Professional Development Prospects for State Fire Service Spokespersons and Press Officers Текст научной статьи по специальности «СМИ (медиа) и массовые коммуникации»

Mariusz Nepelskia)*, Jarostaw Struniawskib)

a) The Main School of Fire Service / Szkota Gtowna Stuzby Pozarniczej

b) Police Academy in Szczytno / Wyzsza Szkota Policji w Szczytnie

* Corresponding author / Autor korespondencyjny: mariusznepelski@gmail.com

A Simulator Supporting the Training of Police Officers who Process Traffic Incident Scenes

Symulator wspomagaj^cy szkolenie funkcjonariuszy Policji w zakresie realizacji dziatan w miejscu wypadku drogowego

ABSTRACT

Aim: A simulator supporting the training of police officers who process traffic incident scenes is a tool with which we will be able to train traffic police officers in processing traffic incident scenes. The essence of the research and development project presented in this article is providing the trainee with a simulated experience of being at both typical and unusual traffic incident scenes, including those involving mass-casualty incidents, major traffic accidents, or other crisis situations. The simulator will connect the virtual world with the real world, taking the trained person into the virtual world (visualisation of the scene), and allowing he or she to process the scene (visual inspection of the scene, producing reports, providing first aid to victims, etc.). Currently, there are no comprehensive solutions supporting the training process in the proposed way. The implementation of such a tool in the Police training system will allow to improve the quality of traffic-police training, and increase the effectiveness of scene processing.

Methodology: The review was prepared on the basis of project documentation and current statistical data on traffic incidents, and selected literature on the subject. We analysed traffic incidents in the last ten years, with particular attention devoted to the number of fatalities and the number of traffic incidents. We demonstrated the complexity of the processing effort by Police officers at the scene, as well as the need to use new technologies for the purposes of training policemen, including in particular simulation systems.

Conclusions: The article addresses one of the most important tasks of the Police - which is ensuring road safety - by proving the need to use training simulators in training traffic policemen. By commissioning the construction of the simulator described in the article, the Police confirmed the need to develop the training space using the described tool. Based on the synthetic review of project documentation, we were able to confirm that the implementation of the simulator in the Police education system would allow to improve the quality of training traffic police officers, and could have a positive impact on their work environment.

Training people with the use of simulation systems eliminates property damage, and reduces the risk of loss of life and health. Keywords: safety, Police, traffic incident, road collision, visual inspection, simulator Type of article: original scientific article

Received: 07.11.2019; Reviewed: 16.12.2019; Accepted: 19.12.2019;

Authors" ORCID IDs: Mariusz Nepelski - 0000-0002-4183-8809; Jarostaw Struniawski - 0000-0001-9671-2317; The authors contributed the equally to this article;

Please cite as: SFT Vol. 54 Issue 2, 2019, pp. 90-97, https://doi.org/10.12845/sft.54.2.2019.6;

This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

ABSTRAKT

Cel: Symulator wspomagajqcy szkolenie funkcjonariuszy Policji w zakresie realizacji dzialan w miejscu wypadku drogowego to narzçdzie, dziçki ktöremu bçdzie mozliwe przygotowanie funkcjonariuszy Policji do wykonywania czynnosci na miejscu zdarzenia drogowego. Istotq projektu badawczo-rozwojo-wego przedstawionego w artykule jest mozliwosc „przeniesienia" osoby szkolonej do miejsca typowego i nietypowego wypadku drogowego, takiego jak masowe wypadki komunikacyjne, katastrofy w ruchu lqdowym lub inne sytuacje kryzysowe. Symulator polqczy swiat wirtualny ze swiatem rzeczywistym, tj. umozliwi przeniesienie szkolonej osoby do swiata wirtualnego (wizualizacja miejsca zdarzenia), umozliwiajqc jednoczesnie wykonywanie czynnosci w miejscu zdarzenia (inspekcja wizualna miejsca zdarzenia, opracowanie dokumentacji z przeprowadzonych czynnosci, udzielanie pierwszej pomocy ofiarom wypadku drogowego, itp.). Obecnie nie ma kompleksowych rozwiqzan wspierajqcych proces szkolenia w proponowany sposöb. Implementacja takiego narzçdzia do systemu szkolenia Policji pozwoli na podniesienie poziomu i jakosci szkolenia funkcjonariuszy policji drogowej oraz zwiçkszenie efektywnosci dzialan podejmowanych na miejscu zdarzenia drogowego.

Projekt i metody: Artykul zostal przygotowany na podstawie dokumentacji projektu i aktualnych danych statystycznych dotycz^cych wypadköw drogowych oraz wybranej literatury przedmiotu. Przeanalizowano wypadki drogowe w ciqgu ostatnich dziesiçciu lat, ze szczegölnym uwzglçdnieniem

liczby ofiar smiertelnych i liczby wypadkow drogowych. Wykazano zlozonosc dzialan podejmowanych przez funkcjonariuszy Policji w miejscu zdarzenia drogowego, a takze potrzebç zastosowania nowych technologii - zwlaszcza systemow symulacyjnych w procesie szkolenia policjantow. Wnioski: W artykule autorzy odwolujq siç do jednego z najwazniejszych dzialan Policji, jakim jest bezpieczenstwo ruchu drogowego, dowodzqc koniecz-nosci uzycia symulatorow szkoleniowych w szkoleniu policjantow ruchu drogowego. Policja, przyjmujqc rolç gestora i ubiegajqc siç o budowç symulatora opisanego w artykule, potwierdzila potrzebç opracowania przestrzeni szkoleniowej przy uzyciu wspomnianego narzçdzia. Na podstawie syntetycznego przeglqdu dokumentacji projektowej potwierdzono, ze wdrozenie symulatora w systemie edukacji Policji pozwoli poprawic jakosc szkolenia funkcjonariuszy policji drogowej i moze pozytywnie wplynqc na srodowisko pracy tej formacji. Stowa kluczowe: policja, ochrona, kontrola wzrokowa, wypadek drogowy, kolizja drogowa Typ artykutu: oryginalny artykul naukowy

Przyjçty: 07.11.2019; Zrecenzowany: 16.12.2019; Zaakceptowany: 19.12.2019;

Identyfikatory ORCID autorow: Mariusz Nepelski - 0000-0002-4183-8809; Jaroslaw Struniawski - 0000-0001-9671-2317; Autorzy wniesli rowny wklad merytoryczny w powstanie artykulu;

Proszç cytowac: SFT Vol. 54 Issue 2, 2019, pp. 90-97, https://doi.org/10.12845/sft.54.2.2019.6

This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

Introduction

In the 21 st century transport and mobility play an important role in people's lives. Modern society is characterised by increasing mobility. However, the systematic increase in the number of motor vehicles inevitably leads to a large number of traffic incidents [1-2], resulting in casualties, including fatalities, because each traffic participant is exposed to a potential danger [3-4].

Due to economic development, Poland and most other European countries suffer enormous social and economic losses.

Although various measures taken to improve road safety - such as the improvement of road infrastructure, the tightening of road traffic regulations, organisational and educational

efforts - have resulted in fewer accidents and casualties, the number of traffic incidents in Poland is still large [5] (in comparison to corresponding statistics in other European countries). The problem of the road traffic accident rate has grown into an epidemic - today, it is one of the most important issues of public safety policy [6]. The analysis of the state of road safety shows [7] that despite numerous public awareness campaigns and modernised safety systems, Polish roads are still not among the safest [8]. The gravity of the problem continues to be underestimated, and the adopted principle of dispersed collective responsibility results in a low effectiveness of institutional efforts [9].

Number of fatalités —■— Trend 2009 = 100%

Figure 1. The number of fatalities in Poland in the years 2009-2018 Source: Statistics of the National Police Headquarters.

Characteristics of traffic incidents

From a practical point of view, the statutory statistical classification of traffic incidents into accidents (Article 177 of the Polish Criminal Code ("CC")) and road collisions (Article 86 of the Polish Code of Petty Offences ("CPO"), Article 98 CPO or 97 CPO in conjunction with Article 39 of the Traffic Law Act) is a proper and desirable solution, as it enables their proper recording [3] and the evaluation of effectiveness of preventive measures. Article 173(1) of the CC also defines the characteristics of the offence of a major traffic accident. It should be noted that the result of such an accident is a threat to the life or health of many people, or to property of large sizes, and includes train collisions, where several people are killed and several dozen injured. In turn, police regulations [10] define a road traffic accident as a traffic accident resulting in a person being killed or injured.

