On 16 May, county-level exercises codenamed “Forest 2024” were held in the Węgliniec Forest District (Lisek Forestry District).
Bolesławiec County Headquarters of the State Fire Service:
The aim of the exercises was to test the “County Rescue Plan” and the “Procedures in the Event of a Forest Fire for the Węgliniec Forest District” with regard to rescue and firefighting operations, as well as cooperation between State Fire Service units and Volunteer Fire Service units included in the National Rescue and Firefighting System and other entities. The firefighters’ main task was to extinguish the forest fire by applying water streams, delivering water over long distances by pumping and transporting it, and organizing the operations headquarters and communications in the forest. In addition, the forest services involved two Dromader aircraft in the operation, whose task was to drop water on the simulated fire.
Bolesławiec firefighters add:
Furthermore, in view of the hazards associated with unexploded ordnance, an additional episode was carried out during the exercises. Some crews were tasked with conducting a search operation for a person suspected of planning a terrorist attack in the area of the railway embankment. The additional activities included locating an explosive device planted near the railway embankment, assisting a rescuer injured by the detonated device, and cooperating with the police during the search operation, with the participation of a Volunteer Fire Service crew equipped with a drone.
Five crews from the Bolesławiec County Headquarters of the State Fire Service and ten crews from Volunteer Fire Service units took part in the exercises, including teams with quad bikes and thermal-imaging drones, as well as a crew from the Military Fire Service in Świętoszów. Forces and resources from the Węgliniec Forest District, the Police, crisis management services from Osiecznica Municipality, and a bomb-disposal specialist with expertise in explosives, weapons and ammunition were involved in cooperation with the operations headquarters.
Uniformed services: – It should be added that the exercises were also attended by Senior Brigadier Piotr Grzyb, Deputy Lower Silesian Provincial Commander of the State Fire Service in Wrocław.
And they conclude: – The lessons learned from the exercises will be used when organizing firefighting operations for fires occurring in the Lower Silesian Forests, which cover a significant part of Bolesławiec County.