Abstract
Aim: Increasingly in Poland during rescue and firefighting operations firefighters encounter problems associated with no access to buildings, while the personnel is absent. The problem is not limited to the issue of accessing the building from the outside (the front door, the door for rescue teams), but it also concerns accessing internal rooms. Practical and operational aspects of applying systems of emergency key boxes (sKSP) while conducting fire and rescue operations, as well as formal and technical conditions of their application are presented in the article. It is a result of close cooperation (implementation) of building owners (where this solution was implemented), District Headquarters of the State Fire Service – the providers of technical solutions and Scientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection – National Research Institute.
Introduction: The problem of accessing a building, in the absence of its personnel during rescue and firefighting operations is presented in the paper. Hereinafter, solutions which are already being used and those which can be applied were described. Based on research, developed concepts and guidelines, as well as testing sKSP solutions, the scope of application of these devices was proposed. In practice this may mean that frequently a fire brigade which arrives at the scene will face the problem of accessing a building when there are no external signs of fire.
Methodology: TIn order to ensure access for a fire brigade to a building in the absence of its personnel a concept was developed, technical, organizational and procedural solutions were selected, and then a proposed system of emergency key boxes was implemented and tested in practice. This is an example of practical cooperation between the owner of the building, the State Fire Service, the research institute and suppliers of products and services. Their common goal is to provide access to a building in case of a fire.
Conclusions: Finally, the article consists of conclusions of the work carried out to develop the concept, of the preparation of guidelines in this area as well as of testing and implementation of the sKSP systems in three buildings in the country. Benefits resulting from using sKSP arising both for the owners of the buildings and the emergency services were described. Presented solutions are a convenience for firefighters, as well as an important element in the concept of building safety; they also minimize losses associated with conducting rescue and firefighting operations for the owner, manager and / or building occupant.
Keywords: fire protection, rescue, firefighters emergency key boxes, access to a building for firefighters
Type of article: review article