With the support from EU funds, flood preparedness and response capacity in Zemgale and Klaipeda regions will be increased

With the support from the EU funds, the project "Improving of fire and rescue service cross-border cooperation and response to floods in Zemgale and Klaipeda regions" has started.

Both Zemgale and Klaipeda regions have experienced flooding caused by climate change. Forecasts suggest that overall flooding will increase and can become casualty, therefore regions have to learn to adapt to new reality and prepare. This is a common challenge that rescue services of Latvia and Lithuania are willing to address jointly with the project.

Project overall objective is to increase flood preparedness and response capacity in Zemgale and Klaipeda regions. Project specific objective is to increase knowledge, awareness and capacity of two rescue services for a joint preparedness and response to flood incidents.

Planned activities on capacity building for flood resilience in Zemgale and Klaipeda regions are the following:

• Joint experience exchange visit to Hamburg on flood management;

• Seminar for local communicators of municipalities;

• Workshop on climate change and flood risk coordination;

• Full scale training;

• Purchase of needed equipment and materials for Zemgale and Klaipeda region;

• Training of staff for safe use of equipment;

• Communication activities in Zemgale and Klaipeda regions.