The Municipality of Bar has introduced the Early Fire Detection System—a modern technological solution that enables timely detection and reporting of fires within the municipality’s territory.
“This is the first sustainable system of its kind in Montenegro, which detects smoke, heat anomalies, and other fire causes in real time at nearly all high-risk locations in the city, allowing faster response and more efficient coordination of firefighters. The system was implemented by the Municipality of Bar through the European project Building Smart Forests,” the Municipality of Bar announced.
The “Building Smart Forests” project is implemented under the IPA CBC Montenegro-Albania 2014–2020 programme, with co-financing from the European Union. It is one of 12 projects that the Municipality of Bar has realized or is currently realizing since 2018, funded through EU pre-accession funds.
The Early Fire Detection System consists of a monitoring point installed on the infrastructure of the Radio Broadcasting Centre on Volujica Hill and a monitoring centre located in the premises of the Protection and Rescue Service of the Municipality of Bar. Thanks to thermal and PTZ cameras using specialized software and algorithms for automatic image analysis, the system provides continuous visual and thermal monitoring of areas most vulnerable to fires, the Municipality of Bar explained.
According to Aco Vulević, Commander of the Protection and Rescue Service of the Municipality of Bar, this is extremely important for timely response.
“In addition to early fire alerts, the system will significantly facilitate field operations—guiding firefighting units, monitoring fire development, and adjusting our services during firefighting. We plan to procure three more systems to cover the areas of Sutomore, Čanj, Crmnica Field, and Mrkojevići, which will complete the system and provide a broader view and better response to protect our citizens and their property,” Vulević said.
The total value of the “Building Smart Forests” project exceeds €500,000, with approximately €194,000 allocated to the Municipality of Bar. According to Ana Živanović from the Project Management Department of the Bar local administration, significant achievements have been made during the project.
“We have worked on raising public awareness, conducted numerous educational workshops for the Protection and Rescue Services of the municipalities of Bar and Shkodra, prepared standard operating procedures and joint fire risk management plans, and established a volunteer database. However, what we are particularly proud of is the Early Fire Detection System, which will provide strong support to our firefighters,” Živanović said.
Nikola Papić, Secretary of the Secretariat for Local Economic Development of the Municipality of Bar, emphasized that the project involved the Municipality of Shkodra and the NGO FLAG, representatives of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue of the Ministry of the Interior, the Scout Troop “24 November,” and the company Regius, which installed the system.
“The project’s activities will undoubtedly contribute to the protection of natural resources, reduction of fire risks, and increased safety for residents in the cross-border region,” Papić concluded.
Source: barinfo.me