RES2ND

RES2ND

Strengthening Competencies to Improve Resilience to Natural Disasters

RES2ND is a cross-border cooperation project implemented within the framework of the Interreg Slovenia-Austria Programme and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The project is directly linked to the programme’s thematic priority area of disaster prevention, disaster risk reduction, and disaster response.

The common challenge addressed through cross-border cooperation in the RES2ND project is improving responsiveness and the effectiveness of interventions in the event of natural disasters. By enhancing competencies for cross-border disaster response, we aim to mitigate the consequences of natural disasters and, consequently, strengthen the resilience of the cross-border region to the impacts of climate change.

The umbrella firefighting organisations - Firefighting Association of Slovenia (Gasilska zveza Slovenije) and the Federal Fire Brigade Association of Carinthia (Kärntner Landesfeuerwehrverband) – will develop an operational training programme and specialised training curricula for cross-border interventions in natural disasters, including a practical communication tool for rapid communication during bilateral emergency operations.

Training centres will be established in Libeliče on the Slovenian side and in Zell-Sele on the Austrian side. These centres will serve as venues for the implementation of training programmes for cross-border disaster response. The investors are the municipalities of Dravograd and Zell-Sele. The EGTC Geopark Karawanken-Karavanke, as a project partner, is responsible for coordinating cross-border project activities and implementing public awareness measures concerning appropriate behaviour in the event of natural disasters. It is anticipated that the training programmes developed within the project, as well as both training centres, will become fully operational towards the end of the project or after its completion.

Through the implementation of the project, operational fire brigade units active in the region will enhance their specialised knowledge and skills with a cross-border cooperation component, enabling more effective emergency response. As a result, local communities and residents on both sides of the border will benefit, as natural disasters have unfortunately become more frequent and mutual assistance between neighbouring regions is invaluable in such situations.

Lead Partner:

Municipality Dravograd

Project Partners:

Municipality Zell-Sele

Gasilska zveza Slovenije

Kärntner Landesfeuerwehrverband

EVTZ Geopark Karawanken m.b.H.

Project Duration: 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2028

Total Eligible Project Costs: 1.924.183,44 EUR

Approved ERDF Contribution: 1.539.346,75 EUR

Link to the Interreg Programme Slovenia-Austria