Introduction:The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of the procedure for clearing the respiratory tract and updated qualified first aid (QFA) 1a and 2a procedures by firefighters serving in State Fire Service (SFS) rescue and firefighting units, and their knowledge of the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Material and methods:The cross-sectional study covered 19 408 firefighters (officers serving in SFS rescue and firefighting units from all over Poland). The study was conducted using the diagnostic survey method, the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique consisting of a set of particulars regarding a specific officer and the appropriate medical part of the survey.Results: In the group of 19,408 respondents, 99.31% were men (n = 19,275), while women accounted for 0.69% (n = 133; p < 0.001). The age of the respondents was in the range of 18-66 years, and the average age was 35.88 ± 7.14 years. The length of service was 11.95 ± 6.44 years. The knowledge of procedures 1a and 2a declared by the respondents [OR = 1.51 (95% CI: 1.22-1.86), x 2 = 14.76], the ability to operate a suction unit [OR = 1.73 (95% CI: 1.44-2.08, x 2 = 34.58)], the frequency of airway clearance training (p < < 0.001, x 2 = 61.74). Only 15% of respondents used a suction unit on an injured person during operations. Conclusions:The knowledge of firefighters in the subject matter covered by the analysis is diverse, some firefighters have additional experience and practice from working in health care units. Professional development in the field of QFA supplemented with procedures 1a and 2a may translate into a lower risk of infection associated with airway clearing in the era of the pandemic. There is a visible need for constant training of SFS officers in terms of medical activities to maintain the knowledge of firefighters at a high initial level.

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Purpose:The aim of the article is to present the obstacles which constitute the so-called "barrier effect" while exploring the area of urban search and rescue operations on the first day after an earthquake. It also includes preliminary results of research conducted under the implementation project "EASeR", aimed at developing procedures and outlines for fire-fighters from Italy, helping them minimise the "barrier effect". They may also prove useful for other countries. Introduction: In the introduction, the authors outline the circumstances of the establishing of the INSARAG International Search and Rescue Advisory Group at the UN and its European counterpart with a broader spectrum of responsibilities (the EU Civil Protection Mechanism), along with the legal basis for the organisation, as well as recall the international guidelines defining standards and methodologies for the Search and Rescue Groups (GPR). The mechanism is responsible not only for USAR but also for almost 20 types of different civil protection assets. The authors also recall the whole cycle of the GPR mission, along with examples of natural disasters and circumstances that have led to the launching of the EASeR project. Finally, the assumptions of the project and its partners are presented. Methodology:The initial research material related to the subject matter in question included international UN and EU normative documents establishing the organisational and operational standards for the conduction of actions, and the operation of search and rescue groups (USAR), as well as exemplary EU implementation projects. The identification of the initial "obstacles limiting the conduction of initial assessments (ASR 1-3) at the scene of action, defined by Italian fire-fighters from Pisa as a "barrier effect", was the starting point for a wider analysis of the facts, and the development of a questionnaire and international surveys, using a diagnostic survey in over a dozen countries around the world. Conclusions:The quantitative data and opinions on the main obstacles encountered during the disaster reconnaissance allowed the project experts to confirm or reject the pre-assumptions for the projected content of the final project documents, and during further meetings, it was possible to develop the final versions of operational procedures indexes for emergency services in Italy, as well as the index of guidelines for international USAR in the field of reconnaissance in the initial phase (the so-called ASR 1-3). After the consultation of the final project documents (procedures and guidelines), as a result of the collected opinions and further expert work, the second phase of the project was to take place.