The Role of Firefighters in Earthquakes in the Republic of Croatia

Abstract

The research paper will describe the fire department that participates in different types of interventions. Elaborating on the topic, earthquakes in general will be described. Firefighters, as an important service in the operational response to natural disasters, teach, educate and train their personnel. Therefore, firefighters understand their role in earthquakes, the risks and dangers during earthquake interventions, and stress as a source of danger for the long-term health of firefighter-rescuers. As the physical danger is very explicit, it is important to mention stress as a source of danger in rescue operations from the ruins. If we divide crisis management into phases, we conclude that there is a preventive and operational phase. When we talk about the operational phase, these are primary and secondary activities. Firefighters participate in interventions in both primary and secondary activities. Any type of investment in firefighting increases the safety of the area where the fire department operates.
Keywords: Firefighting, Earthquake, Stress, Rescue from rubble.