Consortium

Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief – URSZR (Slovenia)

The URSZR is a constituent body of the Ministry of Defence. It carries out administrative and professional protection, rescue and relief functions, as well as other tasks concerning protection against natural and other disasters. The URSZR is divided into six internal organizational units (four sectors and two services) based in Ljubljana, and 13 other URSZR branches operating throughout Slovenia. Within each branch, there is a regional notification centre which provides a 24-hour duty service. Altogether, 300 people are employed at URSZR branches and notification centres.

The disaster management system is one of the three pillars of the Republic of Slovenia’s national security system, which also encompasses protection, rescue and relief activities. The aim of the system is to reduce the number of disasters and to forestall or reduce the number of casualties and other consequences of such disasters. Due to the geographical characteristics of Slovenia, natural disasters, particularly floods, summer storms, fires, and earthquakes, are common phenomena. The danger of environmental disasters is increasing due to urbanization and industrialization; however, the contemporary threats of terrorism and the occurrence of various contagious diseases also contribute a significant threat.

City of Ljubljana – MOL (Slovenia)

Ljubljana is the political, scientific and cultural center and with just over 288,000 inhabitants it is at the same time the largest city in Slovenia and its most important economic center. Categorized as a medium-sized European city, it offers everything a metropolis does, yet preserves its small-town friendliness. It is an important European commercial, business, exhibition and congress centre, as well as the transport, science and education centre of Slovenia. The City of Ljubljana is managed by its Mayor Zoran Janković, with help of five Deputy Mayors who cover certain fields and elected City Council with 45 members. The City Council is responsible for adopting the cities legal acts, overseeing the finances and implementing adopted decisions.

The key actor of all MOL activities linked to the SIQUAKE2020 project is the Department for Protection, Rescue and Civil Defense. It is responsible for the operation of the entire system of protection against natural and other disasters within City of Ljubljana. Through its regular trainings, education and cooperation with various domestic and foreign partners, the Department for Protection, Rescue and Civil Defense provides a high level of protection against natural and other disasters within City of Ljubljana.

Federal Agency for Technical Relief – THW (Germany)

THW is a governmental non-profit organization (GO) belonging to the German Federal Ministry of the Interior. Established as the German governmental disaster relief organization in 1950, its functions are defined by federal law and include technical relief and assistance in a large number of emergencies, both in Germany and abroad. Of the approximately 80,000 THW members, 99% work on a voluntary basis in 668 local volunteer sections (branches) across Germany. Only 1% of THW members are employed at THW’s headquarters in Bonn, in 8 federal offices, 66 regional offices, 2 schools and 2 logistics centres.

Supplied with modern equipment and well-trained relief-workers, THW assists at the local, regional, national and international levels. Search and rescue, flood protection, the electricity supply, technical support of infrastructure, the drinking water supply, command and communication, and logistics support are some of THW’s operational capacities.

A close cooperation at the bilateral level and within the framework of the United Nations and the European Union are essential for THW’s daily work. Since the beginning of the Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, THW has played an active role in the implementation of the Mechanism. A number of experts and modules are registered in the ‘voluntary pool’ in Brussels and are available for operations abroad.

Ministry of Interior – Civil Protection Directorate – MUP-CZ (Croatia)

MUP-CZ is part of the Ministry of the Interior. The objectives of MUP-CZ are:

• establishing a civil protection system;
• the rescue and protection of citizens, material goods and other goods in major accidents and disasters in general;
• organizing operational forces and citizens for the purpose of protection and rescue of humans, animals, material and cultural goods and the environment in major accidents and disasters in general, and eliminating the effects of terrorism and warfare;
• training of protection and rescue participants;
• and providing the necessary assistance to minimize the consequences in the event of general danger caused by major accidents and disasters.

Civil Protection Department – DPC (Italy)

DPC has been based in the offices of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers since 1982. It has a guiding role, in agreement with regional and local governments, in projects and activities for the prevention, forecast and monitoring of risks and intervention procedures that are common to the whole system. The Department coordinates the response to natural disasters, catastrophes or other events – events of type C – whose intensity and extent need to be faced with extraordinary powers and means. Moreover, also in agreement with regional governments and local authorities, it works in the drafting of legislation on the prevention of risks, and the regulatory measures required to cope with disasters and minimize damage to people and property.

It promotes drills and exercises, national and international training projects, and other activities that contribute to spreading a culture of civil protection.