What to do in case of disasters or attacks and what responsibilities do municipalities, cities and entrepreneurs have.
What is civil protection?
Civil protection is a set of legal regulations and procedures that apply in the event of the so-called emergencies and situations to protect lives, property and the environment. If, for example, an earthquake occurs, a nuclear power plant accident occurs, a terrorist attack occurs, citizens have the right to protection and evacuation to safety. Municipalities and cities are responsible for this task, as well as entrepreneurs who run risky companies. What does the broad concept of civil protection include? Please read the following summary to find out if it applies to you.What laws govern civil protection?
The set of obligations under the collective term civil protection is defined by several laws. If you want to study the details, you can find them here:- Constitutional Act no. 227/2002 Coll. on the security of the state in time of war, state of war, state of emergency and state of emergency
- Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic no. 42/1994 Coll. on Civil Protection, as amended
- Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic no. 129/2002 Coll. on an integrated rescue system
- Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic no. 387/2002 Coll. on state management in crises situations beyond time
Why should you address civil protection?
Civil protection is not a concept that the persons concerned have to deal with on a daily basis. It concerns only exceptional events which occur infrequently. However, when such a situation or event occurs, civil protection shows its importance. Human lives are often at stake and their rescue, as well as the protection of property and the environment. Ignorance of civil protection procedures at the time of emergencies or situations can result in huge casualties and damage. Prevention and preparedness are therefore not only mandatory by law but also literally vital.Basic concepts you need to know
V rámci civilnej ochrany existuje hneď niekoľko pojmov, ktoré by mali dotknuté osoby dokonale ovládať. Ak ste o nich ešte nepočuli, tu si urobíte stručný prehľad.Extraordinary event
- is more serious than an “emergency”
- arises by itself
- has several subcategories, they are:
- natural disaster (torrential rains, floods, hail, snow disasters, landslides, earthquakes, windstorms, etc.)
- accidents (leakage of dangerous substances from stationary or mobile sources, eg from stadiums, freezers or refineries, during transport by train, truck or air, fires and explosions with leakage of dangerous substances, etc.)
- threat to public health II. degree (chemical, biological or physical threat to the health of a large population, eg spread of a fatal communicable disease, contamination with dangerous chemicals, radiation, etc.)
- disaster (air, rail, ship and road accidents associated with fires and leaks of hazardous substances, accidents at nuclear installations, breaches of water reservoirs and works, etc.)
- terrorist attack (use of threat or violence to achieve political, social or religious goals, endanger the lives of citizens and property, may also have an international dimension)
Exceptional situation
- is less serious than an “extraordinary event”, usually follows it and is already managed
- declared (by a signal popularly known as “sirens”)
- has several subcategories, they are:
- a lasting period of threat
- period of action of the consequences of the emergency (on life, health or property)
- the period during which measures to save life, health or property are taken
- the period during which risk mitigation measures are implemented
- the period during which the activities necessary to prevent the spread and effects of emergencies are carried out
Who is responsible for carrying out civil protection?
Civil protection has its law enforcement officers, who cannot evade their duties. This is the so-called civil protection forces, as well as their commanders. We consider civil protection units to be the Ministry of the Interior, self-governing regions, district authorities, municipalities and cities, but this also includes legal entities and natural persons – entrepreneurs (self-employed, liberal professions). In the event of an emergency or situation, the mayor, mayor or mayor is responsible for organizing the rescue work. You find yourself in this category and the term civil protection doesn’t tell you anything? Please note that the law stipulates the possibility of imposing a fine of up to EUR 500 to € 33,000 in the event of non-compliance. If you want to avoid fines, but first of all know how to protect the inhabitants of your town or village, or the employees of your company, contact us at +421 918 641 394 and find out how we can help you.Entrepreneurs, are you concerned with civil protection?
The law clearly defines which companies must perform civil protection tasks. If you’re not sure if you fall into this category, you might find yourself in the following examples.Rizikové podniky z hľadiska civilnej ochrany
- nuclear power plants
- waterworks and dams
- refineries
- freezers
- stadiums
- carriers (transporting dangerous substances)
- medical facilities
- breweries
- chemical plants
- and many more…
What does a civil protection unit have to provide?
In the event of an emergency or situation, a city, municipality or legal entity must ensure that a large number of tasks are performed. The same is true even before its inception. The most important include:- creation of a plan for the protection of the population and training of the persons concerned
- operation of an autonomous warning system and early warning of the population
- evacuation of residents to safe shelters (declaration, planning and provision of this task)
- provision, maintenance and operation of protective buildings, shelters and sheltered workplaces
- provision of pre-medical and medical assistance
- implementation of anti-radiation, anti-chemical and anti-biological measures
- organizing and carrying out rescue work
- provision of emergency supplies (food and drink) and emergency accommodation for evacuees
- compensation for people affected by emergencies
- and many other tasks…
What should civil protection documentation contain?
The application of civil protection in a particular area is mainly an analysis of possible risks and the subsequent development of a methodology for how to proceed in the event of emergencies or situations. We have prepared for you a brief overview of some documents that you should have prepared:- the establishment document of the crisis staff with the methodology of its functioning and the appointment of members
- methodology of activities in the event of emergencies
- analysis of the area in terms of the occurrence of possible emergencies
- Areas of danger associated with the release of hazardous substances during transport
- population warning system
- list of medical facilities and veterinary clinics
- a list of recommended stores providing sales of personal protective equipment
- preparing citizens for self-protection and mutual assistance
- schedule of planned siren tests
- and others…