Croatian Mountain Rescue Service celebrates 72nd birthday: We don’t need wishes or gifts, we only ask you for one thing

(Photo: HGSS)

For 72 years, a call to any member of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) has been a call to the entire service, thus mobilising all the necessary potentials for action.

HGSS members in those moments leave their lives aside so that they can save others. That is why we they do not ask for any wishes or gifts for their birthday, but we ask you one thing: educate yourself, inform yourself and equip yourself appropriately before going on an adventure in nature, HGSS said.

On this day 72 years ago, at No.1 Masarykova Street in Zagreb, the Founding Assembly of the Mountain Rescue Service in Croatia was held. The idea of a team of volunteers who will save lives not only lives on today, it is woven into each of the HGSS’s 1148 volunteers deployed in 25 stations throughout Croatia.

All together they are committed to only one mission – prevention, education, rescue and search for people in help.

“Since its inception, HGSS has participated in more than 10,000 rescue operations. Last year alone, we carried out 754 rescue operations and 150 interventions. Our teams were involved in 196 quests, 27 actions on the water and 48 actions on the ski slopes. In addition, at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, we all faced the greatest tragedy since Croatia’s independence – the devastating earthquake in Banovina. In this field, the HGSS continues to operate as an intervention force and a fundamental component of the civil protection system and within the Homeland Security system. We visited 1,420 locations, completed 2,164 preventive visits, successfully solved 683 high-altitude tasks and had 39 engagements of search teams with dogs that found people and animals under the rubble,” said Josip Granić, head of HGSS.

(Photo: HGSS)

HGSS members are volunteers – primarily alpinists, but also speleologists, high-altitude mountaineers and skiers trained in first aid and trained in all mountain rescue techniques, including helicopter rescue, search in inaccessible terrain and search operations with search dogs. They unquestioningly and at any time give their knowledge and precious time to save other people’s lives.

People with big hearts and a desire to help others are the greatest wealth we have. Without them, there would be no HGSS. That is why we once again invite all citizens and nature lovers – get informed and equip yourself properly before an adventure in nature. Take care of yourself, and we will continue to take care of you, is the message of Josip Granić, head of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service.