With Lek's help, nearly 100 firefighter paramedics ready to save lives

  • Lek’s donation to the Firefighters Association of Slovenia in the amount of 20,000 Euros enabled the organisation and implementation of the EMT courses for firefighter paramedics, certified first responders.
  • Through the EMT courses, nearly 100 firefighters from all regions across Slovenia will obtain the title firefighter paramedic.
  • After completion of the EMT courses, nearly 100 new Slovenian firefighter paramedics will become qualified to offer emergency medical assistance when it matters most.
6. 4. 2017

Lek has symbolically handed over to the Firefighters Association of Slovenia a donation in the amount of 20,000 Euros, dedicated to the implementation of emergency medical training (EMT) courses for firefighter paramedics, certified first responders. The courses, which will involve firefighters from across Slovenia, including the regions where Lek’s development and production sites are situated, will enable additional training and obtaining the title firefighter paramedic to nearly 100 individuals. In emergencies, before the arrival of the medic unit, they may provide emergency medical assistance to the sick and injured and thus significantly contribute not only to their recovery but also to their survival in severe cases. 

Mojca Pavlin, the representative of Lek, explained the decision to give a donation to the firefighters Association of Slovenia upon handing over a symbolic donation cheque: »The jubilee year 2016 was of utmost importance for Lek. Celebrating two important milestones at the same time, 20 years of Novartis and 70 years of Lek, we wanted to do something good for the wider Slovenian community. At Lek, we put health first and our efforts are aimed at providing equitable access to health care to as many people as possible. We recognised the activities of the Firefighters Association of Slovenia and training of firefighter paramedics as one of the important steps on this journey, therefore we decided to give the Association a donation to enable the implementation of courses for nearly 100 new firefighter paramedics.«

Jošt Jakša, President of the Firefighters Association of Slovenia, commented on the importance of such activities: »The first responders are the first to respond to emergency calls. Being the first to arrive at the scene of an accident they may render emergency medical assistance to the injured which may often be decisive. Therefore, a completed course for a firefighter paramedic is of utmost importance. On behalf of the entire Firefighters Association of Slovenia and all firefighters involved in the project, I would like to thank Lek for the donation of 20,000 Euros that enabled us to organise the courses.«

After thorough preparation and adoption of the training program, the first of three training courses organised by the Firefighters Association of Slovenia throughout 2017 together with the Ambulance Service at the University Medical Center Ljubljana, started on Monday, March 13. The course consists of both a theoretical part as well as practical workshops and concluded with a final exam on Saturday, April 1. Thanks to the organised activities and Lek’s donation,nearly 100 Slovenian firefighters will obtain the title firefighter paramedic by the summer.