Army is unblocking the roads and evacuating the snowed-in citizens
Saturday, 1.2.2014 | CIMIC
Since early morning, the members of the Serbian Armed Forces have been unblocking the roads snowbound due to strong wind and evacuating vulnerable citizens in several places in Vojvodina. The Serbian government decided to engage all the necessary forces of Armed Forces, Ministry of the Interior, Gendarmerie, Ministry of Transport and health services in evacuating passengers from the snow-hit roads in Vojvodina.
Since early morning, the members of the Serbian Armed Forces have been unblocking the roads snowbound due to strong wind and evacuating vulnerable citizens in several places in Vojvodina .
The Serbian government decided to engage all the necessary forces of Armed Forces, Ministry of the Interior, Gendarmerie, Ministry of Transport and health services in evacuating passengers from the snow-hit roads in Vojvodina.
First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Defence Minister Nebojsa Rodic and Transport Minister Aleksandar Antic during the day were on the spot in Feketic near Subotica. It was there, on the highway, that a column of 200 vehicles, with about 1,000 passengers was stranded in deep snow for hours. Military helicopters evacuated the children first.
Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Ljubisa Dikovic was with members of the Serbian Armed Forces evacuating citizens from the snow-hit column on the highway at Feketic until late in the evening.
According to the Brigadier General Predrag Bandic, Commander of the 204th Aviation Brigade, two transport helicopters and two "Gazelles" have been activated to evacuate the citizens, and by the end of the day the Armed Forces has engaged another transport helicopter and two "Gazelles".
According to Lieutenant Dr. Vladimir Zec, Commander of the Department of Health Care of the 204th Aviation Brigade, 75 people have been evacuated today from the drifts on the highway near Backa Topola to the city stadium where they were received by ambulances. Medical staff found mostly mild frostbite in most of the injured, except for one eighteen-year-old girl who was in a state of hypothermia of the secondary level. After the medical assistance, according to Lieutenant Zec, she was transferred to Batajnica military airport and to Stara Pazova where she was hospitalized.
About 100 passengers more were evacuated from the snow drifts. Five persons, who had previously spent the night in a snowbound vehicle near the village of Samos were transported to the village in a "Gazelle" by the members of the 204th Brigade.
Members of the Fifth Battalion of the Military Police had provided support to the Gendarmerie in the closure of access roads on the part of the Subotica -Novi Sad highway.
At the roundabout near Backa Topola, on the Subotica -Novi Sad highway, members of the First Brigade, pulled out the bus that was blocking the road using the tank for drawing and engineering machinery. Tank for drawing and engineering machinery are still engaged in cleaning the roads and pulling out the vehicles.
Members of the 333rd Engineering Battalion are maintaining patency of the road Pancevo - Kacarevo with one engineering machine, while the additional two machines are engaged in the direction of Pancevo - Banatsko Novo Selo, for another snowbound column of vehicles.
General Bandic stated that the task in the vicinity of Kovacica was successfully completed in the early afternoon.
- Five people were transported with two flights and they were taken care of in the neighboring village. Today, along with medical care we brought also food, to help the snowed-in people. We are in constant communication with Ministry of the Interior and other institutions that coordinate all the activities – General Bandic pointed out.
Around 17 pm, a "Gazelle" helicopter brought a four-year child, who is diabetic, accompanied by his mother, from the snow-hit area to "Batajnica" military airport. In a steady state it was then transported to the Mother and Child Health Care Institute.
The number of citizens evacuated today by the members of the Serbian Armed Forces from snow-hit areas is 156. Most of them have frostbite first and second degree. One girl had asthma attack, which was treated in the military helicopter during the flight. On the ground there are still other teams of the Emergency Planning Sector of the Ministry of the Interior and members of the Serbian Armed Forces.
The Serbian government decided to engage all the necessary forces of Armed Forces, Ministry of the Interior, Gendarmerie, Ministry of Transport and health services in evacuating passengers from the snow-hit roads in Vojvodina.
First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Defence Minister Nebojsa Rodic and Transport Minister Aleksandar Antic during the day were on the spot in Feketic near Subotica. It was there, on the highway, that a column of 200 vehicles, with about 1,000 passengers was stranded in deep snow for hours. Military helicopters evacuated the children first.
Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Ljubisa Dikovic was with members of the Serbian Armed Forces evacuating citizens from the snow-hit column on the highway at Feketic until late in the evening.
According to the Brigadier General Predrag Bandic, Commander of the 204th Aviation Brigade, two transport helicopters and two "Gazelles" have been activated to evacuate the citizens, and by the end of the day the Armed Forces has engaged another transport helicopter and two "Gazelles".
According to Lieutenant Dr. Vladimir Zec, Commander of the Department of Health Care of the 204th Aviation Brigade, 75 people have been evacuated today from the drifts on the highway near Backa Topola to the city stadium where they were received by ambulances. Medical staff found mostly mild frostbite in most of the injured, except for one eighteen-year-old girl who was in a state of hypothermia of the secondary level. After the medical assistance, according to Lieutenant Zec, she was transferred to Batajnica military airport and to Stara Pazova where she was hospitalized.
About 100 passengers more were evacuated from the snow drifts. Five persons, who had previously spent the night in a snowbound vehicle near the village of Samos were transported to the village in a "Gazelle" by the members of the 204th Brigade.
Members of the Fifth Battalion of the Military Police had provided support to the Gendarmerie in the closure of access roads on the part of the Subotica -Novi Sad highway.
At the roundabout near Backa Topola, on the Subotica -Novi Sad highway, members of the First Brigade, pulled out the bus that was blocking the road using the tank for drawing and engineering machinery. Tank for drawing and engineering machinery are still engaged in cleaning the roads and pulling out the vehicles.
Members of the 333rd Engineering Battalion are maintaining patency of the road Pancevo - Kacarevo with one engineering machine, while the additional two machines are engaged in the direction of Pancevo - Banatsko Novo Selo, for another snowbound column of vehicles.
General Bandic stated that the task in the vicinity of Kovacica was successfully completed in the early afternoon.
- Five people were transported with two flights and they were taken care of in the neighboring village. Today, along with medical care we brought also food, to help the snowed-in people. We are in constant communication with Ministry of the Interior and other institutions that coordinate all the activities – General Bandic pointed out.
Around 17 pm, a "Gazelle" helicopter brought a four-year child, who is diabetic, accompanied by his mother, from the snow-hit area to "Batajnica" military airport. In a steady state it was then transported to the Mother and Child Health Care Institute.
The number of citizens evacuated today by the members of the Serbian Armed Forces from snow-hit areas is 156. Most of them have frostbite first and second degree. One girl had asthma attack, which was treated in the military helicopter during the flight. On the ground there are still other teams of the Emergency Planning Sector of the Ministry of the Interior and members of the Serbian Armed Forces.
