CBRNE Mobile Analytical Laboratory of the State Fire Service – Analysis of Technical and Normative Solutions Applied

Few studies have been published in Poland concerning body dimensions of firefighters from the State Fire Service although this knowledge is needed for e.g. development of personal protective equipment. The aim of the study was to evaluate body dimensions and weight-to-height ratio in firefighters from the State Fire Service. Using the anthropological procedures, body mass (BM) and body height (BH) were examined in 178 men at the chronological age (CA) of 19.5 to 53 years who were rescuers from the national rescue and fire brigades of the State Fire Service. The study participants were divided into three categories of CA: up to 25 years, between 24 and 44 years, and over 44 years. The results were compared to population standards. It was found that BH of the youngest rescuers was significantly higher (0.05) than in other study participants. Based on the standardized values of BM and BMI, population of firefighters aged over 25 years was found to be characterized by overweight and, in certain cases, even by obesity. The excess level of body mass index (BMI ≥ 25 kgm2) was found in nearly 60% of study participants, with half of the group classified as overweight (n=31, BMI ranging from 25 to 29.9 kg/m2), and 10% classified as obese. Due to the worrying high percentage of cases of excess body mass in firefighters from the State Fire Service, it was found that it is recommended to evaluate the relationships between body height and mass on regular basis during periodical obligatory tests of physical fitness of rescuers from the State Fire Service and to increase the frequency and duration of training sessions.

Mobile laboratories: An innovative and efficient solution for radiological characterization of sites under or after decommissioning

Carried out is a range of investigations aimed at the improvement of the anti-epidemic procedures for works with infectious disease agents (herein biological safety provision) in mobile laboratories of specialized anti-epidemic teams (SAET). Evaluation of the operational experience of stationary and field laboratories, as well as comparative analysis of the national safety requirements for works with pathogenic biological agents and WHO international regulations in the sphere of biological safety provision in laboratories, has made it possible to outline common for all types of microbiological laboratories principles for biosafety provision. With due consideration of these principles formulated are the core requirements for the provision of biological safety of SAET activities. Based on the results of biorisk and biohazard assessment which have to do with innovative mobile laboratories, worked out is a system of anti-epidemic procedures aimed towards establishment of the conditions that offer as low as practically achievable level of risk for personnel of SAET mobile laboratories, for population and human environment too. These practices, designed for biological safety provision among the personnel of mobile laboratories (ML), have been played back in a number of standard operational procedures. With a view to establishing of the environment with acceptable level of biorisk for the personnel and population when ML are used for various purposes and in various contingencies (in full force, single unit or several modules), worked out are the algorithms of decision-making support as regards selection of modules and optional accessories. However, there is a need for emergency response plans and training programs for the personnel on the provision of biosafety in ML to ensure and maintain acceptable level of biorisk connected with ML functioning.

Based on the general concept of security as a state of protection of vital interests of an individual, society and the state from threats, a comprehensive approach to its assessment is proposed based on the decomposition of the end-to-end process of ensuring security in a specific area of their activity. At the same time, in relation to chemical and biological safety management systems in the industry, it is considered as interconnected sets of organizational (business processes), organizational-technical and technical-technological processes in their life cycle. The classification of the processes that make up their complete group in the life cycle of the control system is given. In relation to each of these processes in the life cycle of the safety management system, the formulation of a typical formal task for evaluating the main indicators of chemical and biological safety is considered, a mathematical method and a criterion for its evaluation are given with the possibility of implementing the method in machine learning technologies. In contrast to the traditional approach, when the assessment of safety indicators is carried out in fragments according to specific highly specialized indicators, the proposed approach, by evaluating its indicators on the basis of a complete group of processes, covers the sphere of organizational (business processes), organizational-technical and technical-technological processes, which allows to take into account the state of chemical and biological safety in the industry both in organizational, technological and technical aspects to the maximum extent. In relation to each of these processes in the life cycle of the safety management system, we consider the formulation of a typical formal task of evaluating the main indicators To select and justify a universal, normalized indicator of medical and biological safety of the state of living conditions of the population. To develop mathematical methods and methods of security assessment based on a systematic approach for various schemes of protection organization and event schemes in a complex environment. To develop a fundamental structure and methodology for the design, organization of work and use of an information system for monitoring and ensuring biological and medical safety. The principal structure is presented and the principle of organization and use of the system of information and analytical support of medical and biological safety is substantiated. A universal, normalized safety criterion has been selected and justified, which allows implementing state and industry standards for assessing the level of safety and quality of measures and systems to ensure it. Mathematical methods and methods of security assessment based on a systematic approach have been developed for various protection organization schemes and event schemes in a complex environment.

Cell-based meat (CBM) technology is a highly promising alternative to traditional animal agriculture, with considerable advantages in terms of sustainability, animal welfare, and food security. Nonetheless, CBM’s successful commercialization is dependent on efficiently dealing with several critical concerns, including ensuring biological, chemical, and nutritional safety as well as navigating the global regulatory framework. To ensure CBM’s biological safety, detecting and mitigating any potential hazards introduced during the manufacturing process is crucial. Concerns include microbial contamination, the utilization of animal-derived growth media, and the risk of viral or prion infection. Similarly, chemical hazards include residues from growth media, scaffolding materials, and other bioprocessing agents. For consumer acceptance, CBM’s nutritional qualities should be comparable to those of conventional meat, indicating adequate protein content, essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Additionally, CBM’s safety in terms of allergenicity and the presence of anti-nutritional factors must be rigorously assessed. Advances in cell culture techniques and biomanufacturing methods are requisite to achieving high-quality CBM with desirable nutritional attributes. The regulatory framework for CBM is actively expanding, with significant regional variations. Singapore is currently the only country that has received approval for the market placement of CBM, although the United States has developed a regulatory structure involving the United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration. As CBM holds great potential as a sustainable and ethical alternative to conventional meat, addressing challenges related to biological and chemical safety, nutritional quality, and regulatory approval is essential for its successful market integration.

Contribution to research on ground heat storages as part of building energy systems using RES

This article describes its author’s State Fire Service Officer questionnaire results. The research topic is unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) usage during service in this formation. The State Fire Service’s statutory tasks are threats reconnaissance and rescue tasks during natural disasters. Some State Fire Service units are equipped with UAVs and use them to their full capabilities. Unmanned systems are increasingly employed by many institutions and the state. Unmanned aerial vehicles can be used in search and rescue operations, waste control, or environmental monitoring. The current possibilities of unmanned aviation are very extensive and often save lives. The numerous impacts of unmanned aviation during the COVID-19 pandemic began with their enormous potential and wide scope of operation. Recognition, effective monitoring and further development of UAVs have a significant impact on improving state security. Research results prove undoubtedly that UAV’s role in State Fire Service is beneficial, especially during missing person search and firefighting actions. Because of the cyclical character of crises in Poland, it is necessary to equip State Fire Service units with tools like UAVs to fight various threats.

The realization of the package of measures directed at the consecutive decrease of the negative effect of hazardous chemical and biological factors on the population and environment to the acceptable risk level stipulates the development of standard legal regulation in the field of ensuring the chemical and biological safety. For this purpose article presents substantiation and conceptual approaches to the creation of legislation in the field of the chemical and biological security of the Russian Federation within the pursued state policy. In determination of conceptual approaches, in the article there are reported: the main idea, the purpose, a subject of legal regulation, the circle of people who will be subjected to the laws, the place offuture laws in the system of current legislation, the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Federal backbone laws of the Russian Federation to realization of which laws are directed, there is given the general characteristic and an assessment of a condition of legal regulation in this field, results of the analysis of the information on the need for correspondence of Russian laws to provision of international treaties, concerning prohibitions of the biological and chemical weapon, safe handling with biological agents and chemicals, and also the development of uniform procedures of ensuring chemical and biological safety. The major aspect in the shaping of the legislation is the global character ofproblems of chemical and biological safety in this connection in article there is indicated the need of rapprochement of rules of law for this area with partners in economic cooperation and integration. Taking into account an orientation of future laws on the decrease in the level of the negative impact of dangerous chemical and biological factors on the population and environment, there are designated medical, social, economic and political consequences of their implementation. There are presented the proposed structure for bills: “About biological safety”, “On Chemical Safety” and “On the National collection of pathogens.

