Joint Polish-German exercises were held on the last weekend of July. Thirty firefighters took part: fifteen representing the Nowogrodziec municipality and the same number representing Grossdubrau. The exercises were supervised by Józef Potyszka, President of the Czerna Volunteer Fire Department; Andrzej Mierzwa, Chief of the Czerna Volunteer Fire Department; Peter Schuman, President of OSP Crosta; and Junior Captain Jerzy Kieler, Deputy Commander of the County Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Bolesławiec.
The exercise programme was varied. It included training on hazards occurring in Czerna and the Nowogrodziec municipality. The firefighters practised working together during various firefighting operations and familiarised themselves with the firefighting equipment used by the Czerna Volunteer Fire Department. The guests from Germany trained using Polish hydraulic equipment for rescuing people injured in road accidents. Exercises were also held in mixed teams. The Polish and German firefighters trained in fighting fires in rural areas, dealing with the consequences of road accidents and providing first aid.
The exercises concluded with a review of the cooperation to date and the setting of its future directions. The topics of meetings for the Youth Fire Brigades from Czerna and Grossdubrau, scheduled for 13 and 14 August, were also agreed.
Cooperation between the Fire Service of the Nowogrodziec Municipality and that of the Grossdubrau Municipality is based on a Partnership Agreement dated 23 October 1999. The agreement sets out the principles of cooperation between the fire service units and concerns joint action and mutual assistance in fighting fires and natural disasters. The agreement enables the exchange of experience and the participation of Polish and German firefighters in joint training.