President Milanović Meets with Heads of Croatian Earthquake Engineering Centre
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received today at the Office of the President representatives of the Croatian Earthquake Engineering Centre – Emergency Service (HCPI), which was established in October 2021.
The Croatian Earthquake Engineering Centre (HCPI) has become one of the fundamental operative forces within the Civil Protection Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia. Its mission is to promote, develop and improve the organization and activities of engineers involved in emergency situations and to provide assistance to authorities at the state and local level, as well as to emergency services during natural disasters, major accidents and catastrophes.
HCPI representatives told President Milanović that their engagement is envisaged after major natural disasters that result in damage to a large number of structures. In such situations, a rapid response by engineers is required to professionally inspect the structures and provide a rapid evaluation of their usability. The state of buildings damaged in the 2020 earthquakes in Zagreb and the Banija region was also discussed, as well as the importance of quality post-earthquake construction and reconstruction.
After the March 2020 quake in Zagreb, University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering professor and HCPI coordinator Dr. Josip Atalić brought together structural engineers who visited the damaged buildings and houses, did quick checks and issued stickers denoting their usability. HCPI engineers inspected 25,580 buildings in the Zagreb area at that time, and another 813 buildings since. HCPI representatives said they self-organised after the Zagreb earthquake and visited the area because there was no earthquake plan. They did the same after the December 2020 earthquake in Petrinja, Glina, Sisak and other communities with 1,700 engineers volunteering in the inspections.
Apart from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering professor and HCPI coordinator Dr. Josip Atalić, attending the meeting with President Milanović were the dean of the University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering professor Dr. Stjepan Lakušić, HCPI vice coordinator Mihaela Zamolo, HCPI Board members Boris Trogrlić and Alen Kadić, and one of the founders of HCPI Maja Baniček.
Attending the meeting alongside President Milanović were the Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic Bartol Šimunić, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for the Economy Velibor Mačkić and Assistant Adviser to the President of the Republic for the Economy Martina Ciglević.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta