On 9 October 2025, the Ljubljana Fire Brigade (GBL) hosted an event at which the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) and GBL signed an official cooperation agreement within the framework of the LOCALIENCE project. The initiative strengthens inter-institutional collaboration and introduces innovative approaches for faster communication and coordination in responding to adverse weather events.
Andrej Golob, Head of the Meteorological, Hydrological and Oceanographic Forecasting Division at ARSO, presented three solutions developed within the Slovenian pilot action:
- A custom online platform that integrates meteorological and hydrological products for monitoring current conditions, forecasts, and warnings. The platform’s content is tailored to the needs of the Ljubljana Fire Brigade for faster access to essential data, enabling quicker response in case of extreme weather events.
A direct alert system providing SMS notifications about measured flood discharges and water levels, heavy rainfall, and strong wind gusts. In addition to ARSO staff, selected external users will now also receive these alerts.
Real-time information and forecast updates available via telephone consultation. The option for the Ljubljana Fire Brigade’s duty officers to consult directly with ARSO’s on-duty meteorologist and hydrologist forms the core of the cooperation agreement.
The cooperation agreement was signed by Jože Knez, Director-General of ARSO, and Tomaž Kučič, Commander of the Ljubljana Fire Brigade, who both emphasized the importance of strong inter-institutional cooperation in enhancing preparedness and response to extreme weather events.