State Fire Service
State Fire Service (Polish: Państwowa Straż Pożarna, PSP) is a fire fighting professional service of Poland. It is subordinate to the Ministry of Interior. History of fire fighting services in Poland dates to the medieval times. The modern State Fire Service is based on the 1992 legislation.
Państwowa Straż Pożarna PSP | |
State Fire Service headquarters in Warsaw | |
Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1 July 1992 |
Preceding |
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Jurisdiction | Poland |
Headquarters | Warsaw |
Parent agency | Ministry of Interior and Administration (Poland) |
Website | http://www.straz.gov.pl/ |
State Fire Service is a professional firefighting service (24h) that covers whole territory from their stations in cities and towns. In all the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland - powiat (county, district), fire brigades operating like Komenda Powiatowa Państwowej Straży Pożarnej with fire brigade command and also one or several fire stations (Jednostka Ratowniczo-Gaśnicza JRG). They belong to the 16 main Voivodeships departments headquarters (Komenda Wojewódzka Państwowej Straży Pożarnej).
Professional firefighters units (PSP, JRG) respond immediately after the alarm although in the districts are often assisted by volunteers associated in Voluntary Fire Service (Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna, OSP) with more like 15 700 fire stations in Poland. OSP units are called only if it necessary for help professional firefighters units (PSP, JRG).
Structure
- National Headquarters of the State Fire Service (Warsaw)
- Provincial Headquarters in Białystok
- Provincial Headquarters in Gdańsk
- Provincial Headquarters in Gorzów Wielkopolski
- Provincial Headquarters in Katowice
- Provincial Headquarters in Kielce
- Provincial Headquarters in Kraków
- Provincial Headquarters in Lublin
- Provincial Headquarters in Łódź
- Provincial Headquarters in Olsztyn
- Provincial Headquarters in Opole
- Provincial Headquarters in Poznań
- Provincial Headquarters in Rzeszów
- Provincial Headquarters in Szczecin
- Provincial Headquarters in Toruń
- Provincial Headquarters in Warszawa
- Provincial Headquarters in Wrocław
Each Provincial Headquarters supervises District Headquarters (335 in 2019) and fire-fighting units.
- Main School of Fire Service
- Central School of State Fire Service in Częstochowa
- School of Aspirants of the State Fire Service in Kraków
- School of Aspirants of the State Fire Service in Poznań
- Non-commissioned Officers School of the State Fire Service in Bydgoszcz
Voluntary Fire Service
In Poland local inhabitants may create not professional a Voluntary Fire Service (Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna, OSP) under proper law. Such volunteer fire service may receive a financial help from the government for the equipment and staff training. In certain areas of Poland almost every town and village has a volunteer fire service. Volunteer fire service is fully integrated with the emergency system. Any call to fire emergency number is routed to the nearest State Fire Service (PSP) station in powiat (Komenda Powiatowa PSP). After the alarm, the volunteers going to the fire station (OSP) and then responding.
Ranks and rank insignia
I corps - enlisted rank | |
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Strażak Firefighter Private E1 | Starszy strażak Senior firefighter Private E2 |
II corps - non-commissioned officers | ||||
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Sekcyjny Squad Leader Private First Class | Starszy sekcyjny Senior Squad Leader Specialist | Młodszy ogniomistrz Junior Firemaster Corporal | Ogniomistrz Firemaster Staff-Sergeant | Starszy ogniomistrz Senior Firemaster Sergeant 1st Class |
III corps - aspirants | |||
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Młodszy aspirant Junior Aspirant Sergeant 1st Class | Aspirant Aspirant Master Sergeant | Starszy aspirant Senior Aspirant Sergeant-Major | Aspirant sztabowy Staff Aspirant Command Sergeant Major |
IV corps - junior officers | ||
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Młodszy kapitan Junior Captain Second Lieutenant | Kapitan Captain Lieutenant | Starszy kapitan Senior Captain Captain |
V corps - senior officers | ||
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Młodszy brygadier Junior Brigadier Major | Brygadier Brigadier Lieutenant Colonel | Starszy brygadier Senior Brigadier Colonel |
VI corps - generals | |
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Nadbrygadier Chief Brigadier Brigadier General | Generał brygadier Brigadier General Major General |
Source:[1]
Firefighters from State Fire Service (PSP, JRG) use red helmets. Firefighters from Voluntary Fire Service (OSP) use white helmets.
See also
- Ochotnicza straż pożarna w Polsce Volunteer Fire Brigade (Polish)
- Warsaw Fire Guard (Defunct)
- Zakładowa straż pożarna Factory Fire Guards (Polish)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Firefighting in Poland. |
- Official homepage, English language version