Zavarovalnica Triglav supports preventive projects nationwide as part of its ‘For a Better Tomorrow’ New Year preventive campaign. The insurer’s Ljubljana Regional Office has given some of the funds it would otherwise have spent on New Year’s business gifts to voluntary fire brigades to enable them to purchase the fire-fighting equipment they most urgently need for their operations. The voluntary fire brigades benefiting from these donations are those of Iška Vas, Sp. Pirniče-Vikrče-Zavrh, Prežganje, Polje pri Vodicah and Zgornja Šiška.
For the third year running, Zavarovalnica Triglav has redirected a portion of the funds it used to earmark for New Year’s business gifts to supporting various preventive projects. Among the more than 20 projects supported this year were the purchase of emergency fire-fighting equipment for fire-fighters in Central Slovenia. ‘Triglav’s mission is to create a safer future. Many of the fire-fighting organisations we have supported in the past are already carrying out their emergency operations more effectively with the new equipment. We are committed to continuing to ensure that as many fire-fighters as possible are able to carry out their humanitarian mission safely and effectively – which is why we have supported the purchase of urgently required equipment for operational fire-fighters this year as well,’ explained Aleš Klement, director of the Ljubljana Regional Office of Zavarovalnica Triglav.
Vetter lifting bags and a defibrillator for Iška Vas voluntary fire brigade
In 2014 Iška Vas, Iška and Gornji Ig, the area covered by Iška Vas voluntary fire brigade, was hit by two extreme weather events: glaze ice in February and floods in November. The events caused damage to quite a large amount of equipment, which then had to be replaced or upgraded. The fire brigade therefore need Vetter lifting bags for lifting heavy loads in technical rescue operations (raising a heating oil tank, rescuing people from beneath fallen trees, etc.) and a defibrillator to be installed in the fire brigade building. Zavarovalnica Triglav will help them purchase this equipment. ‘Iški Vintgar sees a lot of tourists, particularly in the summer months. Throughout the year visitors come to hike, climbing the Krim peak from their starting-point in Iška village, ride mountain bikes and climb the natural wall situated there. The equipment purchased will therefore provide not only residents of the area but also visitors with faster and higher-quality assistance and care, should they require it,’ explained Mojca Kučič, head of Iška Vas voluntary fire brigade.
Fire-fighting trailer for Polje pri Vodicah voluntary fire brigade
The area serviced by Polje pri Vodicah voluntary fire brigade (Polje pri Vodicah, Skaručna, Vojsko and Povodje) is agricultural and largely forested. The fire brigade needs a new fire-fighting trailer (PMB) for transporting motorised sprinklers to tackle fires in residential and commercial buildings, floods and forest fires. They will now be able to purchase one with the help of Slovenia’s largest insurer. ‘Expertise and high-quality protective equipment are the two preconditions for successful emergency operations,’ explained Peter Aljaž, head of Polje pri Vodicah voluntary fire brigade. He added: ‘For this reason we are earmarking the majority of the funds to equipment and training for fire-fighters who take part in emergency operations. Thank you, Zavarovalnica Triglav, for supporting us in this.’
Protective fire-fighters’ clothing for Prežganje voluntary fire brigade
Prežganje voluntary fire brigade is one of 35 fire brigades within the Ljubljana Fire-Fighting Association. It operates across 55 sq. km in the most easterly part of the City of Ljubljana. This area is home to 14 settlements with a predominantly rural population. The brigade’s fire-fighters urgently need new protective clothing, as the old clothing has passed its legally prescribed use-by date. They will now be able to replace the clothing with Triglav’s help. ‘Because of the distance from between it and Ljubljana Fire Brigade, Prežganje voluntary fire brigade has a special position within Ljubljana Fire-Fighting Association. We cannot count on the assistance of anyone else for the first half an hour of any emergency event. This makes the new protective clothing, which will make it easier for us to provide assistance to residents in difficulty, even more important,’ explained Zvonko Radenčič, head of Prežganje voluntary fire brigade, on the occasion of the symbolic handover of the funds.
Equipment for Zgornja Šiška voluntary fire brigade
This year Zgornja Šiška voluntary fire brigade is celebrating 111 years of operation. Last year, in order to continue to serve the Šiška and Koseze communities effectively, as well as the wider community of Ljubljana, the brigade extended its premises by around a third. The original building, constructed in 1928, had become too small to house all the new technologies and equipment. The large investment in the building meant that the fire brigade was left with too few resources with which to purchase some vital pieces of equipment, including a three-part extension ladder – which is where Triglav stepped in. ‘Some fire-fighting equipment reaches the end of its useful life fairly quickly with repeated use in emergency operations. Faultless, high-quality equipment is vital if fire-fighters are to carry out their work effectively and reliably. Only with such equipment can we continue to carry out our vital humanitarian tasks: to save the lives and property of our residents and of others who need our help,’ said Anton Luzar, head of Zgornja Šiška voluntary fire brigade.
Protective equipment for Sp. Pirniče-Vikrče-Zavrh voluntary fire brigade
Sp. Pirniče-Vikrče-Zavrh voluntary fire brigade, which operates in the villages of Sp. Pirniče, Vikrče and Zavrh, home to around 1,500 people, as well as the Municipality of Medvode (population 16,000) when required, will now be able to purchase the necessary personal and protective and rescue fire-fighting equipment with the help of Zavarovalnica Triglav: boots, gloves, clothing for emergency operations, helmets, protective hoods, two breathing apparatuses, rescue belts, lights, lifting ropes and cables, and saws. ‘The area in which we operate contains a number of businesses that present a high fire risk. The new equipment will further improve our ability to operate in extreme conditions and reduce the risk of injuries to fire-fighters. Thank you very much,’ said Boštjan Kobe, head of Sp. Pirniče-Vikrče-Zavrh voluntary fire brigade.
Third year of the ‘For a Better Tomorrow’ campaign
The ‘For a Better Tomorrow’ New Year preventive campaign is already in its third year. In the last two years, Zavarovalnica Triglav has supported more than 50 preventive projects nationwide through this campaign, with another 20 receiving support this year alone.
Last year Ljubljana Regional Office also redirected a portion of the funds that would otherwise have been spent on New Year’s business gifts towards helping fire brigades in Jezero, Podpeč, Sora, Gozd, Borovnica and Rova to purchase various items of fire-fighting equipment. The year before that they helped Litija Fire-Fighting Association to purchase an automatic defibrillator and the Račna, Nemška Vas-Ribnica, Laze-Jakovica and Škocjan voluntary fire brigades to purchase vital fire-fighting equipment.
