Earlier, the firefighters personalized the leaflets by entering the telephone numbers of municipal vaccination coordinators on each one. From 19 to 21 March 2021, 14 volunteer fire departments from Bolesławiec County were involved.
The materials are primarily intended for digitally excluded residents who do not use Internet resources, are often alone or cannot manage information from other sources. The leaflets include, among other things, information on how to register for vaccination.
As part of the National Vaccination Programme, firefighters help people who are unable to get there on their own reach COVID-19 vaccination points. The initiative is carried out in cooperation with local government units.
As we managed to establish, volunteer firefighters distribute the leaflets on a voluntary basis, helping people in difficult situations. The state, meanwhile, has offered assistance to volunteer fire departments that become involved in the form of a targeted grant of PLN 5,000. The money may be used for the department’s needs, such as firefighting equipment.
At the end of 2020, a letter of intent was signed at the headquarters of the Association of Volunteer Fire Brigades of the Republic of Poland by the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, the Association of Volunteer Fire Brigades of the Republic of Poland and the Headquarters of the State Fire Service concerning cooperation in implementing the National Vaccination Programme.
As we read on the website of the Association of Volunteer Fire Brigades of the Republic of Poland:
The Association of Volunteer Fire Brigades of the Republic of Poland was represented by Waldemar Pawlak, President of the Main Board of the Association of OSP RP. On behalf of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, the letter was signed by Michał Dworczyk, Minister-Member of the Council of Ministers and Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. The representative of the Headquarters of the State Fire Service was brig. gen. Andrzej Bartkowiak, Chief Commandant of the State Fire Service.
The parties jointly declared their willingness to cooperate in conducting safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations as part of the National Vaccination Programme.
The Main Board of the Association of OSP RP declared its involvement in the public communication and education process aimed at building trust in the vaccination strategy, access to vaccinations and the vaccine itself.
In order to safeguard our shared security, the Main Board of the Association of OSP RP also declared the involvement of volunteer fire departments in the vaccination process and encouraging the public to decide voluntarily to join the programme. It undertook to help citizens arrange transport to vaccination points and a safe return home.