MG Drahoslav Ryba

Dear friends,

Due to the development of industrial technologies, energy industry, transportation, environmental encroachments, or extreme weather phenomena, the portfolio of activities of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has significantly expanded, now including not only firefighting, but also technical and technological interventions, traffic accident assistance, or interventions in the event of natural disasters, or other emergencies. At the turn of the millennium, other tasks, such as protection of population, civil emergency planning, coordination of the Integrated Rescue System, and crisis management, were added to interventions and activities related to the performance of state fire supervision.

The continuously increasing number of natural disasters and man-caused emergencies (migration crisis, terrorism, war conflicts, including attacks using chemical weapons) and their increasingly grave consequences demand an integrated approach reducing the impact of the undesirable phenomena listed above. This was the reason why a document titled "Strategy of the Development of the Fire Rescue Service until 2021, with an Outlook until 2030", was presented earlier this year. As a matter of fact, today's hectic times require conceptual and long-term solutions rather than simple and short-term ones. And the former are exactly what the new strategy of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic intends to bring.

Thanks to its tireless work, the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has become a respected and modern organization the principal strengths of which include a combination of versatility and narrow specializations, a feature shared by all members of our service. In my opinion, the service is now a professional organization synergically combining its traditional firefighting role with security requirements of a modern society. One of the typical characteristics of such a society's security is, inter alia, a high level of its interrelationship with, and dependence on, developments of the international/global security environment, which fact also has a direct impact on tasks of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic - including the preparedness to deal with consequences of terrorist attacks or tasks related to protection of population (civil protection and civil defence) also in military emergencies and crises.

Today's interconnected and networked society is increasingly vulnerable, and therefore facing new challenges with respect to the protection of population and its infrastructure. These are reflected in new approaches of the society not only to dealing with consequences of negative events, but mainly in their prevention and material and technical preparedness to successfully cope with them.

Speaking of the latter, I would like to emphasize the importance of the development of the equipment and materiel base of all elements of the Integrated Rescue System. Thanks to our positive experience, we are interested in continuing cooperation with our proven domestic and foreign suppliers of high-quality intervention gear, equipment, and vehicles. Another - and increasingly important - factor is close international cooperation, i.e. neighborly bilateral and multilateral support, including material and humanitarian assistance.

The Future Forces Forum event is a global platform where all concerned parties can share and exchange information and present the latest technologies, materials, and procedures in the field of security. FFF is also an international forum where defence and security experts, representatives of security corps and elements, and representatives of governments and public authorities can meet.

I am pleased to be able to tell you that the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic will again participate in the Future Forces Forum 2018 international exhibition and fair of defence and security technologies this year. The presence of the Fire Rescue Service will include not only static and dynamic demonstrations of firefighting and rescue equipment and procedures, but also active participation in conferences which are an integral part of the event.

I believe this year's Future Forces Forum will rank among important meetings of security and defence experts from the whole world and enable the most progressive experience in these fields to be exchanged and shared.

MG Drahoslav RYBA
Director General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic