Preparedness of engineers put to test at exercise Engineer Rescuers

Removing consequences of large–scale natural disasters on territories of the two neighbouring countries or assistance to the civilian population. From 8 – 14 May, nearly 500 professional soldiers of the SVK Armed Forces and the Army of the Czech Republic took part in an engineer exercise dubbed Engineer Rescuers 2015 in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia. Namely in Sereď, Přerov, Libavá and Kojetín, the combined Czech and Slovak engineer units performed a multitude of tasks like establishment of humanitarian bases, building roads and bridges, bridging the obstacles or rescue and recovery of persons.

“Our engineers regularly assist at removing consequences of natural disasters and they invariably prove to be real professionals. Still it is vital for them to exchange experiences with the soldiers from other countries, which experience they can further draw on at the time of a real deployment. I am pleased to see the next of the series of joint exercises with the Czech Republic,” stated Minister of Defence Martin Glváč. The exercise was arranged by the Czech and Slovak Ministers of Defence during the joint meeting of the governments of the respective countries on 24 April 2014 in Skalica.