Road collision, on the other hand, is a traffic incident involving only property damage. This concept differs from the concept of accident in that it involves no casualties, but only property damage, e.g. destruction of a building, vehicle, utility/telephone poles, road furniture (signs, signalling devices, bars or traffic barriers), viaducts, gates, fences and other objects.

The occurrence of a traffic accident is influenced by a set of risk factors that affect the level of road safety [11]. These factors include: people as road users (pedestrians, vehicle drivers and other people in or on a vehicle on the road), roads, vehicles, and traffic and incidental factors.

There is no doubt, however, that the majority of traffic accidents occur as a result of specific behaviours of traffic participants, resulting from their ignorance or disrespect for traffic regulations.

People as the main factor in the road dynamic [1] (drivers of motor vehicles, as well as motorcycles) contribute to accidents mostly by: driving at a speed that is excessive or inappropriate to road conditions; failure to yield the right of way to another vehicle; failure to maintain a safe distance between vehicles (misjudging distances and the vehicle stopping distance); incorrectly performing the overtaking manoeuvre. Failure to give right of way to pedestrians on pedestrian crossings is also a serious problem [1 2]. Another factors involves the psychomotor state of the driver (e.g. fatigue - a state of the organism which negatively affects the ability to perform work, impairs concentration; an illness). Road safety is also affected by a low level of safety devices usage (failure to wear seatbelts, non-functional air bags, unregulated headrests on the front and rear seats, failure to use child safety seats, failure to mount baby seats in a rear-facing position). The most common offence leading to an accident involves pedestrian intrusion, or crossing the road illegally. A significant problem on Polish roads are intoxicated road users and drivers of vehicles under the influence of other psychoactive substances.

Another element that has a significant impact on road safety are weather conditions. The most important atmospheric phenomena include: rainfall, snowfall, fog, strong and gusty wind, atmospheric temperatures (especially below zero), the location of the sun (driving against the sun) and lighting, the latter being dependent on the time of day and the season. The analysis of traffic accidents shows that the most tragic events occur in good weather conditions on straight sections of the road. Such circumstances increase driving comfort and the drivers develop higher speeds, resulting in more tragic consequences in the case of an accident.

■ Number of road trafic accidents ■ Trend 2009 = 100%

Figure 2. Road traffic accidents in Poland in the years 2009-2018 Source: Statistics of the National Police Headquarters.

Road safety is also influenced by technical factors, which include a low quality of road infrastructure and poor condition of vehicles.

Police tasks related to handling traffic accidents

Improvement of road safety requires many entities and institutions to conduct multipronged efforts aimed at the systematic improvement of the level of road traffic safety [6]. The main tasks in this area are imposed, among others, on the Police, and focus on: traffic management and control (inspection of the condition of motor vehicles, control of dangerous goods transport, control of compliance with obligations or conditions of road transport, use of measuring and control devices for measuring speed); preventing, combating and conducting proceedings concerning road traffic offences; initiating and coordinating crime prevention programmes and handling traffic accidents.

In the event of a traffic accident, just like in any other case of a breach of public safety and order, and a threat to life, health and property, every police officer who is the first to arrive at the scene of the incident has a duty to intervene. The particular activities of a police officer in this respect are defined in the procedures set out in Ordinance No. 30 of the National Police Commander-in-Chief of 22 September 2017 on performing duties on roads. They indicate the necessity of performing activities including (§ 29.1): securing the scene of the traffic accident in order to avoid another traffic accident, and organising road traffic in the new circumstances; providing first aid to the injured; securing the scene of the traffic accident by protecting forensic evidence from loss or distortion to enable criminal proceedings; determining participants in, and witnesses to, the traffic accident; undertaking a pursuit if the perpetrator of the traffic accident has fled from the scene; determining injuries suffered by the casualties and the place of their hospitalisation.

After the traffic accident service crew (police officers from the organisational unit responsible for road traffic) or the criminal investigation group arrive at the scene, the police officer provides information about the activities performed and the facts established. Then, a visual inspection of the scene, objects and persons involved is performed, and where urgently needed - an external inspection of the corpses. Furthermore, the criminal proceedings are documented through, in particular: an inspection report [13] with a forensic sketch of the scene of the accident to scale, an official memo and a traffic accident card, as well as photographic or video documentation. When taking pictures of the evidence, attention must be paid to the following: traces visible on the road, skid marks, damage to vehicles, broken glass on the road, especially from headlights, broken off fragments of vehicles, and oil, fuel and blood spots. The documentation of all these processing activities should reflect all the facts established at the scene.

The aim of the reconstruction of a traffic accident (collision) is to reconstruct how individual events were related to each other in a sequence. In order to reconstruct these interrelations, all the facts must be gathered and classified as causes or effects.

Causes include all the events occurring before the accident/collision, e.g. the condition of the car, the speed of the car before braking, the type and condition of the pavement, weather conditions, driver's abilities (skills, physical and mental state). Effects include all the events that occurred after the collision, e.g. the degree of injury to car users or pedestrians involved in the collision and the scope of damage to the car. It is also important to determine the time intervals at which the events classified as causes and effects had occurred. These may be events occurring immediately before or after the collision, and events occurring at a bigger time interval from the moment of the collision. Classification according to the time of occurrence and the determination of the interrelations between the two groups of events are very helpful for the reconstruction of the collision and its proper analysis [14].

Training of police officers in processing traffic accident scenes with the use of simulation systems

The Police's efforts to improve road traffic safety, on the one hand, and the number of traffic accidents, on the other, make it is necessary to have highly specialised personnel processing the scene of such incidents.

In order to handle the processing effectively and according to the rules and procedures of the Police, the officers must constantly improve their skills. The legal regulations and the techniques and tactics adopted when processing traffic accidents constitute an element of professional training and development courses. Only systematic development allows officers to master the ability to make the right decisions and to perform effective and, most importantly, safe interventions.

Professional development of police officers includes: centralised training - organised by police schools and the Police Academy in Szczytno; local training - organised by organisational units of the Police or their organisational units, and external training - organised by third parties. In the area in question, the Specialist Road Traffic Training Course - General Part [15] (Decision No. 295 of the Chief Commander of the Police, 2018) is the prevailing type of such professional training. The aims of the courses include, among others, acquiring the knowledge and skills which prepare police officers to: make the legal classification of traffic accidents, secure the scene of the traffic accident, characterise forensic evidence which may be found at the scene, perform visual inspection of the scene, perform visual inspection of the vehicle, prepare photographic documentation from the inspection of the scene and vehicle, prepare a sketch and a diagram of the scene, and draw conclusions on the basis of forensic evidence.

Material and methods

Modern road traffic hazards make the Police look for new, alternative training solutions, including those which utilise advanced information technologies. The "Simulator Supporting Training of Police Officers Processing the Scene of a Traffic

Accident" is an example of this. It is connected with the priority set by the Chief Commander of the Police, i.e. to support Police activities aimed at improving road traffic safety.

Due to the high level of detail and a wide range of scenarios and variants adapted to the specific nature of Police operations and tactics, and regulations and procedures applicable in Poland, the proposed system will be able to properly support the process of training and development of officers. The complementary training tool will make it possible to practice, in real-time, handling events that may occur when on duty in actual intervention locations. The aim of training on the simulator will be to efficiently raise and maintain a high level of officers' skills in developing the right responses in the decision making process when performing a specific task. Such solutions will make it possible to reflect scenarios of real actions taken by one or more police officers (dealing with road traffic) in the virtual world of a computer training system. A very important element of this solution, besides its innovative technical features, are the properly selected scenarios and variants of the course of events, developed from many years of police experience.

Results

The project is expected to provide a "simulator supporting training of police officers in processing the scene of a traffic accident". The simulator is a tool with which we will be able to train traffic police officers to process the scene of both typical and unusual traffic accidents, such as mass-casualty incidents, major road traffic accidents, or other crisis situations. The simulator will connect the virtual world with the real world, i.e. taking the trained person into the virtual world (visualisation of the scene) while allowing the processing of the scene (visual inspection of the scene, documentation, providing first aid to casualties, etc.).

The simulator will meet the following requirements:

1. It will enable changes of:

- seasons (summer and winter);

- time of day (day, night, dawn and dusk);

- atmospheric conditions (rain or snowfall, icing on road surfaces, as well as haze and smoke with different levels of intensity, wind speed and its direction, etc.).

2. It will contain the necessary elements of road infrastructure, including: various types of road intersections, including intersections with tracks for railway vehicles, grade-separated road junctions, tunnels, bridges, viaducts, railway crossing: tram and railway track crossings (guarded and unguarded), pedestrian crossings, bus stops, parking lots, manoeuvring areas, loading ramps, airports with runways.

3. It will simulate the behaviour of road users, i.e.: drivers of passenger cars, trucks and semi-trailer trucks, special-purpose vehicles, agricultural tractors, buses, tank trucks, privileged vehicles, motorcycles, trams, trains, as well as cyclists, pedestrians, wild animals of various sizes (deer, boar), pets (dogs).

4. It will provide access to plane crash and water traffic accident locations.

5. It will have experimentally validated models of the dynamics of passenger or delivery cars, trucks, buses and tanker vehicles, allowing the simulation of events as close to real conditions as possible, and also their use for research purposes. Such a quality of models is necessary for the system to be treated as a valid training and research tool. It will also allow the reconstruction of the course of events for the purpose of trial and scientific evaluation.

6. It will contain a right-hand traffic system functioning as part of the prepared base area. It will also be possible to simulate left-hand traffic if necessary.

7. It will have a database providing different types of terrain: highly urbanised (city centre), suburban and industrial, high altitude (roads with varying degrees of inclination - steep uphill and downhill roads, switchbacks), motorways, expressways, single and dual carriageways, paved (tarmac) and unpaved roads (dirt). The simulated roads will contain all elements of real roads mapped in accordance with the Public Roads Act of 21 March 1985 (i.e. of 23 August 2016, Journal of Laws of 2016, item 1440), including other road elements (specified in the implementing provisions), such as roadsides, sidewalks, intersections, tracks for railway vehicles, horizontal and vertical signs, and traffic lights, other traffic control elements, etc.

8. It will generate lighting for roads and vehicles.

9. It will enable the processing of the scene of the event with the use of IT, communications and other tools (e.g. to measure the braking distance of the vehicle) actually used by the Police when processing the scene.

10. It will enable documenting the work at the scene using the existing report forms.

11. It will enable providing first aid to traffic accident victims. For this purpose, it will be equipped with a set of rescue and training manikins of the highest quality. They will enable the enactment of individually prepared scenarios, including electrocardiography, and the entire process of management will be conducted remotely using a dedicated application. All two manikins will be able to be supervised by the instructor at the same time. They will generate sounds such as breaths. An advanced evaluation module will be implemented, taking into account the needs resulting from the training of groups of people.

12. It will include an instructor module that allows users to easily create their own traffic accident scenarios and save them without any limitations. It will be possible to prepare them in advance, before starting the training. The trainer will have the opportunity to prepare any sets for any training and in this way set, for instance, various levels of difficulty. It will also enable officers, if necessary, to participate in any number of training sessions, and to implement different training scenarios each time. For the purposes of assessing or recreating real situations,

the trainer will be able to develop scenarios based on any traffic accidents that took place in the past, and develop such a set on the basis of events that will take place in the future. Thanks to this solution the system will never "grow old", and will always be "in demand". It will also have a pre-recorded set of predefined road situations, prepared by road traffic experts, so that it can start training without any additional contribution. The trainer will be able to set the starting situation, and its entire course will be simulated by the system using, among others, experimentally validated vehicle models. The trainees will be able to start their work depending on the training plan - i.e. before, during or after the incident. They will be able to issue commands to virtual participants controlled by a simulation system, e.g. issuing orders to event participants to relocate their cars, secure the scene by cooperating with different services, e.g. the State Fire Service or emergency medical services. If they start their simulated work after the traffic accident, after the exercise the instructor will be able to replay it many times, allowing trainees to watch the course of their actions from any perspective. This will allow them to undergo optimum training in road traffic incidents. The same option will also be possible for activities performed by the trainees. The instructor will be able to add any extra and surprising elements during the exercise - for instance, a vehicle that, without maintaining safety rules or due to an improperly secured scene, will pose a threat to officers working at the scene.

13. It will enable the presentation of the environment to the trainees using images displayed with a high quality projection system through 3D goggles. At the same time, it will be also possible to use the projection system on a flat, spherical or cylindrical screen - the most optimal one will be selected on the basis of tests. The systems can be used interchangeably or at the same time at every stage of the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the exercise. This will allow participation by persons who, for various reasons, cannot use goggles. The instructor will be able to additionally observe the course of the events and further activities performed by the practitioners using 3D goggles, on the computer screen or directly on the screen used by the practitioners. The system will be designed to minimise the likelihood of simulator sickness in trainees. It will enable the simulation of all possible road incidents using the indicated terrain database and simulated vehicles and objects, generating incidents and enabling their real-time preview at any stage of the exercise, and visualise the entire environment using 3D computer graphics through an optimal projection system (which will be selected on the basis of tests). Consideration is given to standard systems based on high-quality projectors and cylindrical or spherical screens and image display via goggles that allow viewing the digital world in a 360-degree image. The consortium has extensive experience in developing such systems, so the selected solution will meet

the requirements for optimising the training process. In addition, the trainees will have the opportunity to perform all the actions necessary to secure the scene and to establish how the incident happened. The simulator will support the participant's assessment process using an automated evaluation system, and will support the subjective assessment process handled directly by the instructor.

The software of the simulation system will be developed in accordance with international HLA (High Level Architecture) standards. This will create in the future the possibility of connecting the computer network of the system under construction with other simulators operating in a shared virtual environment within the interoperability of simulation systems, including the "Integrated simulation platform of crisis management entities" used by the Police in the training process. HLA is a general architecture for distributed computer systems, with particular emphasis on simulation systems. The idea behind HLA is that software applications (computer simulators) can communicate with each other regardless of which platform they have been embedded on. Communication between particular applications is handled by the Runtime Infrastructure (RTI), which plays a similar role to the operating system or virtual machine function. It provides, inter alia: the interoperability of related simulators; the possibility of multiple use simulation system elements; the separation of layers of simulation elements and the layer of auxiliary elements of the environment. HLA uses DIS - Distributed Interface Simulation (a distributed simulation protocol), which is a protocol enabling real-time exercises, defining standard message structures and rules for their exchange (IEEE 1278-1993).

Discussion

Nowhere in the world do such integrated solutions exist. Nevertheless, thanks to the rapidly evolving simulation technology, there are at least several platforms that can be used in similar areas. However, these are partial solutions with limited (in particular in domestic use) applications and functionalities. Among the solutions existing on the market, the following two systems should be mentioned:

1. ADMS by ETC (USA) used by:

- many crisis management centres (or trainers in this field), including NIFV (Nederlands Instituut Fysieke Veiligheid) - Dutch Institute of Physical Security (formerly NIBRA - Dutch Institute of Fire Brigade and Crisis Management), SERCO (British)

- International Fire Training Centre, Osceola (USA)

- Florida Crisis Management Office;

- airport emergency services in the USA (including Chicago O'Hare, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Baltimore/ Washington, Nashville);

- counterterrorist units (including Pennsylvania Southeast Region, USA);

- academies and schools of fire service, including in Warwickshire (UK), Orlando (USA) and Cheonan (South Korea).

2. VBS2 developed by Bohemia Interactive Simulations (Australia) and intended for use by various crisis services, but in practice primarily applicable to military operations and used, among others, by ground armed forces of the USA, Canada, Australia, Great Britain and France.

Among solutions available in Poland, first of all one should mention the Police Simulator of Crisis Situations used by the Police Academy in Szczytno, the Simulator for training supporting command during rescue operations related to fires in multi-story buildings and transport accidents, located in the Main School of Fire Service (both produced as a result of research and development projects financed by the National Centre for Research and Development, by consortium members - WSPol, SGSP and ETC-PZL) and systems supporting land and sea safety management - CZK/CPR simulators produced by Sprint S.A.

