Brig. Gen. Ing. Daniel Miklós, MPA, the Deputy Director General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic (FRS CR) for Prevention and Civil Emergency Preparedness, is an experienced manager. We discussed the current issues of crisis management and critical infrastructure protection with him. His company partners are crisis managers.
General, as part of the crisis management system, what are the current challenges that the Fire Rescue Service is encountering?
The Fire Rescue Service plays a dual role in the crisis management system. Through the General Directorate, which is part of the Ministry of the Interior, it acts as a coordinating body. This means we are responsible not only for planning and managing crisis situations but also for drafting legislation and providing methodological guidance to others. Currently, our focus is on several areas. Firstly, we are evaluating major recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the tornado, and the large influx of refugees due to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Secondly, we are working on implementing European regulations, particularly the CER Directive, which pertains to the critical infrastructure protection system currently enshrined in the Crisis Act.
You have conducted stress tests to evaluate the resilience of energy sector participants. What were the outcomes of these tests, and how have they influenced the resilience of the critical infrastructure?
The Czech Republic committed itself to conducting stress tests as part of the Council Recommendation on a coordinated EU-wide approach to enhance the resilience of the critical infrastructure (2022). These stress tests were performed in 2023 and included employees from power generation and the electricity distribution and transmission systems, specifically ČEPS, ČEZ, ČEZ Distribuce, EG.D, and PREdistribuce. The preparation also involved the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the National Cyber and Information Security Agency. The tests were carried out in a workshop format rather than as traditional exercises defined by Czech legislation. The primary conclusions indicated that the Czech Republic’s critical electricity infrastructure is robust and resilient overall, with strong cooperation between various entities and a high level of security.
You have had a long-standing collaboration with the company ČEPS. How would you assess this partnership?
Yes, ČEPS is one of the companies with which we have had the longest and most intensive cooperation. Our relationship is built on mutual assistance, respect, and trust. In addition to preparing exercises at the national or regional level and maintaining direct contact with control rooms and operation centres, our collaboration mainly involves sharing current conditions, forecasting, and conducting detailed evaluations. Members of the Fire Rescue Service are traditionally awarded the ČEPS Medal of Merit for Safety, which is quite unique since such medals are typically presented by state authorities, not private companies. For us, receiving this award is not only a source of pride for our successful work but also a significant commitment to continue our efforts. Personally, it is important to me that I can always call my colleagues at ČEPS, meet them, and quickly address any concerns, whether it is at a working level with Safety Director Martin Bílek or at a strategic level with the Chairman of the Board Martin Durčák. We all share the same goals. So, thank you, gentlemen and ČEPS.
Thank you for the interview
