PRESS RELEASE
Brno, 5 May 2016
Skills of volunteer firefighters to be awarded this year for
sixth time with record 1.75 million crowns
Applying began today for the sixth annual competition Voluntary Firemen of the
Year 2016. Every year, volunteer fire departments and corps are rewarded in this
way and awarded for their meritorious work, their professionally implemented
response or work in the area of prevention, as well as work with young people. The
finalists will also receive financial and material prizes to support their firefighting
alongside the award. Voting ends on 15 July. The public will be voting once again.
The sixth year starts a new phase and brings several pleasing and positive new additions. Thanks
to the support of the competition’s partners, the total sum of financial gifts has increased by a full
half a million crowns. In total, this means finalists in first to third place stand to receive
CZK 1 750 000. They will also receive other prizes worth at least CZK 600 000. Third parties
will now be able to nominate or enter the departments and corps as well. For departments, this
means representatives of their parent body and for corps, representatives of their regional
organisations. “The aim of this change is to help those who deserve it for the work they do but
don’t consider it to be special at all,” said Brig. Gen. Miloš Svoboda, chairman of the expert jury for
the competition and Deputy DG of the Czech Fire Rescue Service.
The aim of the competition continues to be to pay tribute to and present the work of volunteer
firefighters to the public, who often only become aware of their presence and invaluable
contribution once they themselves or people they know need them. “We continue to see the
fulfilment of our social responsibility in our cooperation with firefighters and their support, as well as
the logical fulfilment of our tasks when ensuring the safe and reliable supply of natural gas,” said
Pavel Káčer, CEO of RWE Distribution Services, representative of the competition’s general
partner and a member of the expert jury.
The competition has two categories. The first is aimed at departments of corps of volunteer
firefighters and the second at corps of volunteer firefighters or firefighters. The Czech Republic is
split into five comparable areas. This means that in total, 15 departments of corps of volunteer
firefighters and 15 volunteer firefighters or firefighters will be awarded at the end of the year. The
period under consideration for their response or work is 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.
Volunteer Firefighters of the Year Survey / Svatý Florián – Dobrovolní hasiči roku, z.s. / Zubatého 1, 614 00 BRNO
www.adhr.cz
“Partnership in the competition is linked to our long-term collaboration with fire departments, which
are an indispensable partner to us in ensuring the safe transmission of natural gas. Awarding the
best responses and creativity when carrying out work in the area of prevention as well as work with
the youth is a worthy tribute to their selfless commitment,” said Radek Benčík, COO of NET4GAS,
representative of the main partner and a member of the expert jury.
Partners, sponsorship and promotion
A fundamental element of the competition is its partners, without whom the awards the competition
brings would be hard to implement to such an extent and on such a professional level. Thanks to
them, in 2016 it will be possible to provide a special financial donation to get new firefighting
equipment with a total value of CZK 1 750 000, thirty professional Hytera radio units, GINA
response systems and now also portable response technology by STIHL. The main prize is still a
full-size glass firefighter’s helmet.
The general partner of the competition has always been RWE Distribuční služby, s.r.o. The main
partners NET4GAS, s.r.o., Lesy České republiky, s.p., Nadace ČEZ, Česká pošta, s.p., FORD
Motor Company, s.r.o., DCom, spol. s r.o., and Andreas STIHL, spol. s r.o. are in the same
position. The partner category is represented by the companies GINA Software s.r.o., Brnocar, a.s.
and the Health Insurance Company of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic. The media
partners are Deník, Rádio Impuls, Hasičské noviny, Časopis 112, the Požáry.cz server and Fire
TV, which help promote this event.
Patronage of the project is conferred by the Minister of the Interior, Minister of Finance and the
Minister of Agriculture. The competition also takes place with the support of Brig. Gen. Drahoslav
Ryba, Director General of the Czech Fire Rescue Service, Deputy DG of the Czech Fire Rescue
Service Brig. Gen. Miloš Svoboda, who is also the chairman of the competition’s expert jury, and
Deputy DG of the Czech Fire Rescue Service Col. Mgr. Bc. Slavomír Bell, MSc. The Association of
Regions of the Czech Republic and the Region of South Moravia have also expressed support for
the competition.
Entering and voting quickly and easily on the competition website
All administration is handled electronically using an objectively defined and structured application.
The next stage of the competition, the aforementioned vote, is done in a similar way. Up until the
actual announcement of the results and presentation of awards, everything is done via the website
www.adhr.cz, which also publishes the rules of the competition and up-to-date information.
Roadshow around the regions of the Czech Republic
All the regions will be visited by a competition presentation roadshow between May and August.
Twice as many locations will be visited in comparison with previous years. Based on an agreement
on mutual cooperation, three associations of volunteer firefighters will take part during the
competition: the Association of Firefighters of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, Moravian Firefighters
Association and the Bohemian Firefighters Association. Interested parties can send tips and
suggestions for events they recommend visiting to [email protected].
Jiří Bezděk
President of the Association
M: 606 644 732
E: [email protected]
W: www.adhr.cz
Volunteer Firefighters of the Year competition / Svatý Florián – Dobrovolní hasiči roku, z.s. / Zubatého 1, 614 00 BRNO
www.adhr.cz