Relevance. The risks of emergency situations during mass events require the coordination of activities of respective structures and departments of the host country.Intention. Assessment of ensuring radiation, chemical and biological safety during the 2018 FIFA World Cup matches and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Kazan on the example of the Department of Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) in the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as the effectiveness of the forces and assets involved.Methodology. A retrospective analysis of interdepartmental cooperation and organization of control of the radiation, chemical and biological situation with the forces of Department of Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) in the Republic of Tatarstan, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Tatarstan, performing safety tasks before and during the 2018 FIFA World Cup matches and the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 in Kazan from 2015 to 2018.Results and Discussion. Before the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Kazan, industrial and infrastructure facilities were identified, which malfunction could jeopardize radiation, chemical and biological safety during the events. Organizational events were held for these facilities. Potentially dangerous processes were temporarily suspended. Laboratory and instrumental studies were conducted at the stage of reconstruction of the involved objects. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup matches and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Kazan, a two-level radiation, chemical and biological control system was organized. Interdepartmental interaction and interchange of information at the subject level in the field of radiation, chemical and biological safety was organized. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup matches and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Kazan, the radiation, chemical and biological situation was intensively monitored. Task forces were on duty for radiation, chemical and biological emergencies.Conclusion. To ensure radiation, chemical and biological safety, a model of interdepartmental interaction was used for mass events. An integrated approach to ensuring radiation, chemical and biological safety has made it possible to maintain a stable radiation, chemical and biological environment. Interdepartmental experience with radiation, chemical and biological safety can be implemented before and during international mass events.

Contemporary civilisation is inherently accompanied by diverse disasters, industrial accidents, infectious diseases and increasingly frequent terrorist attacks, especially those arising from religious beliefs. Those phenomena will unfortunately keep happening as civilisation and modern industrial branches develop, even though increasingly advanced protection means are developed and deployed. The risk of occurrence of unexpected emergencies connected with the use of chemical, biological or radiation substances requires constant hazards monitoring by the State Fire Service (SFS). The paper presents a review of statistical data pertaining to the SFS interventions with respect to the above mentioned types of hazards. The executed quantitative and qualitative analysis of potential hazards allowed determination of the most frequent hazards occurring on the territory of the Republic of Poland. The binding legal regulations provide that the SFS is the leading service for counteracting those hazards, and therefore it is of importance to monitor hazardous factors and to foresee any change trends. The review takes into account statistical data for chemical and radiological hazards from the years 2013-2017 and biological hazards in the years 2015-2017.

INTRODUCTION: The speed of intervention of Fire Brigade units has a direct impact on the chance of saving people’s lives and the effectiveness of rescue and fire-fighting operations. The aim of the research is to in­dicate the concentration of interventions and characteristics of events divided into the following: fire; local hazards; false alarms; time of arrival of the first fire brigade determined by distance; a comparison of the number of fire-fighters divided into groups of the Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) and State Fire Service (SFS); time of intervention; number of victims; and the need to support cooperating services i.e. police, medical rescue teams (MRT) and AMR Air Ambulance. METHODS: The study was carried out on the basis of reports of events registered by the SFS on duty. Data concerned the period January–March 2017. The study included Siemiatycze county in Podlaskie Province, Łosice county in Mazovia Province and Łukow county in Lublin Province. RESULTS: The frequency of events is higher in the countryside than in cities. The number of VFB in individual counties is similar with 119 in Łosice county and 129 in Łukow county with only 79 in Siemiatycze county, while the number of SFS hosts slightly differs in Łukow county (n = 131) from Łosice county (n = 76) and Siemiatycze county (n = 79), where this number is similar. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicates that: (1) SFS and VFB reaction time for interventions in our region does not differ from other data available in the literature; (2) this paper is of interest to workforce planners. We hope it provides important information to fire-fighters that should facilitate the maintenance of a successful and effective service.

National Firefighting and Rescue System (NFRS) has been created to protect population, property and environment within the territory of the Republic of Poland by the following activities: extinguishing fires, fighting against the local threats, chemical and ecological rescue operations, technical rescue operations and first medical aid. NFRS, as an integral part of the internal security system of the country, is financed by the Government. The Chief Commandant of the State Fire Service is the central body of the state administration responsible for organization and managing the NFRS. The system operates on three administrative levels corresponding with the administrative structure of the country: district (main executive level, where interventions are carried out by the district’s resources), regional (coordination and assistance to the rescue operations when resources in the district are insufficient) and national (rescue operations assistance and coordination when resources in the region are insufficient). The main purpose of this article is to present : tasks performed by the NFRS (National Firefighting and Rescue System), functioning of the system at three levels (district, regional and national), cooperation of the NFRS with subjects like Police, Border Guard, units of Voluntary Fire Brigade and many others.

