Elementary school students in Loznica are better prepared for navigating through emergencies
Loznica, 16 May 2025 - Elementary school students in Loznica are better prepared for navigating through emergenciesLoznica, May 16, 2025 – Thanks to members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade (VFB) "Loznica," traffic police officers, and emergency medical doctors from the Loznica Health Center, first and third graders of "Kadinjača" Elementary School participated in an interactive training on health and safety in emergencies. The training was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the European Union and in cooperation with the City of Loznica, the Ministry of Health, and the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior (MoI).
"These trainings best demonstrate how, through the cooperation of local government, security and health services, and with the support of international partners, we can create a safer and a more secure environment. Children gain additional knowledge and skills, and most importantly, these are skills they will be able to apply in real-life situations and circumstances. They will be trained to recognize dangerous situations, what to do in case of a fire, how to protect themselves from smoke, what actions to take before the fire brigade arrives – in essence, they will learn how to protect themselves and others," emphasized the Mayor of Loznica, Dragana Lukić.
"I hope you feel motivated to learn, and everything you learn from these people – who are true heroes – you’ll be able to pass on to others. It will make you brave and prepared to act in such situations," said Maja Vučković Krčmar, representative of the EU Delegation to Serbia, addressing the children.
During the day, the facility of the “Kadinjača” Elementary School served as a training ground for a fire evacuation drill. Members of the VFB Loznica helped the students to jointly simulate how to quickly and safely leave the building and showed them how to use fire extinguishers and secure the premises. The purpose of the drill was for the children to understand what to do when the fire alarm sounds – but without any real danger – which helps reduce fear and develop an automatic response in case of a real emergency.
“The goal of these trainings is for children to acquire knowledge and habits as they grow up that will help them stay calm and respond more quickly and correctly in emergencies, so they can help themselves and their loved ones. Additionally, children take this knowledge home – by telling their parents what they have learned, they encourage adults to check the home evacuation plan, prepare a first aid kit, or pay attention to safety procedures in their building. In this way, the impact of educating the youngest spreads throughout the entire community,” said Jelena Marić Luković from UNDP.
As part of the event, firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel showed the children the equipment they use in emergencies, such as fire trucks and ambulances, protective gear, water hoses, stretchers, and resuscitation devices. They also explained how their respective services provide help during emergency situations. For example, police officers explained to the students how they manage traffic to allow ambulances and fire trucks to reach their destinations faster and informed them what to watch out for when they are on the street during emergencies.
At the end of the program, all the children who participated in this interactive training received a symbolic diploma as confirmation that they successfully completed the “little school of safety.”
This event was organized within the project "EU for Healthcare in Serbia", funded by the European Union, and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia.