinafter ”Fire Brigades”) are as follows:
A proposal concerning the introduction of a single European emergency telephone number – 112 – in the Czech Republic (Government’s Resolution No. 391/2000). It should be systematically introduced in 2003. Harmonisation of the Czech legal provisions and technical standards relating to fire protection with the EU regulations has continued.
Having regard to the public administration reform, links between the IRS and crisis management will ensure preparation and solution of emergency and crisis situations in the districts and regions. Apart from a regional executive and coordination body for life, health and property protection and for provision of efficient assistance in emergency events, i.e. a fire rescue brigade, the chairman of the District Authority (through the District Security Council) as well as the Head of the Region (through the Regional Security Council) will be involved
The following international agreements have come into effect or are being negotiated to define rules for cooperation in case of emergency and crisis events:
An agreement between the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Emergency Situations (came into effect on 12 December 2000),
An agreement between the Czech Republic and the Austrian Republic on Mutual Assistance in Disasters and Large Accidents (came into effect on 1 November),
An agreement between the Czech Republic and the Hungarian Republic on Mutual Assistance in Disasters and Large Accidents (came into effect in 2001),
An agreement between the Czech Republic and the Polish Republic on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Breakdowns, Natural Disasters and other Emergency Situations (submitted to the Czech Parliament for approval)
An agreement between the Czech Republic and the German Federal Republic on Mutual Assistance in Disasters and Large Accidents (submitted to the Czech Parliament for approval).
Within the international cooperation the following rescue help was provided:
The Civil Emergency Planning Committee (hereinafter ”CEPC”), the Defence Planning Committee and the Committee for Coordination of Foreign Security Policy continued their activities within the integration of The Czech Republic into NATO.
The Ministry of the Interior as the responsible party for civil emergency planning (hereinafter ”CEP”) actively cooperated with international entities, mainly with the NATO’s Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee (hereinafter ”SCEPC”), the Permanent Delegation of the Czech Republic to the NATO and the EU. This cooperation concerns, in particular, information on a CEP reform within NATO and the revision of some fundamental documents of SCEPC, the Minister’s Instruction relation to NATO CEP, an option to involve the Czech Republic in cooperation with NATO bodies in the field of Civil Aviation Planning, etc.
Some measures in more detail:
CEPC dealt with general principles concerning crisis management activities, general principles for organisation, preparation and implementation of crisis management in the Czech Republic, methods of work used by the Inter-departmental Crisis Staff and a sample methodology of crisis staff work at the Central Public Administration Office. Instructions of how to finance CEP was drawn up and the Summary of CEP Expenses in 2001 was prepared – broken down by individual ministries.
In the field of information technology a strategy to build up information systems to support crisis management and planning was proposed for the needs of CEP and crisis management in state administration. A strategy to solve security of telecommunication networks was drawn up.
The issues concerning humanitarian aid provided by the Czech Republic are contained in the Concept of Humanitarian Aid Provided by the Czech Republic. The basic analytical aspects of legislative framework for humanitarian aid provision were also drawn up. With respect to the extension of cooperating entities the work on this issues was transferred to 2001.
Special professional issues were solved as well, e.g. the Draft Concept on Rescue of the Spots with Mass Dieback of Animals; Draft Concept on Supplying People with Drinking Water, and Draft Conception on Crisis Management in Health Care. The majority of documents thereof were submitted to the State Security Council (SSC) to be discussed.
In 2000, a joint international exercise NATO/EU - CMX/CRISEX 2000 was held. The individual states were required to draw up given issues concerning civil emergency planning. During NATO Staff Exercise the topic of which was ”Help to Largely Flooded Ukraine ” proved the capability to promptly react to possible emergency situations as well as coherence with Fire Brigades to resolve humanitarian aid. NATO Civil Emergency Planning Directorate positively evaluated the activities of the Czech Republic supporting NATO projects aimed at the extension of international cooperation and assistance to some non-member and NATO partner countries within the Partnership for Peace in the field of civil emergency planning.
Act No. 239/2000 Coll., on an Integrated Rescue System and on amending some related acts came into force on 1 January 2001. It particularly regulates the integrated rescue system, lays down the individual units of the integrated rescue system and their competencies, it sets up competencies and the powers of state bodies and self-government authorities, rights and duties of both legal entities and individuals while preparing for emergency situations and during rescue and liquidating work, it deals with issues relating to the protection of people prior to and after a dangerous emergency and in the case that the state is endangered or if the state is on a war footing. This Act also regulates the responsibilities of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence.
Act No. 240/2000 Coll., on Crisis Management and on Amendments to Some Other Related Acts (the Crisis Act) came into force on 1 January 2001. It establishes competencies and powers of state bodies and self-government authorities, rights and duties of both legal entities and individuals while preparing for and solving emergency situations which do not relate to the defence of the Czech Republic against an external attack.
ActNo.238/2000Coll., on Fire Rescue Brigades of the Czech Republic amending some related acts came into force on 1 January 2001. It established Fire Rescue Brigades of the Czech Republic as entities whose essential mission is to protect lives, health and the property of people against fire and to provide efficient assistance in emergency situations.
Government’s Regulation No. 463 dated 27 November 20000 established rules on involvement in international rescue operations, providing and accepting humanitarian aid and reimbursement of expenses paid by corporations as well as entrepreneurs for the protection of people. This regulation, inter alia, defines forms of involvement in international operations, the method of forming a rescue team and the method of financing.
Act No. 237/2000 Coll. amending Act No. 133/1985 Coll., on Fire Protection, as amended, came into force on 1 January 2001 and follows up the changes brought by Act No. 238/2000 Coll. The regulation is mostly focused on the rights and duties of corporations and entrepreneurs in the area of fire protection.
In terms of unambiguous definition of responsibility and establishment of organisational preconditions to ensure fire protection, integrated rescue system, civil emergency planning including preparation of the Ministry of the Interior to take over the competencies of the Ministry of Defence in the field of civil defence (from 1 January 2001) the aforementioned tasks are being met by the Czech Fire Rescue Brigade Headquarters.
Blockades, demonstrations and the penetration of demonstrators into our embassies as a protest against the detention of their colleagues during the demonstrations against IMF/WB meeting showed the need to adopt measures aimed at armed protection of the Czech embassies and their employees especially if such protection is not thoroughly ensured by a host country.
In 1999 there were – according to the data from Fire Brigades - in total 20,919 fires in the Czech Republic (+0.3 %, +62), where 100 persons died (-5 %, -5) and 975 were injured (+4 %, +41). The total calculated loss amounted to CZK 1,426 million (-32 %, - CZK 662 million). The fire brigade forces intervened in 80,838 events (+1 %, +1.123). They rescued or evacuated 8,715 persons (-6 %, -549).
The "People Protection Strategy"
“The Draft Binding Procedure Aimed at the Solution of Emergency Situations in Connection with Terrorist Acts, Which Happened in the Czech Republic or Abroad and Could Be Directly Related to the Czech Republic‘s Interests, and Relating to Similar Events Seriously Endangering Internal Security and Public Order in the Czech Republic” - this document should change the view of terrorism – i.e. it sets up priorities in terms of threats and their impacts on the society.
"The Conception on Humanitarian Aid Provided Abroad"
The following documents are being drafted: a document aimed at building a more resistant data network in the Czech Republic; a comprehensive draft on implementation of measures and activities, including preparation of a relevant act, adopted to ensure armed protection of the Czech embassies and their employees especially if such protection is not thoroughly ensured by a host country; a document called ”Telecommunications in Crisis Situations” which should lay down preconditions for ratification of 1998 Tampere Convention.