Dobele trains 60 seniors to prepare for emergencies
Tuesday 13th October 2026 on 17:45 in
Latvia
About 60 seniors in Dobele municipality are taking part in civil protection training this week, learning how to prepare for evacuation and manage the first 72 hours of an emergency, LSM reported, citing Zemgale Regional Television.
The sessions cover what to do if electricity and communications suddenly fail, where to find shelter and what to pack in an emergency bag.
Participant Gundega Bicūze said she had learned not to pack excessively heavy suitcases and to prepare items that are easy to reach and carry. Dzintra Kampiņa said she had not realised that documents should be kept separately from other belongings and added that the training also covered shelters.
The instructor said residents were still not adequately prepared for crises, but seniors were often better informed. Experts stressed the importance of relying on trustworthy information and knowing how to respond.
The training is part of a Latvia-Lithuania cross-border cooperation project involving four partners. It aims to provide practical information and includes guidelines and a checklist for emergency bags, Dobele municipality executive director Agris Vilks said.
Participants were also shown a specialised vehicle bought for 88,000 euros that can transport wheelchair users and bedridden patients. The municipality previously had to obtain this service from external providers.
Project funding will also support the purchase of a generator with a trailer and a battery-powered stair-climbing device to help move people from upper floors of apartment buildings, municipal project manager Ilmārs Matvejs said.