The existing standards for the exchange of information between simulators (including HLA or DIS) are generally known and available. However, these standards are primarily intended for flight simulation and do not provide mechanisms to exchange such complex and diverse information as required in the case of the Integrated Platform, and do real-time calculations. Due to the limitations of the HLA standard (primarily the suboptimal, reduced efficiency of information exchange) some simulator manufacturers use their own solutions; however - for understandable reasons - they are not disclosed.

Existing simulators and simulation environments (especially various computer game engines) are focused primarily on the teaching/training of individual operators (the so-called First Person Games), while in the area of such comprehensive training and commanding, no existing solutions are known.

Simulation models of the virtual environment required for the assumed scenarios and controlled by "artificial intelligence" algorithms (e.g. crowd, individual people, forces and units of various services taking part in activities) are not common. A fairly advanced functionality when it comes to the basic scope of requirements is provided by software such as the Presagis AI Implant, VR-Forces and B-HAVE by MÁK, etc. In the field of simulation of forces and units of other services, currently there are no such solutions that meet the set requirements. In imaging there are graphic libraries providing similar imaging (e.g. Vega Prime). However, they will not simulate all effects that are required.

Applicability of the simulator for training officers of the State Fire Service

In addition to training Police officers described in the article, the presented simulator has considerable potential for being used to train other uniformed formations, in particular traffic policemen, forensic technicians, and policemen carrying out patrols and intervention tasks. One of them is the State Fire Service. At this point, it is worth noting that the presented functionalities of the simulator allow its use to train officers of the State Fire Service in at least three training areas.

First, the simulator allows trainees to acquire competencies related to the provision of premedical first aid through a module

containing a set of rescue and training manikins connected to a virtual environment. This type of training will allow users to feel the emotions accompanying rescuers at the scene (through the visualisation of the scene in the virtual world), while enabling physical performance of rescue operations at the site of the incident.

Another training area concerns the ability to behave properly at the scene of a traffic accident, providing the police officer's perspective. This applies to the ability to see traces, which are important for further procedures related to the forensic examination of the scene, and which allow to reconstruct how the incident happened. The ability to notice these traces is obviously not superior to the duty of saving human life, but such knowledge would help to prevent destroying evidence when processing the scene.

The last training area involves understanding the mechanisms of how a motor vehicle (a car) is damaged during a collision, especially when damage takes place inside it, causing, among others, the victim to be stuck in the vehicle. The ability to simulate the impact of a specific force on a vehicle assigned to specific vehicle speeds is a novelty not found in other training simulators. This competence would allow officers to locate places causing a person to be stuck inside a vehicle faster and more accurately, thereby facilitating their rescue.

Conclusion

At present, no comprehensive solutions exist, both in Poland and in the world, to support the training process in the proposed way. The implementation of such a tool in the Police training system would help to improve the quality of police officer training, and could have a positive impact on their work environment. The simulator should increase the effectiveness of processing traffic incident scenes.

Introducing the simulator to the Police training system will be one of the ways to reduce its costs. Training of people using the simulator eliminates property damage, and reduces the risk of loss of life and health due to actions taken by insufficiently skilled trainees. Another benefit of using the simulator is the possibility of conducting research in order to assess the impact of factors that may affect the quality of handling traffic accidents. The system may be applied in the development and optimisation of universal, model procedures for police officers at the scene of a traffic accident, and will facilitate a more effective use of their potential. The system will be able to support the selection of candidates for individual positions, preventing the widespread practice of random choices which expose the public to lower safety levels. The simulator will allow the assessment of the mental strain accompanying the performance of tasks by the trainees and individual tests verifying their suitability to perform the tasks. Another element contributing to its importance is the possibility to assess the impact of external factors on the speed and quality of officers' actions in difficult situations. It will also enable professional training of Police intervention officers in handling traffic accidents. Thanks to the applied mathemat-

ical models and simulation methods, the response of the system to the decisions made by the trainees will be immediate and appropriate to the situation. It will enable repeated exercises of various variants, allowing officers to be fully prepared to perform the tasks assigned to them, creating the potential for knowledge and experience in many areas, far exceeding the possibilities of conventional training.

This work was part-funded by the National Centre for Research and Development of Poland under grant DOB-BIO9/06/01/2018. The system is being developed by a consortium of: the Police Academy in Szczytno (Project Leader), the Main School of Fire Service, the Tadeusz Kosciuszko Academy of Land Forces, the MORATEX Institute of Safety Technologies and ETC-PZL Aerospace Industries sp. z o.o.

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[3] Jurgielewicz M., Nowakowski Z., Rajchel J., Rajchel K., Prawne aspekty bezpieczenstwa ruchu drogowego, Wydawnictwo Wyzszej Szkoty Informatyki i Zarzqdzania i Administracji, Warszawa 2011.

[4] Stefanski R.A., Ustawa Prawo o ruchu drogowym. Komen-tarz, Warszawa 2003.

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[7] National Police Headquarters, 2018, Traffic accidents

- annual reports.

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[9] National Road Safety Programme 2013-2020, National Road Safety Council, Warszawa 2013, 7.

[10] Section 1(2) of Ordinance No. 30 of the National Police Commander-in-Chief of 22 September 2017 on performing duty on roads, Official Journal of the National Police Headquarters of 2017, item 64.

[11] Souza A.M., Brennand C., Yokoyama R, Donato E., Madeira E., Villa L., Traffic management systems: A classification, review, challenges, and future perspectives, „International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks" 2017, 13(4), https://doi.org/10.1177/1550147716683612.

[12] Merkisz J., Tarkowski S., Wybrane aspekty wykorzystania poktadowych urzqdzeñ rejestrujqcych w pojazdach samo-chodowych, ,,Eksploatacja i Niezawodnosc" 2011, 2, 50-58.

[13] K^dzierska G., Polskie prawo i kryminalistyka o oglqdzi-nach, ,,Jurisprudencija" 2000, 18(10), 86-93

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[15] Decision No. 472 of the Chief Commander of the Police of 18 November 2013 on the Curriculum of the Specialist Road Traffic Training Course - General Part, Official Journal of the National Police Headquarters item 95.

MARIUSZ NEPELSKI, PH.D.- security sciences, Lieutenant-Colonel, Professor at the Main School of Fire Service, Director of the Institute for Research and Development at the Police Academy in Szczytno, Senior Police Commissioner. His research and scientific interests involve issues related to internal security, including in particular public security (public order and safety) and common security (crisis management), including modern security technologies. He has been actively involved in a number of research and development projects. Author, co-author and scientific editor of numerous publications about the mentioned subjects, issued in Poland and abroad.

JAROStAW STRUNIAWSKI, PH.D. - the alumnus of the National Defence University and the Police Academy in Szczytno. He was awarded his PhD in Defence at the Management and Command Faculty of the National Defence University in Warsaw in 2012. He conducts national and international research on mass event security. He has actively participated in the training of public administration personnel at the provincial and county level, including PSP (Polish Fire Service), SG (Border Guard), BOR (Government Protection Bureau) and others. Since 1995 he has been professionally affiliated with the Police. His scientific interests include commanding the Police, command work, managing the security of mass events and public assemblies. Author and co-author of numerous scientific articles and three monographs from the field of safety, including the areas mentioned above. He has attended national and international research conferences.

Dominik Duralskia)*

a) The Main School of Fire Service / Szkota Gfowna Sfuzby Pozarniczej * Corresponding author / Autor korespondencyjny: dduralski@sgsp.edu.pl

Professional Development Prospects for State Fire Service Spokespersons and Press Officers

Perspektywa doskonalenia zawodowego rzeczniköw i oficeröw prasowych Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej

ABSTRACT

Aim: The primary purpose of this paper is to identify the needs of spokespersons and press officers of the State Fire Service as regards their professional development. This objective can be achieved by applying a preliminary survey. A supplementary objective is to define the characteristics of those officers' work.

