Abstract
Aim: The development of civilization is accompanied by new threats, which were previously unknown to mankind. One of the major and characteristic threats in the XX and XXI century, is the threat of contamination. This article describes the national system for detection of and warning about contamination hazards, and its operation within prevailing systems which exist in Poland.
Introduction: In the recent past we experienced the effects of many natural disasters, which culminated in the contamination of the environment. Tragically, industrial accidents (Bhopal, Czarnobyl), led to thousands of casualties. Organisations, whose modus operandi involves the sowing of terror, focus on intimidation of whole communities utilising all available means, including weapons of mass destruction. This article identifies the national approach adopted to counter such threats, in particular the National System for Contamination Detection and Alarm (NSCDA). The NSCDA and its tasks are described in context of responsibilities laid down by law. It is essential for the effective operation of the system for participating services engaged in operations, who previously discharged their responsibilities in an uncoordinated way, to be functionally aligned and controlled by one body. The work of uniformed and non uniformed rescue services should be co-ordinated by a Dispatch Control Centre in order to optimise operational functionality and secure synergy. Additionally, the article describes approaches for improving the NSCDA through training and exercises, proposes essential development perspectives.
Conclusions: The NSCDA has functioned since 2006 and is a living system, which is adapted to changes, depending on the challenges, needs and tasks which emerge over time. Solutions presented in this paper should be constantly monitored and emerging environmental changes should influence appropriate changes to the system. Such adaptations should be propagated and incorporated in the training syllabus for personnel undergoing training in rescue techniques as well as crisis management. Equally, organisations which are also concerned with such problems, but currently not integrated within NSCDA e.g. Local Government Authorities, should implement such changes. It is appropriate to develop a monitoring system dedicated to the detection of contamination threats as well as engage the information system PROMIEN, at different levels, institutions and services involved with the problem of crisis response.
Keywords: terrorism, contamination, hazardous substances, National System of Detection and Alarm, flood, CBRN
Type of article: review article