On Friday, the Croatian parliament declared 30 August a Day of Remembrance for the fallen Croatian firefighters. This is to commemorate 30 August 2007, when 12 firefighters lost their lives while fighting a fire on the island of Veliki Kornat.

The purpose of declaring this Day of Remembrance is to honour all firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty in Croatia and other countries where they were involved in firefighting, rescue operations or other organised relief efforts, and to raise awareness of the dangers associated with their profession.

The modern Croatian fire service builds on a 160-year tradition that began with the establishment of the first professional fire brigade in Rijeka in 1863 and the first Croatian volunteer fire brigade in Varazdin in 1864.

Croatian firefighters also played an important role in the Homeland War

For 160 years, firefighters have been working to ensure the safety of citizens and property. Both volunteer and professional firefighters show courage and willingness to sacrifice their lives to save people and property from fires, floods, earthquakes, pandemics and other threats.

Sadly, many firefighters have lost their lives or been injured while performing their humanitarian duty, highlighting the challenges of the firefighting profession.

Croatian firefighters also played an important role in the Homeland War, serving as the third pillar of Croatian defence alongside the Croatian army and police. During the war, 279 firefighters lost their lives, and two more died after the war from injuries sustained during operations.

Even after the war, there were repeated tragedies involving firefighters, with the Kornat tragedy standing out in particular. On 30 August 2007, 12 firefighters died while fighting a fire on the island of Veliki Kornat, one of the greatest losses in Croatian firefighting history.