Overview
Protection and rescue in the Republic of North Macedonia is organised as a single system for tracking, preventing, and mitigating consequences caused by natural disasters or other emergencies. The system is regulated by the Protection and Rescue Law. The Law indicates how responsibilities are divided between the participants in protection and rescue activities, including the state, local authorities, private companies, public enterprises, facilities, and services.
Based on the Protection and Rescue Act, rescue organisations have to participate in protection and rescue activities in case of disasters and major accidents.
The Law on Crisis Management regulates all risks management approach from local to national level in crisis management. The crisis management system in the Republic of North Macedonia has been established due to needs for continuous monitoring and assessment of the security risks and dangers.
Prevention
Risk assessment
The risk assessment of the security of the Republic of Macedonia for all risks and hazards is a document of public interest and is drafted based on the Law on Crisis Management. It is regulated by the Regulation on the Methodology for drafting the threat assessment of the security of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Risk management planning
The Crisis Management Center assessment identifies the presence and expected dangers to which the territory of the Republic of Macedonia is exposed, their description, analysis, assessment of the likelihood of their occurrence, in time and space, expected intensity/impact strength and possible consequences. It has made a concrete link of the causative circle between the danger (as a probability of negative consequences) and the damages (as the final consequence of the negative impact of the danger) expressed in regard to the population, the environment, specific objects, infrastructure or other valuables on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia.
Risk communication and awareness raising
The Crisis Management Center is the central office for communication and its media centre informs the public and the mass media. The joint media centre is responsible for the preparation and transfer of information to the public and responsible ministries, preparing press conferences, and communicating with international media.
Preparedness
Training and exercises
Protection and Rescue Directorate carries out trainings of the response units, institutions and private companies.
International trainings are carried out under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, bilateral cooperation with the countries in the region and through cooperation with the international actors in the country (NATO, US, International Trust Fund.
Early warning systems
Within the Crisis Management Centre, the State Operations Centre functions at the national level 24 hours a day, 7 days in the week.
The early warning and alert system is also part of the State Operations Centre.
Emergency Response
After a crisis is declared in the country, the Crisis Management Center takes over the international communication and coordination with international institutions. It coordinates the requests, reception, and distributing of international assistance.
Regarding disaster response resources, the Crisis Management Center developed a national platform with a database of national resources for cross-border operations. Related institutions declare their own capacities for international disaster response operations.
Cross-border, European and international cooperation
The Republic of North Macedonia takes part in various national, regional, and international exercises. These include: the open fire rescue exercise BALKAN 18 in Ptolemaida, Greece; mitigation of the aviation accident consequences in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria; regional exercise of evacuation the private medical hospital “Adzibadem Sistina” in Skopje; participation in field exercises within the EUCPM in Spain, Sweden, and Italy; NATO field exercise SERBIA 18 in Mladenovac, Serbia; CMEP simulation exercise VODNO 18, supported by USA; national field exercise AUTMN STORME.
Facts & figures
Protection and Rescue Directorate
Address: st. Vasko Karangelski no. 8
Tel: 02 2 433 384
Fax: 02 2 433 300
e-mail: dzs
dzs [dot] gov [dot] mk (dzs[at]dzs[dot]gov[dot]mk)
Related pages
Last updated: 14/10/2019