The project “Cross-border Flood Protection and Rescue” which was funded by the European Union ended on April 14, 2014, only a month before worst floods that hit Serbia in a century. The activities that were released during the project, found their practical purpose during the catastrophic floods which affected Serbia.The beneficiaries who were participants of this project, actively took part in the rescue.
The project was implemented by the Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro-Sector for Emergency Management and Civil Security and by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia in collaboration with the FORS Montenegro.The action was aimed to reduce the risks of disasters caused by natural hazards in Serbia and Montenegro.During the project implementation both sides procured the necessary rescue equipment. As many as 45 employees of local protection and rescue units and sectors for emergency management from both countries trained and educated on rescuing on swift waters and in case of floods.
The water rescue Team of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia from Prijepolje was engaged in the evacuation of the affected citizens in the flooded area. On the ground the Team used the equipment and supplies obtained through implementation o the cross-border project, including vehicles Dacia Duster, trailer for the transport of the boats, two rescue raft boats, diving suits, thermals under suits, overalls, diving boots, rescue vests, fishing suits, floating rescue ropes, protective helmets, sleeping bags, first aid sets, signal lamps, signal whistles, floating buoys.
The water rescue Team consisting of 6 members from FRD (Fire rescue department ) of Prijepolje was mobilised on 05/15/2014 at 2 a.m. with full rescue equipment for water rescue and two boats, and sent to the flooded area of the municipality of Čačak, where it was engaged in the evacuation and rescue of some the 200 people, mostly children, women and elderly from the affected areas of Konjevići, Preljina and Baluga in the Municipality of Čačak.
After the situation got better and the water withdrew from the area, the Team was dislocated to the territory of Šabac on 05/17/2014. There they rescued and evacuated the affected some 150 citizens from the village Majur, Dragojevac, and Bogatić. The Team was engaged in field work and monitoring the situation and evacuation, as well as securing the factory “Zorka” in Šabac.
On May 20 they were dislocated to the territory of the municipality of Vladimirci, Provo and Dragojevac place where there was a danger of loosening the River embankment on the river Sava. In this affected area, the total of 50 households with 150 members were saved and evacuated.
In these activities were engaged 19 rescuers from Montenegro who have been trained in swift water rescue in the framework of cross-border cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro in the field of flood protection. Fire rescue Department of Berane, 10 trained rescuers for rescue in swift water, headed in Šabac. Fire rescue team from Niksic, which consisted of five rescuers with equipment, was engaged in Obrenovac for 5 days.
All rescue teams were engaged to evacuate people from flooded areas and rescue material goods and livestock, drain the basements and other rooms, deliver food and water to the affected citizens and list the population in coordination with a team of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Serbia.
The water rescue Team from the Fire and rescue units of Prijepolje spent 7 days on the ground with the equipment and supplies obtained through the CBP project between The Republic of Serbia and Montenegro which has proved to be very good and efficient, and it will have a great significance for help to the affected citizens in case of floods.
They will continue to use any forms of cross-border cooperation to protect and rescue, with the aim to undertake the joint actions upon occurrence of emergency situations such as large forest fires and technical and technological accidents.
