Humanitarian assistance
Humanitarian assistance is governed by Act No. 151/2010 Coll. on international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance abroad. Humanitarian assistance abroad is a summary of activities financed from the state budget, aiming to prevent loss of life and injury, alleviate suffering, restore basic living conditions after the occurrence of incidents, mitigate long lasting consequences of emergencies, and prevent their occurrence and negative effects.
Humanitarian aid includes both ad hoc response to natural or man-made disasters, and aid in long-term (complex) humanitarian crises and disaster prevention. State humanitarian aid to foreign countries is financed from funds allocated in the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From this budget can be financed in particular the following forms of humanitarian assistance abroad:
- providing the necessary material assistance in the form of a donation to the affected area after the incident,
- financial donations abroad,
- financial contributions for public institutions and non-government non-profit organizations abroad,
- contributions to international organizations and integration groups,
- grants to non-governmental non-profit organizations in the Czech Republic to provide humanitarian assistance to foreign countries outside the European Union and European Economic Area,
- Participation in international rescue operations and sending experts with the necessary equipment in accordance with Act No. 239/2000 Coll. on Integrated Rescue system, as amended.
According to Article 9 of Act No. 151/2010 Coll., on international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance abroad, the Ministry of Interior provides humanitarian assistance to EU member states and other states of the European Economic Area and decides on its scope and form.
In 2014, the sum of 73 million CZK was allocated for humanitarian assistance to foreign countries, but the total amount of humanitarian assistance reached 83.52 million CZK in the end. The planned amount was increased by CZK 7.3 million for the Philippines, which were affected by the typhoon Haiyan at the end of 2013 and 3.22 million CZK were released on medical assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina after the floods in May 2014.
Additional funding in the amount of CZK 3,587,715 were allocated under the Government Resolution of October 1, 2014 No. 806 from the Ministry of Finance budget on material humanitarian assistance to West African countries affected by Ebola epidemics.
The financial humanitarian assistance was provided to following countries: Burma, Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Ukraine, Lebanon, India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Philippines, Iraq, Palestine, Western Africa, Jordan and Pakistan.
International rescue operations and providing material humanitarian assistance abroad
At the request of the Ministry of Interior, Department of Asylum and Migration Policy, which together with the NGO Stonožka (Centipede) organized collection of second-hand clothes, the Fire Rescue Service transported this material to the destination in February 2014. In Bulgaria, the material was handed over by a representative of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic.
Slovenia was in late January and early February 2014 affected by heavy snowfall, sleet, local flooding and local landslides. In connection with these emergencies extensive black out occurred (affected about 10% of the population).
The Czech Republic decided to provide rescue and humanitarian assistance to Slovenia and several hours after receiving a request for assistance the first team with a power generator has been sent to Slovenia. Humanitarian assistance was provided in the period from February 2 to February 22. During this period, there were two alternations of the Fire and Rescue Service personnel. Overall, 16 members of the FRS of Moravian-Silesian Region and Rescue Unit of the FRS with two power generators EC 250 kVA from the FRS of Moravian Silesian Region and one power generator EC 500 kVA from Phoenix Zeppelin, which was borrowed to Slovenia free of charge, were deployed to this emergency.
Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
During the months of May and June 2014, the Czech Republic provided a total of five rescue and material humanitarian assistances to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Both countries have been affected by floods.
In agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic provided humanitarian assistance to Serbia in the form of rescue teams with high capacity pumps and necessary equipment.
The first rescue unit left on Friday, May 16, for Belgrade, Serbia and worked there until May 29. The unit was composed of members of the Rescue Unit of the Fire Rescue Service and the liaison officer from FRS of Olomouc Region. In Serbia the team drew a flooded area using pump Sigma MČS 400. Another pumping unit was sent to Serbia on May 21. It was composed of members of the Rescue Unit of the FRS and the liaison officer from FRS of South Moravian Region and was equipped with pump Sigma MČS 1500. This unit worked in Serbia until May 30.
Bosnia and Herzegovina asked for humanitarian assistance during the night of May 15, both through the Emergency Response Coordination Center of the EU and NATO. In agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic provided humanitarian assistance in the form of a rescue team with pumps.
Fifteen members of the team from FRS of Moravian-Silesian Region went on Wednesday, May 21, to help the flood affected Bosnia and Herzegovina, and worked in the affected area until June 1. The primary task of the team was to drain water lagoon. The team was equipped with two high capacity pumping stations - Somati pump, which is designed for long-distance transport of water and pump Sigma MČS 400, which is used for high capacity water pumping.
Furthermore, Bosnia and Herzegovina was also provided with material humanitarian assistance, namely 1,120 pieces of first aid and emergency survival kit provided by Administration of State Material Reserves. Assistance was transported by team consisting of vehicles and members of the Rescue Unit of the FRS and the material was handed over on May 20.
Other material assistance, which was provided to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, was the material that Fire and Rescue Service has carried for the Czech Red Cross and the expatriate association Lastavica (Swallow). Humanitarian assistance contained clothing, food, drinking water, medical supplies, cleaning and disinfection material. Assistance to the affected areas had been sent twice. On May 24 to 27, three vehicles from National Humanitarian Base transported a total of 32 tons of material to the cities of Sarajevo and Pale (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Belgrade. For the second time on June 20 to 24, a total of 16 tons of material were transported from National Humanitarian Base to Belgrade and Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically to Banja Luka and Sarajevo.
In addition to rescue teams and supplies, also Czech expert in solving large-scale emergencies was sent to Serbia. The Director of FRS of Liberec Region, Col. Roman Hlinovský, was nominated and subsequently included in the coordination and evaluation team from the European Commission. The main task of the team of experts was to obtain detailed information about the situation in the country, conducting a survey of the affected areas, communication with local authorities, ministries and government on the needs of the country. Based on this information, the EU sent teams from different countries, material assistance and coordinated on-site activities to be most effective.
West African countries affected by Ebola epidemic
Government decided by its Resolution of October 1, 2014 No. 806 about material humanitarian assistance to countries of West Africa which were affected by Ebola epidemics.
During the month of October all agreed material aid commodities were purchased and transported to the National Humanitarian Base of Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic in Zbiroh, where the material was packed and prepared for dispatch. On October 30, organization Save the Children International accepted the aid through the World Health Organization. Prepared material was delivered to the port of Den Helder, from where it was transported by Dutch ship to West African countries. Transportation to the Netherlands was ensured by Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic.