On 5–6 October 2026 r., exercises in civil protection and civil defence, named “October 2026”, were held in Bolesławiec County. Their aim was to test readiness to respond in crisis situations and improve cooperation between services, inspectorates, fire brigades and the administration.
One of the most important elements of the exercises was testing the operation of the County Office and the County Crisis Management Centre during a power network failure. As part of the scenario, it was necessary to provide emergency power to the building using a generator. Activities related to organising the work of the PCZK and ensuring the continuity of its tasks were also carried out.
The exercises also included activities at the “SURMIN-KAOLIN” S.A. Mineral Resources Mine in Nowogrodziec. The scenario assumed several incidents requiring the involvement of significant forces and resources from the national rescue and firefighting system, including specialist technical rescue groups. Exercises included, among other things, responding to a road incident and searching for missing people in the excavation area.
Another element involved practising procedures to be followed in the event of a threat in the building of the County Family Support Centre. The scenario assumed the receipt of a shipment containing an unidentified substance. In connection with the incident, employees and people present in the endangered building were evacuated, and procedures for notifying the services and relevant authorities were also tested.
During the two-day exercises, the response to other crisis situations was also tested, including water contamination in swimming-pool facilities, an epizootic threat and a power supply failure at the Water Supply, Sewerage and Treatment Plant in Gromadka. An important element was also practising the response to false information appearing on social media and preparing official announcements for residents.
The exercises were attended by representatives of the County Office, the County Crisis Management Centre, municipalities in the county, the State and Volunteer Fire Service, as well as services, inspectorates and units involved in carrying out civil protection and civil defence tasks.
The exercises provided an opportunity to practically test the applicable procedures, methods of exchanging information and cooperation between the individual entities. The conclusions drawn from their course will support further improvements to Bolesławiec County’s preparedness to respond to crisis situations.