The objective is obvious. It is to save people trapped under the rubble from dying. Our forces are professional, effective, and have significant international experience in this area. The firefighters will stay there for as long as the situation demands. We are proud of our officers, and I believe they will save many lives now

said Minister Mariusz Kamiński.

During the meeting with firefighters, Deputy Minister Maciej Wąsik pointed out that the group was very quickly organised to set off for Turkey.

Tonight, we received information about a very dangerous earthquake in Turkey. Minister Mariusz Kamiński gave the go-ahead for the firefighters' rescue group to be formed and help Turkey. The firefighters will be independent and self-sufficient

 said the Deputy Head of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. 

Help starts immediately

During a briefing before the departure for Turkey, Commander-in-Chief of the National Fire Service, Brigadier General Andrzej Bartkowiak, provided details of the rescue mission.

We are flying to save people. Remember that the first ever firefighters' trip took place to Turkey in 1999. Today, history has come full circle, and we are going to this country again to bring help. We will be the only ones to land in the very epicentre of the quake. Our team will work non-stop in two locations simultaneously. The scale of the damage and our commitment will probably take us to the most difficult places

he stressed.

Artur Zaczyński, M.D. PhD, Head of the Humanitarian and Medical Aid Team, informed that a five-member reconnaissance team consisting of an anaesthesiologist, a nurse and three rescuers is flying to Turkey together with the firefighters.

Strong earthquake in Turkey and Syria

The earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, occurred in Turkey, in the Gaziantep Province. The epicentre was at a depth of 10 km, 37 km northwest of the city of Gaziantep, with a population of nearly 2 million people, located near the border with Syrian. Twenty aftershocks felt in, among others, Egypt, Lebanon and Cyprus, followed the initial tremor.

Polish firefighters in missions abroad

This is yet another rescue operation in which officers of the National Fire Service engage. In August 2022 in France, 146 firefighters and 49 vehicles operated in extinguishing peatland fires, cutting down burnt trees and building water supply systems. Each day, 120 rescuers and around 30 cars participated continuously in the operations.

In July last year, Polish firefighters and police officers assisted in fighting fires in the Czech Republic. During the five-day-action, Polish crews made 16 flights, dropping 1.467 million litres of water or 1,467 tonnes on the burning forests. Our firefighters and police officers spent 39 hours in the air. Besides, they got involved in, among others, rescue missions in Greece (2021) and Lebanon (2020).