Cel: The aim of the article is to identify directions for improving cooperation between the national rescue and firefighting system (KSRG) and local government units. The authors of this article have analysed the structure of KSRG and the powers of local government in the area of public safety, with particular emphasis on issues relating to the principles of operation, potential and tasks of the rescue and firefighting system, as well as the organizational structure of local government and its tasks in maintaining public safety. The discussion of the cooperative strategy of KSRG and local government units was also a contribution to formulating conclusions and postulates that can be used to set new directions for improving cooperation between the two entities. This is important due to the fact that they play an important role in building a security system for citizens and their property. Wprowadzenie: Ensuring security is one of the top priorities in every country’s policy. In the area of public safety, in addition to national units (State Fire Service, State Medical Rescue) and local government units, properly prepared, organized and specialized formations such as OSP, ZHP, WOPR, GOPR, TOPR and others also participate. Regardless of the type of security units, in any case, the identification of potential hazards is the basis for planning preventive measures, it allows to define the areas that involve the greatest risk of natural disasters and technical failures. Metodologia: The article uses theoretical research methods, including an analysis of the provisions of the Act on Fire Protection, the Regulation on the Detailed Organization of the National Rescue and Firefighting System, the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, the Act on Volunteer Fire Brigades and the acts regulating the status and tasks of local government. The article discusses the structure and tasks of the national rescue and firefighting system, with particular emphasis on the cooperation of KSRG with the local government units. The publication also formulates de lege ferenda postulates. While presenting proposals to improve the cooperation of entities operating within KSRG, the authors also used their knowledge and experience gained during many years of work and service for fire protection. Wnioski: The national rescue and firefighting system is an integral part of our country’s public safety system. The experience of recent years has confirmed that it is an effective guarantee of the safety of people and property, while its structure forms a coherent system of rescue forces and resources centred around various entities. Constant technological and political-economic changes impose the need to improve the system and adapt it to current social needs. Therefore, the development of KSRG still requires setting new tasks and looking for solutions to effectively achieve the goals of the system. An important element to improve the operation of KSRG is the construction of the best possible form of cooperation between the rescue formations of the PSP and OSP and local government, since effective security protection is not possible without the cooperation of government and local administration. Słowa kluczowe: public safety, rescue and firefighting system, local government, fire protection

Within the framework of the Polish National Emergency and Fire System (NEFS), tasks are realized in the areas of rescuing life, health and property of the citizens, as well as environmental protection. The purpose of this article is to depict the rules of the functioning of this system, with a special emphasis on State Fire Service, which plays a significant role in NEFS, among others as an organizer thereof. First, the origin and tasks of NEFS are presented, and the areas of Polish public security are indicated of which particular bodies associated in NEFS take care; the organization and tasks of State Fire Service are also outlined. Then, the place of NEFS and State Fire Service in crisis management is indicated. The presentation of the above issues allows the author to conclude that State Fire Service plays a leading role in multiple rescue operations and is a vital component of the system of internal security, e.g. as a pillar of NEFS.

This paper describes functioning of the National Rescue and Firefighting System (NRFS), a structureof cooperation in which both the resources (people and equipment) of the State Fire Service (SFS)and the Volunteer Fire Service (VFS) are included. The aim of the study is to analyse interventions ofthe State Fire Service units in life-threatening conditions caused by cardiac causes in the years 2020–2022.Materials needed for the analysis were provided by the Bureau of Operational Planning. Theobservations cover the period 2020–2022 in the territory of Poland. In the study use was made ofdata from the Decision Support System of the State Fire Service (DSS SFS), in which all interventionsof firefighters have been archived. In the SFS databases for the period 2020–2022, firefighters weredispatched to 8085 life-threatening interventions for causes classified according to the observationobjective, and namely cardiovascular disorders. Those interventions accounted for 1.39% of allMedical Rescue Operations. In the Lesser Poland Province, the highest number of interventionsconcerned sudden cardiac arrest/ cardiopulmonary resuscitation (SCA/CPR) (69%). Calls forcollapsing were most frequent in the Varmian-Mazurian Province (54%). The use of specializedequipment held by NRFS entities provides a variety of possibilities to support medical rescue entities.The SFS is the main service cooperating with the National Medical Rescue System during MRO.A faster arrival of firefighters in the case of incidents classified as Isolated Medical EmergencyIncidents (IMEI) can contribute to improving the prognosis of the victims, mainly in the SCA/CPRcategory, owing to a possibility of performing rapid defibrillation.