Burning issue of Port Fire Department in Polish ports

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Written by Agnieszka Milanowska

Ownership changes in the Polish economy have not bypassed Polish ports including the agency responsible for fire protection in the port - the port fire brigade. The problem arose with the entry into force of the  Act on fire protection from 1991, which meant that fire brigade losing the legal basis for its activities, found itself outside the structures of the State Fire Service.
 

For incomprehensible reasons appropriate provisions weren’t done requiring the maintenance of fire brigades in Polish ports and large enterprises. In view of the broad port security and the environment protection, any changes to regulations that reduce fire safety are unjustified and are a threat to the companies.
There are no laws requiring maintenance of fire fighting units by companies engaged in the business causing a major threat to the environment and the urban population within which they operate in ports, helps to get rid of these units and simultaneously incurring the costs of maintaining fire protection specialist. An example of this action in Polish ports is jest Zarząd Morskiego Portu Gdynia S.A. (ZMPG), which with the support of the Director of Maritime Office in Gdynia is going to liquidate Port Fire Service at the port of Gdynia (ship “Strażak 14”).

With such a view does not agree the Board of Representation at the ZMPG S.A., which applied to the Presidium of Polish Seafarers’ Union to urgently hold a meeting with representatives of the Government.
On 13.01.2011r. Polish Seafarers’ Union issued a letter to the Ministry of Infrastructure requesting a meeting with Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure Ms. Anna Wypych - Namiotko. This appointment was fixed at 31 January 2011. from which relationships are outlined here (in polish). (Union has an electronic record of the meeting)


Legal opinion on the effects of fire-fighting vessel decommissioning "Strażak 14 " and the current legal status of ships and port security can be found here (in polish.)