The county commandant of the State Fire Service in Bolesławiec, junior brigadier Andrzej Śliwowski, and the president of the County Branch Board of the Volunteer Fire Brigades Association of the Republic of Poland in Bolesławiec, firefighter Zbigniew Bożęcki, invited residents of Bolesławiec County on 27 May to celebrations of Firefighter’s Day and the ceremony marking the handover of a medium fire engine to the Bolesławiec fire and rescue unit.
Before the official proceedings, employees and officers of the State Fire Service, as well as female and male firefighters from volunteer fire brigades in Bolesławiec County, together with invited guests, attended a Mass offered for firefighters. The service was held at the Bolesławiec Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The ceremony’s co-host, junior brigadier Andrzej Śliwowski, then welcomed the invited guests in the Market Square. In particular, these included representatives of local government administration, led by Bolesławiec County Starost Karol Stasik, as well as representatives of county services, inspectorates and uniformed services, units of the Polish Armed Forces, forestry districts, and city and county commanders from neighbouring counties. Above all, he welcomed the firefighters of Bolesławiec County, who attended the ceremony displaying their units’ banners and fire vehicles.
As reported on the website of the County Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Bolesławiec:
The ceremonial assembly held for Firefighter’s Day provided an opportunity to offer heartfelt thanks to State Fire Service officers and volunteer firefighters for their daily service, full of dedication and sacrifice. The awarding of decorations and promotions by their superiors was the best illustration of this.
The Presidium of the Board of the Lower Silesian Provincial Branch of the Volunteer Fire Brigades Association in Wrocław awarded:
Gold Medals for Merit to the Fire Service:
- firefighter Leszek PRUSAK
- firefighter Krzysztof BOLUK.
Silver Medals for Merit to the Fire Service:
- firefighter Jarosław NENKIN
- firefighter Arkadiusz NENKIN
- firefighter Robert PALCZAK
- firefighter Sławomir PRUSAK
- firefighter Rajmund MAKIEŁA.
Bronze Medals for Merit to the Fire Service:
- female firefighter Jolanta MAJEWSKA
- firefighter Jacek BRAM
- firefighter Krzysztof PRUSAK
- firefighter Dariusz PRUSAK
- firefighter Ryszard CZŁONKA.
The medals were presented by vice-president of the Board of the Lower Silesian Provincial Branch of the Volunteer Fire Brigades Association in Wrocław, firefighter Henryk Leśków, and president of the Board of the County Branch of the Volunteer Fire Brigades Association in Bolesławiec, firefighter Zbigniew Bożęcki.
By decision of the Minister of the Interior, warrant officer Wojciech Rosiak was promoted to junior captain. Promotions granted by the Lower Silesian Provincial Commander of the State Fire Service went to:
- fire master:
- junior fire master Łukasz JUNG
- junior fire master Daniel SAWKA
- junior fire master Piotr SZWED
- senior squad leader:
- squad leader Janusz BLECHARZ
- squad leader Marek DANIELCZUK
- squad leader Piotr INDULA
- squad leader Wojciech MAJEWSKI
- squad leader Maciej MARCINKIEWICZ
- squad leader:
- senior firefighter Jacek BRAM.
The county commander of the State Fire Service in Bolesławiec awarded the following rank in the non-commissioned officers’ corps:
- senior firefighter:
- firefighter Michał BRZEZOWSKI
- firefighter Tomasz MIUS.
On behalf of the Lower Silesian Provincial Commander of the State Fire Service, the promotions were presented by brigadier Łukasz Winkowski, head of the Human Resources Department of the Provincial Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Wrocław, Łukasz Winkowski, and junior brigadier Andrzej Śliwowski.
(In addition, seven officers of the Bolesławiec command received promotions to higher service posts).
In recognition of their major involvement in organizing and conducting rescue operations in Bolesławiec on 10 May, Mayor Piotr Roman presented material awards to two firefighters from the County Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Bolesławiec. For operations in Bolesławiec Municipality, Mayor Andrzej Dudkowski presented material awards to four firefighters from volunteer fire brigade units in Bolesławiec Municipality.
The second part of the ceremony involved the handover and blessing of the fire engine received through the EU project “Improving the rescue system in rail transport – under the Infrastructure and Environment Programme 2014–2020”.
After reading a letter of intent from the Chief Commander of the State Fire Service, Major General Leszek Suski, Brigadier Łukasz Winkowski presented Commander Śliwowski with the handover document for the new vehicle for the County Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Bolesławiec. The vehicle was blessed by Prelate Andrzej Jarosiewicz.
At the end of the ceremony, marking the centenary of Poland’s regaining independence, the orchestra played the March of the First Brigade, a song of the Polish Legions commanded by Józef Piłsudski.
The laying of flowers by a delegation of firefighters at the monument to Fighting Poland also commemorated the centenary of the restoration of independence.
At the end of the ceremony, the many residents and firefighters’ families gathered in the square could listen to a concert performed by the municipal orchestra, songs performed by the vocal studio of the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre – International Ceramics Centre, and a performance by the Retro cabaret group from Trzebień, featuring firefighter Zbigniew Bożęcki.