Voluntary Firemen of the Year Announced
During a ceremony held on Wednesday 16 November 2016, volunteer firefighters from all parts of the Czech Republic received awards for the best interventions and emergency response achievements in the preceding year. Held in the Laser Show Hall in Brno, the event saw 15 firefighting units and 15 volunteer firefighting corps receive cheques worth in total 1.75 million crowns, 30 Hytera professional transmitters, five GINA emergency response systems, 20 Stihl chainsaws, and a host of other prizes. The finalists were handed prizes worth over CZK 2.4 million, which is an all-time high value. Moreover, the contestants who placed in the top spots took home a glass firefighting helmet – the main prize in the contest that has been made in Czech glass works.
The winner was picked by the public from 50 units and corps nominated by an expert jury. "I like supporting meaningful accomplishments that help people," said singer Ilona Csáková, the patron of the event, at the beginning of the evening. The ceremony was dedicated not only to the work of volunteer firefighters and their families, but also to the partners of the contest whose contribution to a project of this scope is indispensable. "We value highly work done by all volunteer firefighters. In our business, we meet them on a regular basis. Because of that, we are well aware of their dedicated attitude and their achievements in responding to emergencies," explained Pavel Káčer, a representative of the general partner of the contest, the company GridServices, s.r.o. Together with Ilona Csáková, he received an Honorary Medal for Cooperation and Support for Firefighters from Drahoslav Ryba, the Director-General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic.
The Volunteer Firefighters of the Year is a contest that aims to improve the prestige and public awareness of volunteer firefighters and to reward them for their response to emergencies and exceptional achievement in the area of prevention. "Our partnership with the contest is an expression of gratitude and respect for the work and dedication of firefighting corps, which are our indispensable partner in securing the safe transmission of natural gas. We congratulate the winners; our thanks and respect go to everyone," said NET4GAS Executive Officer Radek Benčík.
Prizes worth more than CZK 2.4 million were handed over by representatives of the partners to the contest, specifically GridServices, NET4GAS, Lesy České republiky, Česká pošta, ČEZ, Ford Motor Company, Andreas Stihl, DCom, ČEPS, Gina Software, ZPMV ČR, Brnocar, and Telescopic Pylons, together with representatives of professional and volunteer firefighters. A broadcast of the ceremony can be watched on 3 December 2016 on Czech Television, the main media partner to the contest. See below for detailed results. We congratulate all participants in this year's edition of the contest.
Find more on www.adhr.cz.