Slovenian Professional Firefighters Association
After the Slovenian independence, Slovenian firefighters were not as united and connected as we should be. For years, there had been a need for all firefighters to come together on a professional level.
The main goal was to eliminate lack of education, improve exchange of experiences and to analyze major interventions in Slovenia.
The first meeting of the initiative committee happened on November 18, 1994 in the city of Novo Mesto, followed by two more, one in Maribor and another in the city of Koper. One of the main conclusions was that this organization will include all employed professional firefighters by their territorial units, and membership will be voluntary.
The General (founding) meeting was held on February 23, 1995 in Maribor. Later, professional firefighters from industrial units, airports and voluntary fire departments with professional core also joined the association.
At the Extraordinary General meeting on 17 January 2019, a new Statute was adopted, which made all unit members to become professional fire departments with their own members.
SPFA (or The Slovenian Professional Firefighter Association) unites 12 professional fire departments, organized as public institutions and their employees, professional firefighters in economic companies, voluntary fire departments with a professional core and organizational forms that professionally perform the fire service.
We established professional fire departments in 13 cities across Slovenia. Their main advantage is that they provide protection within minutes of a call, using tactically determined teams and vehicles.
Industrial professional firefighting units are also organized in more demanding industrial units, airports and harbors in Slovenia where they take care of fire safety and perform operational tasks. They are certainly responsible for the fact that large fires and ecological disasters do not occur in their area.
The education and training of professional firefighters takes place at the fire school in Ig Ljubljana, from beginning of March until Mid June each year.
According to restrictions imposed in connection with the ongoing Covid-19 epidemiological situation, the training has since 2020 been a combination of distance learning and practical exercises.
The precise course of the training is constantly being adjusted to the epidemiological situation, in the light of ensuring the maximum safety of all participants.
Protecting a population of just over 2 million people, professional fire departments in Slovenia carry out more than 16,000 interventions per year.
Profession – a mission that we carry out with heart and dedication enjoys the highest reputation among people.
The following commissions or committees have been established in the Association of Slovenian Professional Firefighters:
- Dangerous Substances Commission
- Road Tunnels Committee
- Railway Tunnels Committee
- Water Rescue Commission
- Divers Commission
- Commission for Firefighters in Industry
- Prevention Commission
- Career Advancement Committee
- Informatics Commission
- Psychophysical Preparedness Commission
We actively participate in the preparation of programs for the education and training of professional firefighters.
»There are jobs that make money, jobs that offer reputation and fame, and there are jobs with a mission. Being a professional firefighter is not just a job, it is a commitment that a firefighter makes with his life for the life of another. He promises to put helping others and instinctive escape from life's dangers in front of his own fear. A professional firefighter is a person who, even if you are a complete stranger to him, is willing to put his "hand in the fire" and risk his life.«
– (Miran Korošak, president of SPFA)
