About the Department of Fire Protection

About the Department

The Department of Fire Protection is a guarantee workplace for the study field “Rescue Services”, which take place in teaching in study programme “Fire Protection and Safety” at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd level of university study, in full-time and part-time form. The Department employees provide and teach the profile subjects related to burning of materials, materials reaction to fire, fire safety of buildings, safety of technological processes, crisis management, tactics, technical resources, organization and management of fire and rescue services.

As significant achievement of the Department can be considered the success of graduates at significant management positions in the Fire and Rescue System and in leadership roles at educational institutions of similar focus in Slovakia. The graduates successfully operate in companies aimed at fire protection, occupational health and safety activities, operational centre 112, enterprise fire brigades and departments, Fire Research Institute of the Ministry of Interior, Criminalistics and Forensic Science Institute of the Police Force Ministry of the Interior and as fire protection technicians, specialists and safety technician.

History of the Department

The history of the department began in 1974, when the Compartment of Wood Protection of the Department of Wood Mechanical Technology addressed the issue of protection of wood against fire. In 1993, the study field “Fire Safety in the Woodworking Industry” was accredited. Due to the growing interest in addressing issues of fire protection and safety among the students and in the society, there the history of the Department of Fire Protection itself, with study field Fire Protection, has begun to be written, since the academic year 1997/1998. The first graduates of this study field finished their university study in 2003. Since 2004, the students began to study the bachelor and master study programs in a new study field “Protection of persons and property” that arouse great interest among students. On May 1, 2005, the Department adopted the current name “Department of Fire Protection. Symbolically, on the 10th anniversary of the Department new name, there were accredited new study programs in the study field “Rescue Services” at all three levels of the university study, in 2015.

On February 26, 2003, there was established the Voluntary Fire Brigade of the Technical University in Zvolen, composed of the employees of the Department of Fire Protection and students of the study field “Rescue Services”. The main aim of the fire brigade is the practical training of its members in means of the Voluntary Fire Brigade of the Technical University in Zvolen statutes and legislation in the field of fire protection. Its intention is to build, organize and improve the voluntary fire-fighting.

The Department of Fire Protection staff focus in education and scientific and research activities is at the preparation of professionals well-prepared for the organization and implementation of rescue activities, especially in the field of fire protection and safety, safety services, protection of persons and property and health and safety at work.

The previous employees of the Department of Fire Protection:

prof. Dionýz Horský, DrSc.  (1998)

Elena Pivarčiová, PhD. (1998-2002)

Eva Ružinská (1999-2000)

Jozef Pikula, CSc. (2000-2001)

Mária Púpalová (2000-2001)

prof. Alexander Krakovský, CSc. (1998-2009)

Ján Slosiarik, PhD. (1998-2008)

Rastislav Skrovný, PhD. (2004-2008)

prof. Anton Osvald, CSc. (1998-2011)

assoc. prof. Iveta Marková, PhD. (1998-2013)

assoc. prof. Dr. Miloš Kvarčák (2014-2015)