On Monday, March 16, the county-level qualifiers of the National Firefighting Knowledge Tournament concluded in the gymnasium of the Mechanical Schools Complex. More than 60 people took part in the competition: students from primary schools, lower secondary schools and upper secondary schools.
In the primary school category, the winner was Sebastian Pilarczyk from Primary School No. 1 in Bolesławiec. Anna Gołębiowska came second, while Kamil Dąbal placed third.
In the lower secondary school category, the first prize went to Paulina Maciaszczyk from the school in Świętoszów. Tomasz Widomski came second, and Mateusz Kopeć third. “I did not expect to win,” admits the winner, who has been taking part in firefighting knowledge competitions since the fourth grade of primary school. This year, she won for the first time. As it turns out, it was not a coincidence. “I would really like to become a firefighter,” says Paulina. “My father and grandfather are firefighters. I want to continue the family tradition,” she adds.
The winner of the first place in the upper secondary school category also wants to work in the fire service – Jolanta Pitek from the Second General Secondary School. The winner is a member of the volunteer fire service and a supervisor of a youth firefighting team. “I see my future in the fire service,” says Jolanta.
Łukasz Nowakowski came second in the upper secondary school category, while Marcin Zawada placed third.
“In previous years, we prepared the questions with the regional stage in mind. This year, they are easier,” Zbigniew Bożęcki tells the IstotneInformacje.pl portal. Zbigniew Bożęcki, president of the County Board of the Association of Volunteer Fire Brigades of the Republic of Poland. “If thanks to this competition even one child broadens their knowledge of firefighting, then it is worth organizing tournaments of this kind,” he adds.
“Why do we organize this tournament? Partly out of passion, and partly because we want young people to catch the firefighting bug and help others,” emphasizes Grzegorz Kocon, county commander of the State Fire Service in Bolesławiec. “The more firefighting knowledge takes root at a young age, the greater the chance that the tournament participants will grow into wiser and more responsible people.”
(GA information)