668 fire engines for Voluntary Fire Service
14.02.2023
The safety of Polish women and men is a priority for the government. Essential to this safety is the functioning of the Voluntary Fire Service (Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna, OSP). Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced additional support for OSP firefighters. The units will be equipped with 668 new fire engines. This huge support will enable firefighters to reach the scene of an accident or fire more quickly. The equipment will save the lives and possessions of citizens. Since 2016, we have steadily increased spending on the development of fire stations. The purchase of new equipment is made through government programmes.
New fire engines for Voluntary Fire Service
Rescue equipment is at the heart of firefighters’ work. Rescue and firefighting vehicles are crucial during fires and accidents. We want Poles to feel safe, so we will equip Voluntary Fire Service with 668 fire engines. Modern equipment will allow OSP firefighters to work faster and more effectively.
“This year, we will donate a record number of around 668 fire engines to Voluntary Fire Service. I don’t think there has ever been such a number of fire engines donated to Voluntary Fire Service in one year,” stressed Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
This is not the first time OSP has received such support. The provision of fire stations with modern equipment is steadily increasing. Since 2016, 2,951 rescue and firefighting vehicles have been delivered to firefighters.
Other support for Voluntary Fire Service
Voluntary Fire Service will also be equipped with other firefighting equipment this year. More than PLN 236 million will be donated for this purpose. This will enable the purchase of, among other things:
- personal protective equipment (uniforms, helmets, safety footwear);
- communication equipment, cutting equipment (chainsaws for wood and metal);
- rescue and firefighting equipment (pumps, hoses).
For us, it is not only the equipment that counts but also the people. Since 2022, the first-ever Polish law on Voluntary Fire Service has been in force. Thanks to it, almost 100,000 retired volunteer firefighters have received a rescue allowance for their OSP service.
The mission of firefighters
Firefighting is a unique occupation. Firefighters protect the safety of Polish women and men on a daily basis. Voluntary Fire Service operations are not limited to fires (of houses, forests or other sites) but also cover floods, storms and road and rail accidents.
All firefighters also provide support to others in need. “Polish firefighters were in Turkey and Syria, struck with this terrible tragedy, to rescue people, pulling them from the rubble and carrying out bold rescue operations,” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