Project and methods: An inseparable aspect of the rescue operations carried out by the State Fire Service (PSP) is the accompanying media coverage of such incidents. The basis for the correct preparation and distribution of information by fire service unit is the professionalism of the people responsible for this process. The tasks of spokespersons and press officers and their allocation in the structure of the service should be described in greater detail. The actions taken by those officers are not based on structural knowledge in the field of cooperation with the mass media. The work of spokespersons and press officers of PSP at the level of district / municipal and provincial headquarters was analysed. To this end, a preliminary survey among officers entrusted with these duties was carried out. The survey questionnaire consisted of 10 closed or open-ended questions. The survey was made available to PSP spokespersons and press officers on the basis of a contact form available on the website of KG PSP (PSP National Headquarters). The study featured 112 officers who served as spokespersons or press officers of PSP on a daily basis.

Results: The results of the study were the basis for defining the most prominent areas of knowledge in the field of cooperation with the mass media and the press, and information activities undertaken by spokespersons and press officers. Due to the participation in the survey of 112 respondents, its results were considered qualitatively representative. In addition, this paper includes the characteristics of the work of these officers and the challenges they face. The authors put forward recommendations related to the professional development of State Fire Service Spokespersons and Press Officers The survey results have been demonstrated in graphic form, accompanied by their analysis.

Conclusions: At present, the professional development system does not respond to the needs of spokespersons and press officers. It is necessary to take into account the needs of this group of officers in the professional development system in place at PSP. This goal can be achieved by applying the general principles of professional development at PSP to spokespersons and press officers. This task should be preceded by a detailed needs analysis and the development of a training and professional development plan.

Keywords: press officers, the professional development, spokesperson, cooperation with the media Type of article: original scientific article

Received: 15.11.2019; Reviewed: 19.12.2019; Accepted: 19.12.2019; Author's ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3397-4445;

Please cite as: SFT Vol. 54 Issue 2, 2019, pp. 90-109, https://doi.org/10.12845/sft.54.2.2019.7;

This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

ABSTRAKT

Cel: Zasadniczym celem artykulu jest okreslenie potrzeb rzeczniköw i oficeröw prasowych Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej w zakresie doskonalenia zawodowego. Cel ten postuluje si§ osiqgnqc za pomocq wst^pnego badania ankietowego. Celem dodatkowym bylo okreslenie charakterystyki pracy tych funkcjonariuszy.

Projekt i metody: Nieodlqcznym aspektem dzialan ratowniczych prowadzonych przez Panstwowq Straz Pozarnq jest towarzyszqcy im medialny przekaz informacji. Podstawq prawidlowego przygotowania i dystrybuowania informacji przez t§ formaj jest profesjonalizm osöb odpowiadajqcych za ten proces. Zadania rzeczniköw i oficeröw prasowych oraz ich alokacja w strukturze sluzby wymagajq doprecyzowania. Czynnosci jakie podejmujq ci funk-cjonariusze nie sq oparte o strukturalnq wiedz? z zakresu wspölpracy ze srodkami masowego przekazu. Analizie poddano prac§ rzeczniköw i oficeröw

prasowych Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej na szczeblu komend powiatowych/miejskich oraz wojewôdzkich. W tym celu przeprowadzono wstçpne badanie ankietowe wsrôd funkcjonariuszy, ktôrym zostaly powierzone te obowiqzki. Kwestionariusz ankiety skladal siç z 10 pytan o charakterze zamkniçtym bqdz otwartym. Ankieta udostçpniona zostala rzecznikom i oficerom prasowym PSP na podstawie dostçpnej na stronie internetowej KG PSP tabeli kontaktowej. W badaniu udzial wziçlo 112 funkcjonariuszy pelniqcych na co dzien funkcjç rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego PSP. Wyniki: W rezultacie przeprowadzonego badania zdefiniowano obszary wiedzy z zakresu wspôlpracy ze srodkami masowego przekazu oraz dzialan prasowo-informacyjnych podejmowanych przez rzecznikôw i oficerôw prasowych, na ktôre zwrôcona bye powinna szczegôlna uwaga. Ze wzglçdu na udzial w badaniu 112 ankietowanych uznano jej wyniki za jakosciowo reprezentatywne. Okreslono ponadto charakterystykç pracy tych funkcjonariuszy oraz stojqce przed nimi wyzwania. Sformowano rekomendacje w zakresie doskonalenia zawodowego rzecznikôw i oficerôw prasowych PSP. Wyniki badania przedstawiono w formie graficznej opatrzonej ich analizq.

Wnioski: Obecnie system doskonalenia zawodowego nie jest zorientowany na potrzeby rzecznikôw i oficerôw prasowych. Niezbçdne jest uwzglçdnienie potrzeb tej grupy funkcjonariuszy w przyjçtym w Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej systemie doskonalenia zawodowego. Cel ten mozna osiqgnqe wlqczajqc rzecznikôw i oficerôw prasowych w ogôlne zasady doskonalenia zawodowego w PSP. Zadanie to poprzedzae powinna szczegôlowa analiza potrzeb oraz opracowanie planu szkolenia i doskonalenia zawodowego.

Stowa kluczowe: rzecznik prasowy, oficer prasowy, wspôlpraca z mediami, doskonalenie zawodowe Typ artykutu: oryginalny artykul naukowy

Przyjçty: 15.11.2019; Zrecenzowany: 19.12.2019; Zatwierdzony: 19.12.2019; Identyfikator ORCID: D. Duralski - 0000-0002-4804-8893;

Proszç cytowac: SFT Vol. 54 Issue 2, 2019, pp. 90-109, https://doi.org/10.12845/sft.54.2.2019.7;

This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

Introduction

Nowadays, organisations, companies and services place emphasis on their media image understood as a set of associations created in the minds of recipients [1, p. 65]. The State Fire Service appointed PSP spokespersons and press officers with a view to creating a positive image in the mass media and wishing to provide effective communication during rescue operations. In order to systematise the activities undertaken by those staff members, the Chief Commandant of the State Fire Service approved a document entitled The Principles of Cooperation between the Units of the National Firefighting Rescue System and the Mass Media [2]. According to the said document, "a spokesperson is an officer of the State Fire Service at the national, provincial or optionally at the municipal level whose job title involves only tasks related to information policy and cooperation with the mass media (...)". It was also indicated that "a press officer is an officer of the State Fire Service who, in addition to his/her usual tasks, is responsible for certain activities related to press and information policies". The organisational structure of the State Fire Service includes 16 provincial headquarters and 335 district/municipal headquarters. Based on the analysis of the aforementioned document, it can be assumed that at least 17 spokespersons (responsible only for the tasks assigned to their position) should be employed with PSP units. Moreover, it is also possible to appoint a spokesperson in certain PSP municipal headquarters. Chiefs of district (municipal) PSP headquarters appoint press officers who assume this function and perform their tasks concurrently with other obligations which they have been assigned. The above analysis shows that there are 351 spokespersons and press officers in total within the struc-

Wprowadzenie

Wspótczesnie organizacje, firmy oraz stuzby zwracajq szcze-gólnq uwagç na swój wizerunek medialny rozumiany jako zbiór asocjacji, które zostajq wytworzone w umysle odbiorcy [1, s. 65]. W trosce o kreowanie pozytywnego obrazu stuzby w mediach oraz w celu zapewnienia skutecznej komunikacji podczas prowa-dzonych dziatan ratowniczych Panstwowa Straz Pozarna utwo-rzyta funkcjç rzecznika i oficera prasowego PSP. Dla usystema-tyzowania czynnosci podejmowanych przez petniqce je osoby w 2012 r. Komendant Gtówny PSP zatwierdzit dokument pn. Zasady wspóipracy jednostek Krajowego Systemu Ratowniczo-Gasni-czego ze srodkami masowego przekazu [2]. W dokumencie tym okreslono, iz: rzecznik prasowy to „funkcjonariusz Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej szczebla krajowego, wojewódzkiego wzglçdnie miejskiego, wykonujqcy w ramach swojego zakresu obowiqzku stuzbowego wytqcznie zadania z zakresu polityki informacyjnej i wspótpracy ze srodkami masowego przekazu (...)". Zdefiniowano równiez, ze: oficer prasowy to „funkcjonariusz Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej wykonujqcy poza swoim zakresem obowiqzków stuzbowych, czçsc zadan polityki prasowo-informacyjnej". Orga-nizacyjnie Panstwowa Straz Pozarna ztozona jest z 16 komend wojewódzkich oraz 335 komend powiatowych/miejskich. Anali-zujqc zapisy dokumentu pn. Zasady wspótpracy jednostek Kra-jowego Systemu Ratowniczo-Gasniczego ze srodkami masowego przekazu, nalezy przyjqc, iz w strukturze PSP powinno znalezc siç co najmniej 17 rzecznikôw prasowych (petniqcych wytqcznie tç funkcjç). Ponadto dopuszcza siç powotanie rzecznika prasowego równiez w niektórych komendach miejskich PSP. Komendanci powiatowi (miejscy) PSP wyznaczajq oficerôw prasowych, którzy tç funkcjç petniq nieetatowo tj. równoczesnie z innymi powierzo-nymi im obowiqzkami. Powyzsza analiza wskazuje, iz w struktu-

tures of PSP. The analysis does not include the Main School of Fire Service, other schools and R&D centres, and the Central Museum of Fire Services, due to their characteristics and operation profile.

