President: Firefighters Should Feel Not Only Moral But Also Material Support

Bratislava, October 12 (TASR) – President Zuzana Caputova on Wednesday received members of the Firefighter and Rescue Corps (HaZZ) and Voluntary Fire Protection on the occasion of HaZZ’s 20th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of volunteer firefighting, expressing her wish that they should feel not only moral but also material support from society.

The head of state expressed her gratitude and respect for their work, pointing out that they subordinate their personal lives to the needs and lives of others. In addition, by helping beyond the borders of Slovakia, they give their country a good name.

“You take risks even in cases in which people have caused their difficulties themselves, when their vigilance, caution or responsibility has failed. You intervene despite the fact that you often become the target of negative emotions and expressions, and not only in tense situations,” stressed the president, adding that the activities of volunteer fire brigades in villages and towns are inextricably linked with the life of the local community. “They provide young people in particular with the opportunity to strengthen their physical condition, but also their morals and character traits. This is valued just as much as help in times of need,” she pointed out.

HaZZ president Pavol Mikulasek noted that in the 20 years of its existence, HaZZ has become a respected and recognised rescue unit both at home and abroad. According to him, the past two years have been difficult for the corps due to the pandemic and the influx of refugees from Ukraine. He called on his colleagues to continue to perform their work in a way that will make people in Slovakia proud of them, so that their help will be professional, come at the right moment and to the extent required. He added that these days there are almost no callouts at which volunteer and professional firefighters don’t meet.