In Přerov, the construction of a fire station costing 237 million has begun

"The situation at the current location is really bad, whether in terms of space, hygiene, or the location in the center of Přerov, where we have no chance for any development. We are in the internal block of a housing estate, where our activities disturb the city center," said Miroslav Čoček, director of the Přerov Fire Department, to ČTK today. Firefighters have been based in the building of the Přerov waterworks on Šířava Street since 1932. Over time, the building has been variously modified to meet the requirements of the expanding fire brigade. Currently, 45 members are stationed there. "We don't have anywhere to garage especially supply equipment, there is nowhere to shower, to have a locker room, as the rules require. Contaminated items from interventions get mixed with clean spaces. There is no way to resolve it there, I am glad that it (the construction of the new station) has succeeded," added Čoček.

According to the regional fire chief Karel Kolářík, the situation in Přerov is dire. At the current station, three emergency vehicles are parked back to back in two rows, and many pieces of equipment must be garaged in Lipník nad Bečvou. "The conditions here are inadequate, especially hygienic; we repeatedly faced issues during hygiene inspections of the station," noted Kovářík.

The new building will provide facilities for the placement of special equipment, and there will be sufficient space for deploying firefighters' forces and resources. "This will ensure a faster response time for the unit when an alarm is sounded," previously stated fire spokesperson Vladimíra Hacsiková.

The Přerov firefighters cover a large area, which includes the confluence of the Morava and Bečva rivers. It is near Troubky, which was the most affected municipality during the catastrophic floods in 1997. Flooding threatens the entire Bečva river basin every year during rapid snowmelt and movement of ice masses, added Hacsiková. The area is densely populated and is an important railway transport hub. The region is also served by the D1 highway and other main routes.