told how to live today (interview)

Firefighters’ innovations, challenges at work, Kaunas Day and Prevention « Kauno diena » talk to Kaunas PGV chief, internal service Colonel Vidas Barauskas.

– How did you mark this anniversary of the activity?

– There are quite a few 210 years, because, for example, Bialystok firefighters celebrate only 150 years. In addition, we have been in the same building for 100 years that have not been repaired.

– The building is truly exclusive, recently renovated facade.

– Many rooms have been repaired inside the last five years. Firefighters work around the clock, so they need both catering and recreation facilities. They were repaired. With the help of Kaunas City Municipality, we restored the facade. Since it is a hereditary building, we could not do anything. Experts chose the color of the paint, what lighting should be and so on. Even the gate remained as the building was built.

The door must opens manually according to heritage requirements, but firefighters are accustomed to it, they are easy for them. It happens that this building is even faster than the fire trucks where the door opens automatically.

– Recently, not only the Firefighter House, but also other fire trucks have been renovated.

-The 3rd team fire station on Elektrenai Street is newly rebuilt-we have a new, neat building that meets all the requirements. The 5th team fire facade has also been updated. We will repair the roof and interior of the main firefighters.

In the Kaunas region, we opened the Kalvarija Fire Department not long ago, which we had capitalized at the US Embassy. They funded everything, and we just stated what we needed. Other renovated fire stations – in Kaišiadorys, Raseiniai.

Exercise: Firefighters are constantly improving skills in various objects, imitating emergencies. / Photo by Justina Lasauskaitė

– There are still a lack of firefighters. What is the situation in Kaunas?

– We do not have such large uncomplicated teams as in other cities. We now have 375 posts in Kaunas, 29 firefighters are still missing. Generational changes are happening because part of retirement is retired, but the situation in our city is certainly better than in Šiauliai or Vilnius. Firefighters come to Kaunas to work as a result of the common city infrastructure.

– What about equipment? Is it enough attention to renovation?

– The situation really improved. Of course, new technologies are emerging and want to have the best equipment, so we try to keep up. Firefighter must always be safe to perform their duty.

– What is the situation in Kaunas?

– Kaunas firefighters – very experienced. We managed to manage the fires that arose.

Kaunas firefighters – very experienced. We managed to manage the fires that arose.

Here last week, about 100 cubic meters were burning at Kaunas Cogeneration Power Plant. m of garbage. 6 p.m. 3 PINs were approved (forces output number – ed. Post), meaning more forces and techniques are sent. Later, 4 PINs also needed, as more people needed to transfer that burning waste. However, the factory is modern and modern, so it has a stationary fire extinguishing system. In addition, both the fire staff and the firefighters responded quickly, conducted intelligence, created two fire extinguishing bars inside and outdoors, so the fire did not spread.

In the event of this fire, it was important that only after receiving the notice were Kaunas district civil protection specialists and the residents were immediately sent warning reports of possible air pollution. As far as I know, most residents received that message on time.

When the fire is liquidated, the waste is further expanded. The last firefighters left the object on the afternoon of May 10. The power plant was inspected this year and no flaws were identified.

Another bigger fires were broke out last year at Žalvaris. It was as dangerous as a fire as in Alytus, but everything was managed in time. Otherwise, the consequences would have been very sad.

When that fire arose, we caused all Lithuania on our feet. All Kaunas firefighters extinguished that fire, and the region’s firefighters stayed in the city’s fire departments at the time, and they were on duty and guarded the people of the city. Firefighters of Prienai, Kaišiadorys and other cities came to Kaunas.

This year, there were no very big fires, but three people were killed in fires in Kaunas. The portrait of the dead has not changed for many years. It is about 60-65 years of age, a socially irresponsible person consuming alcohol, smoking in bed. Both the full moon and the days of payment of social benefits are influenced.

More than 250 fires have already occurred this year in Kaunas. The main causes are careless behavior. There is a growing number of trash fires when scraps are thrown.

