Petrinja hosts international ARIANNA firefighting exercise

The Public Firefighting Department of Petrinja conducted an international demonstration exercise as part of the ARIANNA project. Held on the Volunteer Bridge over the Petrinjčica river, the drill focused on improving operational capacities for flood response and water rescue.

The project involves partners from Italy, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia, operating under the Interreg IPA ADRION program. The initiative aims to develop natural solutions for flood risk reduction and strengthen community resilience to natural disasters. Through the project, which received 165,000 euros in funding (85 percent of which came from EU grants), the Petrinja firefighting unit acquired a field vehicle, a boat, and personal protective equipment, alongside specialized training for rapid water and flood rescue.

The demonstration included a scenario involving the rescue of a person from a vehicle that had entered the Petrinjčica riverbed, utilizing specialized vehicle cutting techniques, rope rescue, and boat operations. Participants included representatives from the Croatian Firefighting Association, Sisak-Moslavina County, and the Emergency Medical Institute, as well as firefighters from Montenegro.