DEFENCE AND HEALTH MINISTERS VISIT ISLAND OF KORCULA

( Editorial: --> 3977 ) KORCULA, Aug 16 (Hina) - The Croatian government must draw up a more secure programme for fire prevention for next year, including personnel, equipment and intervention, Defence Minister Andrija Hebrang said on the island of Korcula on Sunday. Hebrang visited the village of Smokvica on Korcula accompanied by Health Minister Zeljko Reiner. Hebrang stressed that Croatian fire-fighting troops must go through additional training and a plan of operation must be drawn up for next year so that this year's events would not be repeated, such as the transport of personnel over a hundred kilometres. Fire-fighting equipment must also be improved, Hebrang said. He added that the number of cisterns and water back-packs must increase, and helicopters purchased because they are more manoeuvrable than canadairs. Hebrang said it had not been planned to include army soldiers in the fight against fires. They participated according to necessity, and a plan has to be drawn up on this issue, too, he said. (hina) lml 161618 MET aug 98