It is worth noting that this year there were only a few fires caused by naughty children with fire and six last year. This is an improving indicator. Almost every day, children visit this palace and other fire stations, sightseeing tours and preventive training. Every Saturday, fire -welcome families with children – you can get acquainted with firefighters’ work, equipment, various security measures, how to deal with fire and so on.

– Firefighters are not just about fires. You also save people when you break ice, looking for people underwater.

– We have 35 divers. They go to various incidents. Recently, I had to rescue people when the kayak turned around the Nemunas. There was a sailing, but the organizers apparently did not fully discuss security issues, as there are places where the current is higher and inexperienced by the riflemen can get there. We sailed those people, our team drove to the default finish and wondered if all kayakers had really returned because the organizers had disappeared somewhere, and we had not informed us that such an event would take place at all.

Fishermen are specific people. No matter what the weather, they still climb on the ice. We are constantly explaining to them what security measures need to have, when it is safe to climb on the ice. Now, at least the spikes most fishermen have. It is gratifying that when we were preparing the last raids, very few fishermen had alcohol with us. Here is a good trend.

Measures: Kaunas firefighters save people with updated equipment. / Photo by Regimantas Zakšensk

– What is the situation due to false calls?

– Sometimes, but not much to have a big headache for us. There are times when we have punished people for false messages.

– Did Kaunas residents learn to celebrate the holidays, or is this period still intense?

– Fireworks, of course, make their own. This year, there were no extinguished pyrotechnics, which may not have been at all high quality, but no bigger fires were raised. During the holidays, there are certainly more calls, increasing fires in open areas.

– Smoke detectors have been mandatory for several years. Have Kaunas residents installed them?

– We tell a lot about the benefits of detectors. There are times when they saved children. There were two children in the Šakiai district, the brother heard a trigger detector and brought the sister outside. In Vilkaviškis, when the detector was triggered, the children were rescued by a neighbor.

There are also bad examples. Occasionally we are installing a smoke sensor, but the person continues to smoke in bed and the detector continues to work. It is then removable or removable elements and the detector no longer performs its function.

We visit socially vulnerable people, we share the detector. This year alone we visited more than 550 residential dwellings and 45 percent. We installed them detectors. We also hold meetings with communities, city representatives, social workers and educational institutions. In addition, we are organizing various preventive campaigns, which also explain the operation of the detectors.

– Occasionally, apartment buildings are ignored by fire safety not only without the detector, but also by placing the aisles and cellars. How do you evaluate the situation in apartment buildings?

– In most cases, the situation is improving. We organize preventive actions, work with communities, administrators, residents. In addition, people themselves are increasingly announcing where the situation is, if something does not deal with. We check that the chairmen of the communities take measures.

– Fire extinguishing is a direct job, but it needs to be prepared. What are the firefighters’ exercise? In today’s context, perhaps more frequent training with other special services?

– The exercise plan is definitely made. At least four large exercises take place each year. We go to various objects where we learn, explain how production is carried out, what a danger, if the chemicals spill out, fire and so on. Such exercises occur not only in larger objects but also in factories.

We are now trying to organize civil protection exercises along with various institutions: police, ambulance, shooters, Red Cross, etc., so the work is really going on.

Our officials have also been in Ukraine, learned from there situations and we try to apply experience. Of course, every call is different. There are no equal fires.

– What else is new to firefighters?

– We now have two very important projects. We will be the first in the country to build a new fire station with a cover. It will be an exemplary object in Jurbarkas, which we hope will give a beginning for the construction of other fire trucks, while installing a cover. This fire station is to allocate $ 3.5 million. EU support. The Commandant of the Bialystok Voivodeship in Poland will also contribute to funding. The project expert is now underway, and this month the project will be presented to members of the EU commission.

Another project is implemented with Bialystok Voivodeship, vehicles, chemical protection trailer will be purchased. This project is expected to allocate $ 1 million. euros. These projects allow you to renew without public funds because we get funding from other sources. We also want to renew in the future, using EU support.