The Zagreb city administration on Saturday marked World Civil Defence Day and Croatian Civil Protection Day at the Jarun sports and recreation centre, with Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic saying that the city's Civil Protection has around 3,000 members and that the city is ready to respond in the event of a major accident.

“We always prepare for the worst and hope there will be no major accidents,” Tomasevic said, calling on citizens to join the Civil Protection and noting that once they join, they will be provided with equipment so they can act promptly in the event of an accident.

The city is ready to respond to any major accident, new equipment is being procured and simulations, exercises, alarms and stress tests are organised to see how the civil protection system functions, the mayor said.

Deputy Mayor Luka Korlaet, who is the head of the city’s Civil Protection, said that there was a sufficient number of shelters in the capital. The city manages 26 shelters, including 16 large, and more than 150 shelters in individual institutions. Also, there are 1,100 privately owned shelters that the residents of Zagreb can use if necessary.

The city officials were speaking at an event organised in cooperation with the Civil Protection Directorate, firefighters, the emergency medical service, the Red Cross and other services, whose members demonstrated action taken in the event of an earthquake, flood and soil erosion, as well as a water rescue operation, first aid and resuscitation techniques, and tent pitching.