Montenegro Red Cross succeeded to develop its capacities and set up a network of teams within the organization in three levels: national, regional and local level. These teams are trained to respond to natural or man-made disasters, in efficient, well structured and coordinated manner, in order to reduce the number of victims and alleviate the consequences of a disaster. This was accomplished with the staff support and from the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies. Also, Austrian Red Cross, as strategic bilateral partner, provided significant support. This organizational structure enabled functioning of disaster response teams in every part of organization (local, regional and national level), including mechanisms of activation and coordination (standard operational procedures), and increase standard of functioning in accordance to the international norms. It also strengthens capacities – improved equipment necessary for efficient disaster response. In the complete process of creating the network of disaster response teams, we trained 30 members, volunteers and staff within National Disaster response team. Recently, we trained 45 volunteers for the regional teams, which will be activated according to the defined procedures for overcoming larger scale disasters, as a support to the neighboring municipalities in the specific region. We also trained 120 members of the local teams in every local branch in Montenegro. Teams will be activated and deployed within the roles and responsibilities of Montenegro Red Cross in the protection and rescue system, as a reliable partner to the government at all levels. Teams are equipped and trained for providing quick and efficient disaster response. Montenegro Red Cross, in cooperation with Austrian Red Cross, governmental institutions and relevant international organizations, recently organized Conference on climate change and humanitarian consequences, since we recognized the need for raising awareness regarding this issue. We will continue to treat this issue in the future projects and to develop partnership relations with relevant stakeholders through regional and cross border cooperation. Montenegro Red Ross showed its readiness and preparedness in the country and abroad, and proved as stabile and reliable partner in the region of Western Balkans.

Due to the high number of drowning, especially in the summer time, on the rivers, lakes and sea, Montenegro Red Cross started in 1996/97 to organize water rescue trainings for certain number of persons form the most vulnerable areas, such as: Nikšić, Kolašin, Plav, Podgorica and towns from the coastal area. At that time, Red Cross confined the training to the international instructors from Italy.

In the beginning of 1997, Montenegro Red Cross became a full member of the ILS (International Life Saving Federation of Europe). According to that, our National Society, as the only representative of our country in ILS, acquired exclusive right to include water rescue into its regular activities and to implement statutory defined tasks in water rescue and prevention of disasters on water. The same year we started to realize different activities for establishing Water rescue service, as well as numerous activities regarding trainings for trainers. Instructors and our Training centre in Sutomore have the license from the International Life Saving Federation for water rescue. Participants in the trainings can obtain international certificate for water rescue.

Besides main goal of saving lives and one of the main goals for development of Water rescue service, Montenegro Red Cross has the aim to:

Carrying out mass preventive measures;
Further development of Water rescue service in every community, on every beach and place where there are organized and arranged swimmings;
Monitoring and use of international standards in water rescue techniques;
Monitoring and use of international standards in medicine as used in water rescue services;
Modernizing and providing standard equipment for efficient lifeguards operation in rescue activities;
Increasing the number of licensed lifeguards and highly educated and skilled instructors and educators;
Development of cooperation with every relevant stakeholder in the society in order to have coordinated, efficient and organized functioning of Water rescue and enabling development of sports activities for lifeguards on water. This could provide constant trainings and promotional contents for recruiting new members;
Finding stabile sources of financial support, projects for sustainable development of Water rescue.

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