At committee and council meetings, deputies of the Augšdaugava regional municipality discussed the development of volunteer fire societies in the region. The discussion was attended by the head of the State Fire and Rescue Service of Latvia, General Mārtiņš Baltmanis, reports the regional council.
Changes to the fire safety law stipulate the obligation of municipalities, within their capabilities, to ensure firefighting and conduct preventive measures in so-called "risk zones" — areas where emergency services cannot arrive within the legally established timeframes. Currently, there are 36 such zones in Latvia. The State Fire and Rescue Service is ready to transfer decommissioned equipment and 47 vehicles to volunteer fire societies while simultaneously updating its own fleet.
In the Augšdaugava region, Subate and Silene have been classified as "risk zones." Volunteer fire societies are already operating in Subate and Demene. The municipality supports the State Fire and Rescue Service's strategy to strengthen fire safety with the involvement of municipal and volunteer structures; however, it notes that without additional state funding, meeting all legal requirements is challenging. The main expenses are related to providing equipment, gear, and transport, as well as attracting human resources, since volunteer activities are carried out on a voluntary basis and involve risks to life.
General Mārtiņš Baltmanis noted that in most of the 36 "risk zones," volunteer fire societies have already been established, and the presence of two such units in the Augšdaugava region is an important step towards enhancing safety levels.
The chairman of the Augšdaugava regional municipality, Vitalijs Aizbalts, stated that the volunteer fire units in Subate and Demene are ready to accept decommissioned Scania fire trucks. A tripartite agreement is planned to be concluded between the State Fire and Rescue Service, the municipality, and the volunteer societies, which will regulate issues of prevention, training, and provision of necessary equipment. At the same time, the issue of legal regulation of employers' actions in cases where an employee is dispatched to firefighting or rescue work remains open; it is expected that this will be resolved at the legislative level.
