ORLEN Donates Millions to Firefighters for Training and Equipment

ORLEN is allocating 20 million Polish zloty to support firefighters through its "ORLEN na straży" program, now in its 25th year. This initiative aims to bolster the safety and operational readiness of both volunteer (Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna) and select state (Państwowa Straż Pożarna) fire units across Poland.

The funding will facilitate the acquisition of modern rescue and protective equipment, vehicles, and crucial training for firefighters. A significant emphasis, at least 20% of the grants, is now directed towards enhancing firefighter qualifications. This includes specialized training in areas such as qualified first aid, safely extinguishing fires in electric vehicles, and advanced rescue techniques for heights, water, and chemical incidents.

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Our support for firefighters is part of ORLEN's broader, systemic approach to safety, because we know that behind every rescue operation are people who rush to help others without hesitation. They are the first on the scene where health and life are threatened, and the scale and complexity of interventions are growing year by year. That is why for 25 years we have been consistently developing the "ORLEN na straży" program, planning aid in a long-term and responsible manner. In the jubilee edition, we are allocating PLN 20 million for this purpose, strengthening both the equipment of the units and the competencies of the rescuers.

Recognizing evolving risks, the program has been updated for 2024 to address new threats stemming from climate change and technological advancements. Firefighters are increasingly responding to large-scale fires, including prolonged forest fires, and incidents involving modern technologies like photovoltaic panels, energy storage, and electric vehicles, which require different firefighting strategies. The program also supports the mental well-being of firefighters, offering psychological aid to mitigate the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder.

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The goal of the program is to improve firefighter safety, increase their operational readiness, and strengthen the rescue system in Poland. The program operates in the form of grants that units can use for, among other things, the purchase of rescue and protective equipment, vehicles and their equipment, but also for training and courses.