No catalogue of knowledge, skills or social competencies has been developed yet for PSP spokespersons and press officers. These should be divided into two categories. The first category includes fire-service qualifications, i.e. the structural knowledge in the field of PSP activities, rescue operations, preventive measures and other aspects, such as, for example, knowledge of regulations concerning fire protection of buildings. It is difficult to clearly identify fire service qualifications which a spokesperson or a press officer should have, but the optimum set of skills can be attributed to the profession of a fire service engineer, as it guarantees comprehensive knowledge in all aspects of PSP activities. The second category of qualifications includes skills which are closely related to cooperation with mass media representatives. This set of skills should be improved on an ongoing basis.

The current education and professional development system in place at PSP is adapted to the Polish general and higher education system. Firefighters obtain qualifications within a three-level education system. Training in the profession of a firefighter is mainly held at the Non-commissioned Officers School of Fire Service in Bydgoszcz, where graduates can obtain qualifications of non-commissioned officers. Warrant officers can obtain qualifications at the Central School of the State Fire Service in Cz^sto-chowa and Warrant Officers Schools of the State Fire Service in Krakow and Poznan. Graduates of those schools are qualified fire service technicians. The Main School of Fire Service is the only institution which provides training to commissioned officers of PSP. The School's proposal includes a degree programme in the field of safety engineering for candidate firefighters, a degree programme in the field of safety engineering for full-time firefighters and post-graduate non-degree programmes entitled "Professional preparatory training for commissioned officers of the State Fire Service" (two or four semesters) [3]. The system of professional development was laid down in a document entitled Principles of Professional Development at the State Fire Service [4], approved by the Chief Commandant of PSP on 1 December 2016. Professional development is defined as "a process of systematic and ongoing professional activity aimed at updating, broadening and improving the knowledge and skills related to work. It results from the advances in science, methods, technologies and the need to act independently" [4, p. 6].

The principles of professional development were defined in detail for:

- firefighters serving on a shift basis,

- firefighters serving on a shift basis in rescue & firefi-ghting units, undergoing training at the rescue & firefi-ghting units,

- firefighters serving on a shift basis in rescue & firefi-ghting units, undergoing training in education centres,

- instructors specialising in specific types of rescue operations and emergency medical service specialists,

- members of specialised rescue teams,

rach PSP wyznaczonych jest tqcznie 351 rzeczniköw i oficeröw prasowych. W przeglqdzie tym - ze wzglçdu na ich charaktery-stykç oraz profil dziatalnosci - pominiçto Szkotç Gtöwnq Stuz-by Pozarniczej oraz inne szkoty, jednostki badawczo-rozwojowe oraz Centralne Muzeum Pozarnictwa.

Dotychczas nie zostat opracowany katalog wiedzy, umiejçt-nosci oraz kompetencji spotecznych, jakimi powinien charakte-ryzowac siç rzecznik oraz oficer prasowy PSP. Z pewnosciq taki katalog powinien zawierac dwie kategorie. Pierwsza z nich doty-czy kwalifikacji pozarniczych tj. posiadania strukturalnej wiedzy w zakresie funkcjonowania PSF; prowadzonych dziatan ratowni-czych, akcji prewencyjnych oraz innych obszaröw, w tym znajomo-sci przepisöw dotyczqcych ochrony przeciwpozarowej budynköw. Trudno okreslic, jakimi kwalifikacjami pozarniczymi powinien wy-kazywac siç rzecznik czy oficer prasowy. Optymalne bytyby kwali-fikacje wtasciwe dla zawodu inzyniera pozarnictwa - gwarantuje to rozbudowanq wiedzç na temat wszystkich aspektöw dziatalnosci PSP Druga grupa kwalifikacji dotyczy umiejçtnosci zwiqza-nych scisle ze wspötpracq ze srodkami masowego przekazu. Te ostatnie kwalifikacje powinny podlegac statemu doskonaleniu.

Obecny system ksztatcenia i doskonalenia zawodowego PSP dostosowany jest do systemu edukacji oraz szkolnictwa wyz-szego w Polsce. Strazaköw ksztatci siç trzypoziomowo. Szkole-nie w zawodzie strazak prowadzi gtöwnie Szkota Podoficerska PSP w Bydgoszczy, nadajqc swoim absolwentom kwalifikacje podoficerskie. Ksztatcenie aspiranckie oferujq Centralna Szkota PSP w Czçstochowie oraz Szkoty Aspirantöw PSP w Krakowie i Poznaniu. Ich absolwenci uzyskujq tytut technika pozarnictwa. Ksztatcenie oficeröw PSP prowadzi jedynie Szkota Gtöwna Stuz-by Pozarniczej. W ofercie uczelni znajdujq siç studia na kierun-ku inzynieria bezpieczenstwa dla strazaköw w stuzbie kandydac-kiej, studia na kierunku inzynieria bezpieczenstwa dla strazaköw w stuzbie statej oraz studia podyplomowe pn. Przeszkolenie za-wodowe przygotowujqce do zajmowania stanowisk oficerskich w Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej (dwu lub cztero-semestralne) [3]. Organizacje doskonalenia zawodowego przyjçto w dokumencie pn. Zasady organizacji doskonalenia zawodowego w Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej [4], zatwierdzonym przez Komendanta Gtöwnego PSP 1 grudnia 2016 r. Doskonalenie zawodowe definiowane jest jako „proces systematycznej oraz ciqgtej aktywnosci zawodowej ma-jqcy na celu aktualizowanie, rozszerzanie oraz pogtçbianie wiedzy i umiejçtnosci zwiqzanych z wykonywanym zawodem. Wynika z rozwoju nauki, techniki, ze zmian technologicznych wytwarzania oraz potrzeby samodzielnosci w dziataniu" [4, s. 6].

Zasady doskonalenia zawodowego opracowano szczegötowo dla:

- strazaköw petniqcych stuzbç w zmianowym rozktadzie czasu stuzby,

- strazaköw jednostek ratowniczo-gasniczych petniqcych stuzbç w zmianowym rozktadzie czasu stuzby, odbywa-jqcych szkolenie w jednostkach ratowniczo-gasniczych,

- strazaköw jednostek ratowniczo-gasniczych petniqcych stuzbç w zmianowym rozktadzie czasu stuzby, odbywa-jqcych szkolenie w osrodkach szkolenia,

- instruktoröw poszczegölnych dziedzin ratownictwa i spe-cjalistöw ratownictwa medycznego,

- cztonköw specjalistycznych grup ratowniczych,

- full-time and supernumerary operation control staff,

- commanders of rescue & firefighting units,

- coordinators and commanders of specialised teams,

- firefighters performing their duties related to rescue and firefighting operations, and

- firefighters not performing their duties related to rescue and firefighting operations.

The procedures and the subject-matter of professional development do not include any issues related to the press and information activities performed by spokespersons and press officers. The document entitled The Principles of Professional Development at the State Fire Service does not define any detailed rules for the professional training for this group of officers. Spokespersons are obliged to undergo training at least twice a year, while press officers are required to take part in training sessions at least once a year [2, p. 4]. However, no measures have been adopted to take into account the needs of PSP spokespersons and press officers in the general principles of professional development.

