The Army of the Czech Republic fulfils, together with protection and defence of the territorial integrity of the republic and international obligations of our country, also an internal function of providing safety of citizens.

Picture: Military units participate in liquidation of a site of bird flu in village Nořín | army.cz

Soldiers within the Integrated Rescue System of the Czech Republic help the rescue and medical units of the state in liquidation and limitation of consequences of industrial and ecological accidents, natural disasters such as floods or excessive quantity of snow, or in liquidation of centres of dangerous infections. The soldiers also strengthen the Police of the Czech Republic in significant events in our republic, for example, during Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2009, or in case of safety threaten of whatever nature.

The Czech Armed Forces is being prepared for its possible future tasks in solving non-military crisis situations within international exercises within the North Atlantic Alliance (CMX) and the European Union (CME), and in transnational cooperative exercises together with units of the Czech Integrated Rescue System.

Picture: W-3A Sokol military multi-purpose helicopter from the 24th Transport Aviation Base in Prague-Kbely | army.cz

The Czech Army is prepared to provide well-timed and effective assistance to Czech citizens or alliance allies in the heaviest situations. This is one of the reasons to carry out regular collective exercises.

Our soldiery in the past, for example, removed consequences of destructive floods on many places in Bohemia and Moravia in 2009 or in Liberec and Ústí nad Labem Regions in 2010. Also, starting from 1st June 2013, abundant rainfall - especially in West and South Bohemia - water levels of the Czech rivers were rising. Soldiers of the Czech Army also participated - together with units of the Czech Integrated Rescue System - in civilian health and property protection from 2nd June 2013 based of instructions of the Government of the Czech Republic.

Pictue: Deployment of the army within a flood in 2009 | army.cz

Soldiers and army equipment also participate in firefighting. The W-3A Sokol military multi-purpose helicopter from 24th Transport Aviation Base in Prague-Kbely has already realized several successful fire-fighting operations.

In 2017, the Common Operative Centre of the Ministry of Defence received an application (through OPIS of the General Directorate of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic) to activate a veterinary operative group from the Military Veterinary Institute in Hlučín within liquidation of sites of bird flu in Moravia.

Despite of an intensive work schedule, some of our soldiers find time to help members of the Police of the Czech Republic during searching for missing persons.

Picture: Soldiers are very helpful when searching, for example, thanks to their topographic knowledge | army.cz

In Vlachovice – Vrbětice in Zlín Region, where two ammunition storehouses exploded in 2014, an areal deep pyrotechnic reconnaissance and aboveground gathering of ammunition and its elements had been carried out till the last year under command of police pyrotechnic experts. Eight soldiers of the 153rd Engineer Battalion from Olomouc participate in the works together with policemen, firemen and medical officers.

Our army also participates in the POKOS project. Training of citizens for the defence of the state (Czech abbr.: POKOS) is integral part of planning of the defence of the state. The legal obligation of the citizens to defend their homeland didn’t ceased even after professionalization of the Czech Army. Systematic and differentiated training of citizens for the defence of the state is one of assumptions for the creation of necessary abilities for ensuring the defence of individuals and the whole society. Therefore the army organizes different events for schools and teachers, for children and young people as well as for the general public. 

Picture: Training of citizens for the defence of the state is focused especially for medical training, training for the civil defence, training in self-defence and mutual assistance in military and non-military crisis situations. | army.cz

Training of citizens for the defence of the state is focused especially for medical training, training for the civil defence, training in self-defence and mutual assistance in military and non-military crisis situations. Within the educational and training activities, pupils and students should obtain basic information on the present-day safety security environment, on benefits and obligations coming from membership of the Czech Republic in international and political-military organizations, on principles of the defence of the state and on the task of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic in ensuring the defence of the state and in solving non-military crises. Besides of that, they will acquaint themselves with obligations resulting for them as citizens of the Czech Republic in relation to the defence of the state from laws.

A very creditable activity of some of our soldiers is regular blood donation. Collective blood takings are no singularities in Czech hospitals and become more and more popular among soldier donors.

Picture: Czech soldiers donate blood, which can save life | army.cz