Today we handed our first donation check to the volunteering fire brigade in Vodice. For that occasion, we interviewed the president of the volunteer fire department: Matija Karlo Valinčić (28).
Cro Housekeepers: “Matija, how long have you been volunteering for the fire department?”
Matija: “I’ve been at DVD Vodice since I was 16. In the beginning – before I really started working there –, I only went to some events organized by the fire department: competitions and the like. My first fire brigade deployment was during summer when I was 18 years old, together with five of my colleagues. In Croatia, you’re not allowed to partake in ‘real’ fire services until you’re 18.”
Cro Housekeepers: “How did you get the idea of volunteering for the fire department at just 16 years old?”
Matija: “Through friends. An old friend of mine – now a colleague –, who was working for the fire department back then too, told me a lot about it. I always thought it was very interesting and exciting, especially the competitions. So, I started at the fire department.”
Cro Housekeepers: “You gave an interview for Info Vodice in September, where you said that the conditions for the volunteers are extremely difficult: payment is low, and the equipment is in a terrible state. What motivates you, despite all of that, to continue doing your work?”
Matija: “What motivates me is the camaraderie and the solidarity of our group. We must put up with a lot of adversity, and I can predict issues recruiting volunteers for the fire department in the future. The pay is so bad it’s easier to find a better paying job as a waiter. Additionally, we are ill-equipped. It’s not very enticing to do such an exhausting job with broken and old equipment.”
Cro Housekeepers: “From where you’re standing: how could things be improved?”
Matija: “Well, first we need some proper equipment. For one fire fighter, that means boots, a fire suit, belt and so on—all of which adds up to about a thousand euros. Then, during the summer season, it would be great if the wages could be adjusted so that the pay is the same for us and the professional fire brigade, since we are basically doing the same job.”
(Note: The Croatian fire department is made up of the professional fire brigade and the volunteering fire brigade. In the summer season, the team is topped up with many additional volunteers who do the same amount of work but get a different salary. At the time of this interview, that is about 5200 Kuna, which is equivalent to 693€)
Cro Housekeepers: “Could you give us a quick review of the last season?”
Matija: “There were two huge fires last summer, but other than that it was a normal season. For me and my colleagues that’s always a big challenge, which may be strenuous for us, but in which we are very much at home. It’s our passion! It’s fun. You could say we’re a bit mad—like pyromaniacs.” (Matija laughs.)
Cro Housekeepers: “Is there any way one can support the fire brigade in their work? Especially in the summer, when there’s so many fires, we feel the need to support you. Is that sensible? And if so, how can it be done?”
Matija: “When we are on major deployments, the matter of food is always taken care of by restaurants and hotels in our community. They bring food and drinks directly ‘to the front’, so we’re always taken care of. During the two big fires this summer, people brought everything available to eat and drink. In fact, it was so much that we couldn’t even store it all. It’s meant to be kind but since we’re so well taken care of, it’s not necessary. When we don’t have fire operations, we take care of everything at the station: we cook and barbecue together.”
Cro Housekeepers: “We saw pictures of ‘civilians’ helping extinguish the fires in the summer. Is that sensible?”
Matija: “No, sadly it isn’t. You need to complete a training course, and everyone needs to wear the protective gear. We are responsible for your safety. It’s dangerous, which is why we strongly advise against intervening. We bear the responsibility in the operations, and we must not put civilians in danger.”
Crow Housekeepers: “How can we best support you?”
Matija: “Overall, the equipment of the fire department in Croatia is in a desolate condition. You’d have to invest in the training of the fire fighters. There are too little training exercises, especially when compared to the standard of other countries. That’s how it should be in Croatia, too. Additionally, these training exercises are usually just for the professional fire brigade and not for the volunteers—even though we make up a large part of the team. Apart from that, the cooperation between the different institutions, such as the police and rescue, need to be optimized. There are often issues when it comes to the coordination of certain processes.”
Cro Housekeepers: “So far, you’ve addressed problems that need to be solved by the super-ordinate institutions. How can the general population contribute to supporting you?”
Matija: “The most meaningful thing is still monetary donations, which we can use for all the things we need the most. What is needed most urgently is an all-terrain fire truck, such as an unimog. The truck we have right now is too old. That means we cannot get any spare parts, and the tank of our truck for the water is far too small. Those vehicles can be bought for cheap in the Netherlands or Belgium—of course it doesn’t have to be new, but it must be able to do its job. Getting such a fire truck is our greatest wish.”
Every small contribution helps! Donations are possible via PayPal under “Cro Housekeepers”, (We have set up the PayPal account exclusively for donation purposes for the fire brigade in Vodice. All amounts received will be forwarded to the recipient of the donation without delay.) or directly to the bank account of the fire brigade in Vodice Dobrovoljno Vatrogasno Društvo Vodice, Iban: HR2724070001100538675, SWIFT: OTPVHR2X (Please be sure to include the reference: „Donacija“) Of course everyone is welcome to pay a visit to the fire brigade during their next vacation in Croatia, where you can personally drop off a small donation. Please feel free to contact us if you can support the procurement of an all-terrain fire truck or other equipment for the fire brigade.
We wish all our clients and all readers a wonderful and relaxing Christmas season, and a healthy, successful start to the year 2023!