- etatowych i nieetatowych obsad stanowisk kierowania,

- dowodcow jednostek ratowniczo-gasniczych,

- koordynatorow i dowodcow grup specjalistycznych,

- strazakow wykonujqcych zadania zwiqzane z udziatem w dziataniach ratowniczo-gasniczych,

- strazakow niewykonujqcych zadan zwiqzanych z udziatem w dziataniach ratowniczo-gasniczych.

Wsrod procedur oraz tematow doskonalenia zawodowego braku-je zagadnien zwiqzanych z prowadzonymi przez rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych dziataniami prasowo-informacyjnymi. Dokument pn. Zasady organizacji doskonalenia zawodowego w Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej nie okresla zadnych zasad doskonalenia zawodowego tej grupy funkcjonariuszy. Na rzecznikôw i oficerow prasowych zostat natozony wymog doskonalenia siç - odpowiednio - nie rzadziej niz dwa razy w roku dla rzecznikôw prasowych oraz nie rzadziej niz raz w roku dla oficerow prasowych [2, s. 4]. Nie podjçto jednak dziatan zwiqzanych z uwzglçdnieniem potrzeb rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych PSP w ogolnych zasadach doskonalenia zawodowego.

The method

With a view to diagnosing the needs related to the professional training of spokespersons and press officers, a preliminary survey was carried out among these officers. The survey method consisted in gaining knowledge on specific phenomena and the state of affairs, opinions and views of a specified group of persons [5, p. 59]. Firstly, a survey questionnaire was prepared. The questionnaire included issues related to the work of spokespersons and press officers, such as years of service in this position, determinants of appointing persons to the position, sources of knowledge used for self-study, the frequency of addressing the public, skills which require improvement, and, most importantly, the evaluation related to the need for professional training. The online questionnaire was made available to all spokespersons and press officers on the basis of contact details on the website of the National Headquarters of PSP [6]. The survey participants answered the questions in the period between 22 February 2018 and 26 March 2018. 112 respondents, out of 351 persons who had been sent the questionnaire, took part in the survey.

Metoda badawcza

Celem zdiagnozowania potrzeb w zakresie doskonalenia zawodowego rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych przeprowadzono wstçpne badanie ankietowe tych funkcjonariuszy. Metoda ankietowania po-lega na poznaniu okreslonych zjawisk oraz stanow rzeczy na pod-stawie poglqdow, opinii i sqdow wybranej grupy osob [5, s. 59]. W pierwszej kolejnosci opracowano kwestionariusz ankiety, w kto-rym poruszono zagadnienia zwiqzane z pracq rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych takie jak: staz pracy na tym stanowisku, determinanty wyboru na stanowisko, zrodta z jakich korzystano podczas samo-dzielnego uzupetnienia wiedzy, czçstotliwosci wystqpien publicz-nych, braki w umiejçtnosciach oraz - co najwazniejsze - ocenç dotyczqcq koniecznosci doskonalenia zawodowego. Ankieta w wer-sji elektronicznej udostçpniona zostata wszystkim rzecznikom i oficerom prasowym na podstawie danych kontaktowych zamiesz-czonych na stronie internetowej Komendy Gtownej PSP [6]. Ankie-towani udzielali odpowiedzi w dniach od 22 lutego 2018 r. do 26 marca 2018 r. W ankiecie udziat wziçto 112 respondentow spo-srod 351 osob, ktorym zostata ona udostçpniona.

The results

Persons working in their position for over 4 years accounted for 59% of the survey participants. Nearly a fifth of the respondents reported between 2 and 4 years of service, whereas persons reporting between 1 and 2 years of service accounted for 15% of the group. Less than a year of experience in this position was reported by 7% of the respondents. This distribution demonstrates that PSP spokespersons and press officers with over four years of service were the most numerous group of respondents. Therefore, it can be stated that their experience in performing these functions is relatively extensive. The distribution of answers to a question on years of service in the position of a PSP spokesperson or press officer has been demonstrated in Figure 1.

Wyniki badania

Sposrod ankietowanych 59% swojq funkcjç petni powyzej czterech lat. Stazem pracy wynoszqcym od dwoch do czterech lat moze pochwalic siç prawie jedna piqta ankietowanych, a stazem pomiçdzy rokiem a dwoma latami - 1 5% z nich. Mniej niz rok swoje obowiqzki wykonuje 7% ankietowanych.

Z rozktadu tego wynika, iz zdecydowana wiçkszosc rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych PSP petni swojq funkcjç powyzej czterech lat. Fakt ten pozwala zatozyc relatywnie duze doswiad-czenie tej grupy respondentow. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o staz pracy na stanowisku rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego PSP przedstawia rycina 1.

Years of service in the position of a PSP spokesperson/press officer Pani/Pana staz na stanowisku rzecznika/oficera prasowego PSP

Over 4 years / Powyzej 4 lat; 2-4 years / 2-4 lata; 1-2 years / 1-2 lata; Less than a year / Mniej niz rok

Figure 1. The distribution of answers to the question on years of service in the position of a PSP spokesperson or press officer Rycina 1. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o staz pracy na stanowisku rzecznika bgdz oficera prasowego PSP Source: Own elaboration. / Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

Analysing the qualifications required from spokespersons and press officers, emphasis should be placed on the current system of appointment to these positions. This aspect has not been regulated yet, as there are no formal requirements in place for this group of officers. The selection, due to the special role of spokespersons and press officers, should be based on the detailed evaluation of the knowledge and competencies of potential candidates for the positions. For 14% of the respondents, competence was the decisive factor for the appointment. The largest proportion of the officers (56%) were appointed for the position of spokespersons or press officers by way of an instruction from their superiors. It is worth emphasising that in numerous PSP headquarters, the functions are assigned to a particular section or department. This "automatic" assignment of duties was reported by 23% of the respondents. Spokespersons and press officers who volunteered for the position accounted for 7% of the survey participants. The distribution of replies to the question about the circumstances under which they took the position of a spokesperson or a press officer has been presented in Figure 2.

Podczas analizy kwalifikacji, jakimi powinni legitymowac si? rzecznicy i oficerowie prasowi nalezy zwrocic uwag? na obecny system wyznaczania ich na te stanowiska. Dotychczas aspekt ten nie zostat uregulowany oraz nie okreslono wymagan zawo-dowych dla omawianej grupy funkcjonariuszy. Wybor rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych, ze wzgl?du na ich szczegolnq rol?, powi-nien byc dokonany na podstawie szczegotowej oceny wiedzy i kompetencji kandydatow. W przypadku 14% badanych funkcjonariuszy decydowato kryterium kompetencyjne. Zdecydowana wi?kszosc (56%) powotana zostata na funkcj? rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego poleceniem przetozonego. Na uwag? zastu-guj? fakt, iz w wielu komendach PSP funkcja ta jest przyporzqd-kowana do konkretnej sekcji bqdz wydziatu. Ten „automatyczny" przydziat obowiqzkow przypadt w udziale 23% ankietowanych. Dobrowolnie obowiqzki rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego pet-ni 7% ankietowanych. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o to, jakie byty przestanki do obj?cia funkcji rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego przedstawia rycina 2.

You took the position of a spokesperson/press officer Na stanowisko rzecznika/oficera prasowego zostata Pani/zostat Pan wyznaczony:

Voluntarily / Dobrowolnie;

On superior's instruction / Z polecenia przetozonego; Due to serving at the department / Section to which this position is assigned / z racji petnienia stuzby w wydziale / sekcji, do ktorej funkcja ta jest przypisana; Based on my knowledge and predisposition / Na podstawie mojej wiedzy i predyspozycji

Figure 2. The distribution of replies to the question about the premises for taking the position of a PSP spokesperson or a press officer Rycina 2. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o to, jakie byty przestanki do objçcia funkcji rzecznika bgdz oficera prasowego PSP Source: Own elaboration./ Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

As already mentioned, and which is worth noting, only 14% of the respondents reported competence desirable in the position of a PSP spokesperson or press officer. It can be stated that the remaining officers lacked the competence required to perform these functions. The next question in the survey referred to the issue of whether assuming the position of a spokesperson or a press officer involved the need to expand their knowledge by self-study. The positive answer to this question was given by 81% of the survey participants. This result shows that the majority of the officers did not receive a system-based support in the field of supplementing their knowledge which is required for the proper performance of their duties. The number of positive answers also suggests that the State Fire Service does not control the professional development methods selected by those officers, and it is difficult to check whether the expanded knowledge is consistent with the demands of the service. Figure 3 shows the distribution of answers to the question whether assuming the position of a spokesperson or a press officer involved the need to expand their knowledge by self-study.

