CANPACK proudly supports the heroic volunteer firefighters who save lives and respond to all kinds of needs at the heart of local communities across Poland.
Courage, Generosity and Dedication
Volunteer Fire Brigades (VFB) are a cornerstone of the fire and rescue system in Poland.
There are over 15,000 VFB units across the country with 245,000 firefighters who are always ready to respond to emergencies.
Currently, over 50 CANPACK employees are volunteer firefighters in various VFB units, which often benefit from financial support through The CANPACK Foundation.
Such brave volunteers are rightly seen as symbols of safety, service and solidarity in their own towns and villages. They have enjoyed the highest level of public trust in any social organisation for years.
While they work in cooperation with the State Fire Service, these real-life super-heroes are ordinary people with other jobs, who give up their spare time to train to a professional standard in order to help others and save lives.
“We Don’t Ask Why, We Just Go”
Especially in rural areas, local VFB units are often the first responders to a crisis, dropping whatever they are doing as soon as the call comes.
As Józef Mól head of the Jadowniki VFB puts it: “The job of a firefighter is to go to places ordinary people run away from”.
One man remembers his father rushing away from his First Communion ceremony in answer the wail of the fire siren. As a child, he didn’t understand why, but later become a volunteer fire fighter himself.
They never know when they will be needed or what to expect when they get there. In the words of one long-serving volunteer, “We don’t ask why or what the cost is going to be. We just go”.
The selfless motivation is summed up very simply by another dedicated firefighter, “I just feel the need to help people”.
All Kinds Of Crises, All Kinds Of Care
It’s not just fires, big or small, that VFBs are called on to deal with. It can be all kinds of disasters, from car crashes to oil spills and chemical incidents, high altitude or flood rescues, and even overhanging branches or cats stuck in a tree.
The core priority of saving human life also extends to offering practical assistance across communities in quieter ways, wherever their skills and dedicated teamwork can make a difference in people’s lives.
Carrying a new wheelchair user down flights of stairs from their apartment then helping to arrange a more permanent solution — with some help from CANPACK — is one heart-warming example.
Another volunteer highlights how this is all part of a commitment to their own community, “Everything we do, we do for the residents of our town, our little homeland”.
At the Heart of Local Communities
Local VSB units regard themselves one big family, passing on this sense of commitment generation to generation. It is very common for children to follow their parents example by joining the service.
Young VSBs units are also flourishing where children are trained in the basics of handling firefighting equipment, first aid, and how to act effectively in a crisis. Together they learn the importance of discipline, teamwork and camaraderie so that their communities will have a safer tomorrow.
As a fully grassroots effort, it’s no surprise that many VSB stations are also hubs of the community life. They become a meeting place for local clubs or social events, and even host civic offices under the same roof.
The work of a volunteer firefighting unit reaches out across the community through fire safety and first-aid training events, running blood donation campaigns, school visits and taking part in civic and church ceremonies.
As Maria Marecik of the Łoniowa VFB says, “To be a firefighter you need to be a community activist because everything is truly done for people and for the benefit of the community”.
CANPACK Partnerships and Support
Although the VFB do receive funding from local government, community support and corporate sponsorship is vital for the continued growth and development of this home-grown volunteer force.
CANAPCK is delighted to celebrate and honour these local heroes by cooperating with VFB units in the towns and villages where employees give their time and energy in so many generous and big-hearted ways.
Grants from The CANPACK Foundation significantly contribute to purchasing firefighting equipment, AED defibrillators, clothing, training for children and young people, and renovation of kitchens and community rooms.
Partnerships between VFBs and CANPACK mean that the Foundation is alerted to local needs and can target help where it is most needed and makes the biggest difference.
CANPACK is not only pleased but immensely proud to support this vital national resource run by such courageous and caring volunteers.