Ostrava to Provide Fire Engines to Help Not Only Within the Region

This also includes fire protection, which is ensured in part through units of volunteer firefighters.

There are currently 22 such units operating in Ostrava, which work daily in cooperation with professional units of the Fire Rescue Service of the Moravian-Silesian Region. Six professional Fire Rescue Service units operate within the territory of Ostrava. The City of Ostrava has long been involved in ensuring the necessary equipment for these units, while also contributing to their operation and to the renovation or construction of fire stations within the city.

“Ensuring safety in the city is essential for us. In recent years, we have therefore carried out one of the largest renewals of fire tanker vehicles. In 2024 in particular, we submitted an application for the acquisition of seven of these special vehicles, which the city will finance with an amount of CZK 41 million. Last year, we also applied for an additional five tankers, investing CZK 22.5 million, so that our units are equipped with the necessary special technology and can respond adequately to emergency situations in which they intervene. Their assistance was indispensable during the devastating floods in the autumn of 2024, but volunteer firefighters also helped to ensure essential needs during the pandemic, as well as during various long-lasting operations caused by natural influences. When necessary, Ostrava’s units are also deployed throughout the entire region, or they intervene in other parts of the country to provide help in emergencies. Analogously, assistance from non-Ostrava units can be expected for the City of Ostrava as well, if needed. We therefore offered older, but still functional, special firefighting equipment for use by municipalities, especially in the Moravian-Silesian Region, as well as by interested parties in other regions, so that it can be used where it is needed,” says Jan Dohnal, Mayor of Ostrava.

Following the renewal of special firefighting equipment, a total of 19 trucks were decommissioned, which needed to be stored, bringing associated costs. However, this special equipment can still help in addressing the consequences of natural disasters. Volunteer fire brigade units are also classified as an operational component of civil protection and can respond more effectively, for example, during evacuations, water pumping, tree removal, and similar activities.

“We contacted 88 cities and municipalities in the Czech Republic, six cities in Slovakia, as well as our partner cities Košice, Miskolc, Katowice, Dresden, Split, Pierus, and Gaziantep. The last-mentioned partner city in Turkey expressed interest in three special vehicles, and the transfer of this equipment is currently being prepared. The first of the 19 vehicles were, by decision of the city council, entrusted to the municipal districts. Specifically, this involved a special fire vehicle CAS K24 DENNIS SABRE. Volunteer firefighters in Slezská Ostrava were entrusted with a special motor vehicle – a container carrier, Mercedes-Benz Atego. Two further special Mercedes-Benz vehicles manufactured in 2013 were sold to the City of Olomouc for a total of CZK 200,000. A Mercedes-Benz CAS 20 Econic vehicle manufactured in 2010 was donated to the municipality of Chuchelná. A special Mercedes-Benz Econic vehicle manufactured in 2013 is heading to Palkovice,” adds Deputy Mayor Jiří Vávra.

Currently, a free transfer within the region is being prepared of Mercedes-Benz Econic fire engines (year of manufacture 2013) to the volunteer fire brigade unit in Stará Ves nad Ondřejnicí, and a Tatra 815 vehicle to the municipality of Klimkovice. The free transfer of special firefighting vehicles to the municipalities of Klimkovice, Stará Ves nad Ondřejnicí, Palkovice, and Chuchelná was approved by Ostrava city councillors at their December meeting. Older but functional equipment will continue to be used by volunteer fire brigade units in managing the consequences of natural disasters, such as evacuations, water pumping, tree removal, and similar tasks.

“Ostrava will support the activities of professional firefighters this year with an amount of CZK 16.8 million, which is a similar amount to previous years, and it should be added that this is not a final sum. We also participate in the acquisition of additional new equipment or in the reconstruction of fire stations. For example, the reconstruction of the fire station in Ostrava-Heřmanice has recently been completed, which Ostrava supported financially with an amount exceeding CZK 25 million. As for the operation of Ostrava’s volunteer fire brigade units, we will finance this this year with an amount exceeding CZK 4.2 million, and we will contribute CZK 3.2 million to the municipal districts that establish these units,” concludes Jan Dohnal, Mayor of Ostrava.