Abstract
Aim: Securing of interior firefighting actions and providing assistance to downed firefighters are relatively new issues to Polish firefighting. Few recent years brought not only favourable changes in legal regulations but also a number of undertakings helping the popularization of the problem. Speeches at conferences, numerous articles or the publication of a textbook for in-service training supported a broad discussion on the ways of realization of the mentioned issues. It led to strengthening of international cooperation in this field and organizing in Olsztyn an international rescue workshop with participation of firefighters from Germany and Austria united in the association Atemschutzunfaelle.eu. Nearly 30 people for 3 days shared knowledge and experiences on existing regulations, organizational solutions and applied rescue techniques. Joint lectures and practical training allowed for posing some important questions and finding answers to some of them as well as identifying new problems and challenges. The article elaborates on the theoretical part of the workshop, summarizing issues raised during speeches of the speakers from individual countries.
Keywords: rescue workshop, international cooperation, downed firefighter, rapid intervention