A talk about lightnings and protection from them, about types of lightning-conductors and their features - Andrzej Sowa, PhD. Eng., the head of the Department of Telecommunications and Electronic Equipment of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Białystok Technical University answers the questions of Anna Łańduch.
High Water in Lower Silesia
The flood which occurred in Lower Silesia at the end of June was the greatest one since 1997. Rainfalls, cloudbursts and storms alerted rescue services; usually innocent-looking streams turned into torrents washing away bridges and flooding households. By Lech Lewandowski.
Unpredictable Element
For thousands of people living in the Podkarpackie region the end of June and the beginning of July turned out to be tragic. Over 2,000 buildings and 28,000 ha of agricultural area were flooded or inundated. Water destroyed 1,200 km of commune, district and regional roads and damaged 215 bridges. Material losses were estimated at the level of 381.5 million zloty. One person died in the flood. By Zdzisław Wójcik.
Struggle With Element
A local radio in Legnica broadcast an announcement about expected gales and storms at 5.30 pm on 23 July. There was nothing strange about this - this year such weather has become something normal in Lower Silesia. That is why the life in Legnica went on in its usual rhythm. By Lech Lewandowski.
Storms in Greater Poland
Ten thousand firefighters were removing consequences of a storm which hit Greater Poland on 23 July. This was another climate anomaly which appeared in this region. By Sławomir Brandt.
Firefighters for Mass Media
Fires, accidents, failures and natural disasters have always been interesting for the mass media. Journalists expect quick, reliable and possibly full information from the rescue services about the actions taken and about threats. By Paweł Frątczak.
Flash Flood - Can Be Predicted?
In spite of new experiences and increasingly better systems of hydrometeorological monitoring, floods can still surprise us. Particularly dangerous are the floods resulting from rainstorms. Such spates, concerning mainly rivers in the mountains, occur usually locally. Because of their dynamic development, they can turn into a disaster. Such floods are called flash floods. By Aleksander Kucharczyk.
Small Fire - Many Threats
It can happen that institutions created to help other people and save lives, need help themselves. Fire in the St. Raphael Hospital in Czerwona Góra near Kielce, which occurred on 30 June, can serve as an example of such a situation. This has been the fourth fire in a hospital on the area controlled by the City HQ of the SFS in Kielce, and second one in the hospital in Czerwona Góra in this year. The other two fires were started by patients in mental hospitals. By Krzysztof Janicki.
Thatched Roof on Fire
Fires of wooden buildings with thatched roofs are not a problem anymore, but they are a real challenge for every fire protection unit nowadays. This can be confirmed by all those who participated for over 20 hours in extinguishing the fire which broke out on 19 May in Dwór Kasztelana in Koziegłowy - a wooden complex composed of a restaurant and a hotel with reed roofs. By Jarosław Wojtasik.
Together on a Dam
Drills on a dam in Pilchowice included, among other things, evacuation from a 70-meter wall and extinguishing the fire, which broke out there. It was another important element of the EU pilot project "Trans-border flood fighting". By Lech Lewandowski.
Birthday Drill on Dar Pomorza
On 13 May this year, the crew of the museum ship Dar Pomorza noticed smoke astern. An alarm was launched, the captain ordered evacuation, there were some attempts made to put down the fire - this is how the beginning of the drill can be described. The drill was conducted by firefighters from Gdynia preparing for the Tall Ships Races 2009 gathering largest sailing ships on the annual sailing regatta, which took place at the beginning of July in Gdynia. Report by Filip Wiedrycki.
Rescuers in Khaki
If there were a ranking of the most modern airport Military Fire Service, fit for the 21st century, probably the 31st Tactical Air Base in Poznań Krzesiny would be the winner. This is a unit with 80-man crew, high-tech rescue and extinguishing equipment and a fire station of 2,000 square metres and 11,700 cubic metres. An average airport military fire service unit is still far from achieving this standard, which does not mean that they do not manage that well with fulfilling their duties. On the contrary, worn-out equipment and shortage of the personnel motivate them for even higher alertness and protecting the activities of pilots. By Elżbieta Przyłuska.
Single-Family House (Part 1)
Fire prevention in building industry is nothing nice and easy. Moreover, there is no compilation of basic principles one can learn and start with before dealing with more complex issues. There are many exceptions, references and additional conditions which have to be met. Prevention knowledge may rise to even 15,000 pages of legal acts, decrees, norms and interpretations. By Paweł Rochala.
Congress for Professionals
The All-Polish Fire Service Congress, which took place at the end of July in Warsaw, was an opportunity to exchange experiences concerning fire prevention. Over 400 persons participated in the congress, including representatives of the SFS and VFS, design offices dealing with building protection and experts. By Agnieszka Wójcik.
Reaction on Fire of Building Materials
Fire hazard properties of building materials are of special importance, particularly in the first stage of fire development. Proper selection of building materials can provide safety, enable effective evacuation and decrease the pace of fire spreading and at the same time decrease the losses resulting from the destructive power of fire. By Daniel Małozięć.
Mourning a Loss
Human life is inseparably connected with suffering different losses. Some of them are heavy enough to cause an emotional trauma which can develop into a crisis. Death of a beloved person, break-up of a relationship or a divorce can serve as examples of such a loss. By Paulina Kozień.
Anniversary Fire-Hoses in Jastrzębie Zdrój
There is a kind of magic power and finesse in old horse-drawn manual fire hoses. Although some of them are over 100 years old, they are fully operational and instead of being displayed in a museum, they are successfully used in different events, like the 5th Horse-Drawn Fire Engines Competition of the Silesia Province. By Marek Pisarek.
Russia (Part 1)
This article is devoted to Russia - a huge country with great fire service traditions, not only when it comes to education, but also to the know-how. I would like to present the most important fire service distinctions awarded to the representatives of Russian and foreign rescue services, including firefighters, by the National Award Fund of the Russian Federation. Orders and distinctions are given to those, who were dedicated to service and work for Russian state and nation for many years or showed exceptional courage and sacrifice during struggle with the element of fire, water or air. By Krzysztof Krężel
Fire in Water
Wins of Magdalena Bielenia in swimming or water rescue are not accidental. This is a proof that she realizes her dreams consistently and bravely and, at the same time, she does a lot for other people. By Elżbieta Przyłuska.
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