Emergency Medical Services Receive 5 New Vehicles Worth €620,000
Zagreb County Renews Emergency Medical Services Fleet, with Nine More Vehicles Arriving in Autumn
Zagreb County Renews Emergency Medical Services Fleet, with Nine More Vehicles Arriving in Autumn
On Thursday, August 13, 2026, Deputy County Prefect Ervin Kolarec handed over the keys to five new emergency medical vehicles to the Zagreb County Institute of Emergency Medicine. The total value of the vehicles is approximately €620,000, with one vehicle remaining in Zaprešić, while the other four will be distributed to branches in Samobor, Sveti Ivan Zelina, Jastrebarsko, and Velika Gorica.
Deputy Mayor Željko Barun attended the handover on behalf of the City of Zaprešić, and the keys were received by Dubravko Huzak, a driver from the Emergency Medicine Branch in Zaprešić.
During the ceremony, Kolarec emphasized the importance of investing in the vehicle fleet given the size of the territory the county covers.
"This allows our teams to reach their destinations and those in need of help even more safely. Zagreb County does not have its own county hospital, and we cover a large territory with 9 towns and 25 municipalities, so it is clear why, in addition to investing in staff, we invest in equipment and vehicles-because these vehicles are essentially hospitals on wheels," said Deputy County Prefect Ervin Kolarec.
Kolarec also highlighted the strain on key roads, especially during the tourist season, as an additional reason for continuous investment in the fleet. He thanked all employees of the Zagreb County Institute of Emergency Medicine for the responsible and demanding work they carry out every day.
Deputy Mayor of Zaprešić, Željko Barun, noted that renewing the fleet is crucial when every minute counts, and he praised the medical staff who will now be even more efficient in their tasks. Barun also announced the upcoming opening of the new Health Center in Kupljenovo. He emphasized that the City of Zaprešić often assists the emergency medicine branch in Zaprešić, particularly through citizen education to ensure they know how to respond appropriately until emergency services arrive.
Davorin Gajnik, Director of the Zagreb County Institute of Emergency Medicine, stated that the Institute covers an area with as many as 300,000 residents, including numerous nursing homes and the airport in Velika Gorica.
"We currently have 105 emergency medical vehicles and 55 T1 teams. Let's keep in mind that we also cover a large number of nursing homes as well as the airport in Velika Gorica. Along with the vehicles, we are also procuring various equipment, and over the years, we have had 46,000 interventions by T1 teams and about 82,000 ambulance transport trips," said Gajnik.
Emergency medical vehicles travel approximately 7.2 million kilometers annually, which further justifies the continuous renewal of the fleet. In the fall of 2026, the Institute will receive an additional six ambulance vehicles and three emergency medical vehicles.
Ksenija Čuljak, Head of the Administrative Department for Health, Social Welfare, and Croatian Veterans, reminded attendees of two clinics currently being built by Zagreb County, valued at nearly €3 million. These include the clinic in Kupljenovo, expected to open this fall, and the clinic in Rugvica. Čuljak also highlighted the program of measures to retain healthcare staff, under which physicians employed on permanent contracts at the Zagreb County Health Center can receive annual benefits worth €17,000.
