Description: Natural and man-made disasters - floods, landslides, earthquakes, storm winds, hail, drought, wild fires and building fires are on the rise in the last decades in the Western Balkans. Human casualties, extensive damages to the urban areas, negative impact on the environment and further weakening of the regional economy are amongst indicators of increasing vulnerability. Preliminary surveys, done by project partners in the project preparation phase, have shown that the shortage of skills. Knowledge and skills of the existing staff in this area (state administration, public institutions and companies) is based on the education acquired from other engineering disciplines. We have noticed very different levels of knowledge and skills, with many people learning on the job in an unstructured way. These competences, knowledge and skills are insufficient to solve the growing problems in the field of Disaster Risk Management and Fire Safety Engineering (DRM&FSE). Moreover, the lack of safety culture in society in general is notable. Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism, in view of the significant increase in the numbers and severity of natural and man-made disasters in recent years and in a situation where future disasters will be more extreme and more complex with far-reaching and longer-term consequences as a result, in particular, of climate change and the potential interaction between several natural and technological hazards, emphasize an integrated approach to disaster management as increasingly important. Prevention is of key importance for protection against disasters and requires further action as called for in the European Parliament Resolution (2010) entitled a "Community approach on the prevention of natural and manmade disasters".

Contact person: Prof. dr Vlastimir Radonjanin
Period of realization: 2016 – 2019
ID: ERASMUS+ KA2