RESCUE CARRIED OUT IN WATER AREAS BY FIREFIGHTING UNITS IN POLAND IN THE YEARS 2020-2022

Background
The aim of the work was the analysis of the interventions of firefighting units in water areas in the years 2020-2022 in Poland taking into account the victims and the risks to the health of the rescuers.

Material and methods
The paper uses the data originating from the Decision Support System of the State Fire Service (SFS), which have been made available by the Bureau of Operational Planning and the Commander-in-Chief’s Bureau. The analyzed material spans three years: 2020, 2021 and 2022. The digital data from the Decision Support System were recorded in accordance with the guidelines of the National General Command of the SFS.

Results
According to the SFS’s records, in the years 2020-2022 rescue services intervened 1.77 mln times, including 17,938 in water areas. The interventions of firefighters in water areas constituted approx. 1% of all interventions carried out in the investigated years. Among all the interventions in water areas in the years 2020-2022, 1,029 were operations under water and under ice.

Conclusions
The most operations in water areas take place in coastal voivodeships, and those with lakelands that are attractive in the holiday period. In order for the operations to be effective, it is important for services and entities specialized in rescue in water areas to cooperate with each other. Water rescue also means risk to the rescuers who are involved in accidents during rescue operations each year. The statistics of drownings in the last decade have a downward trend, which may be related to greater social awareness, but also to the development of water rescue.