Jak juz zostato wspomniane, jedynie 14% ankietowanych legitymowato siç kompetencjami, ktore przydatne sq na stanowi-sku rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego PSP. Domniemywac moz-na, iz pozostatym funkcjonariuszom brakowato niezbçdnych dla tych stanowisk kompetencji. Kolejnym pytaniem w ankiecie byto, czy objçcie funkcji rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego wiqzato siç dla tych funkcjonariuszy z koniecznosciq samodzielnego uzupet-nienia wiedzy. Odpowiedzi twierdzqcej udzielito 81% ankietowanych. Ten wynik wskazuje, iz zdecydowana czçsc respondentow nie otrzymata systemowego wsparcia w zakresie uzupetnienia wiedzy niezbçdnej do wykonywania powierzonych im obowiqz-kow. Liczba odpowiedzi twierdzqcych pozwala rowniez zatozyc, iz Panstwowa Straz Pozarna nie miata kontroli nad tym, w jaki sposob doskonalq siç ci funkcjonariusze oraz czy uzupetniana wiedza odpowiada wyzwaniom stuzby. Rycina 3 przedstawia roz-ktad odpowiedzi na pytanie, czy objçcie funkcji rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego wiqzato siç z koniecznosciq samodzielnego uzupetnienia wiedzy.

Did the commencement of your service as a spokesperson/press officer involve the need to supplement your knowledge by self-study? Czy rozpoczçcie pracy w charakterze rzecznika/oficera prasowego wrçzato siç dla Pani/Pana z koniecznosciq samodzielnego uzupetnienia wiedzy?

■ Yes / Tak

■ No / Nie

Figure 3. The distribution of answers to the question whether assuming the position of a spokesperson or a press officer involved the need to expand their knowledge by self-study

Rycina 3. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o to, czy obj?cie funkcji rzecznika bgdz oficera prasowego wigzato si? z koniecznoscig samodzielnego uzupetnienia wiedzy Source: Own elaboration. Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

As regards the data shown in Figure 3, it is worth mentioning the sources of knowledge used by the officers for self-study. This was the topic of the next question. It was a multiple-choice question with an option to indicate additional sources of knowledge. The Internet was the most popular source of knowledge reported by PSP spokespersons and press officers. This answer was marked by nearly 82% of the respondents. It was followed by press (46.8%), professional training (34.9%), and professional literature (33.9%). Three officers who selected the "other" option indicated that they used the experience shared by their predecessors and drew on the observations of other spokespersons and press officers. One of the survey participants graduated from a second-cycle degree programme in journalism. The distribution of answers

Analizujqc rycinç 3 nalezy pochylic siç nad zrodtami, z jakich korzystano podczas samodzielnego uzupetniania wiedzy. Kwestia ta byta przedmiotem kolejnego pytania, ktore miato charakter wielokrotnego wyboru z mozliwosciq wskazania do-datkowego zrodta (ankietowani mogli udzielic wiçcej niz jednej odpowiedzi). Najczçstszym zrodtem wiedzy byt dla rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych PSP Internet. Tç odpowiedz wskazato pra-wie 82% ankietowanych. Nastçpnie najwiçcej ankietowanych wskazato na prasç (46,8%), profesjonalne szkolenia (34,9%) i literaturç fachowq (33,9%). W wolnej odpowiedzi trzech funkcjonariuszy wskazato przekazane przez poprzednika doswiad-czenie oraz obserwacjç innych rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych. Jeden sposrod ankietowanych ukonczyt studia II stopnia

on the sources of knowledge used by spokespersons and press officers has been demonstrated in Figure 4. It was a multiple-choice question, and the respondents could select more than one answer.

na kierunku dziennikarstwo. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o zrodta wiedzy, z jakich korzystali rzecznicy i oficerowie pra-sowi przedstawia rycina 4.

What sources of knowledge do you use for self-study? Z jakich zrodet Pani/Pan korzysta przy samodzielnym doszkalaniu?

Figure 4. The distribution of answers to the multiple-choice question about the sources of knowledge which spokespersons and press officers used during self-study

Rycina 4. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie wielokrotnego wyboru o zrodta, z jakich korzystali podczas samodzielnego uzupetnia wiedzy rzecznicy i oficerowie prasowi

Source: Own elaboration./ Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

In order to correctly identify the needs in the field of professional development, it was necessary to establish whether spokespersons and press officers ever encountered situations where, due to their nature and range, their skills in the field of contacts with mass media representatives were insufficient. A negative answer to this question was given by 83% of the respondents. Respondents who encountered situations where their skills were insufficient accounted for 17% of the survey participants. The distribution of answers to this question is shown in Figure 5.

Aby wtasciwie rozpoznac potrzeby w obszarze doskonalenia zawodowego, nalezato ustalic, czy w dotychczasowym przebie-gu stuzby rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych zdarzyty siç sytuacje, ktore swojq charakterystykq bqdz rozmiarem wykroczyty poza ich umiejçtnosci w zakresie kontaktu ze Srodkami masowego przeka-zu. Na to pytanie 83% ankietowanych odpowiedziato przeczqco. Wsrod ankietowanych znalazto siç 17% funkcjonariuszy, ktorzy uznali, iz przydarzyty im siç sytuacje przekraczajqce ich umiejçt-nosci. Rozktad odpowiedzi na to pytanie przedstawia rycina 5.

Have you ever encountered a situation in which you found your skills insufficient? Czy zdarzyty siç sytuacje przekraczaj^ce Pani/Pana umiejçtnosci?

Yes / Tak No / Nie

Figure 5. The distribution of answers to the question whether spokespersons and press officers ever encountered situations in which, due to their nature and range, their skills in the field of contacts with mass media representatives were insufficient

Rycina 5. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o to, czy w dotychczasowym przebiegu stuzby rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych zdarzyty si^ sytuacje, ktore swojg charakterystykg bgdz rozmiarem przekroczyty ich umiej^tnosci w zakresie kontaktu ze srodkami masowego przekazu Source: Own elaboration./ Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

Analysing the data in Figure 5, it seems justifiable to identify the type of situations in which the officers found their skills insufficient. This issue was the topic of the next question. The most popular answers listed weather anomalies, natural disasters, large and very large fires and PSP operations with the use of a substantial number of staff and resources. In addition, the respondents also reported speaking in front of a camera and the need to comment on press materials which they considered biased or untrue. The above data shows that PSP spokespersons and press officers lack the skills of speaking in public and the knowledge of available defence methods arising from the provisions of the Press Law [7].

The next question referred to the issue of the frequency of PSP spokespersons and press officers speaking in public in relation to their function. The frequency mainly depends on the characteristics of a particular city or district, and the number and type of mass media operating in the area. Out of the 112 respondents, 46% reported speaking in public less often than once a month. This indicates that they do not have enough opportunities to gain hands on experience and that PSP management should provide professional-development training courses and sessions for spokespersons and press officers. Next, 19% of the respondents reported speaking in public two or three times a month, while the officers who spoke in public once a week accounted for 18% of the survey participants. The detailed distribution of answers to the question about the frequency of PSP spokespersons and press officers speaking in public is presented in Figure 6.

W celu interpretacji wynikôw, ktôre ilustruje rycina 5, zasadne jest ustalenie, jakiego typu sytuacje funkcjonariusze uznali za przekraczajqce ich umiejçtnosci. Tego zagadnienia dotyczyto ko-lejne pytanie. Najczçstszymi odpowiedziami byty: anomalie pogo-dowe, klçski zywiotowe, duze i bardzo duze pozary oraz dziatania PSP z udziatem duzej ilosci sit i srodkôw. Ponadto wsrôd odpowiedzi znalazty siç wystqpienia przed kamerq oraz koniecznosc ustosunkowania siç do tendencyjnie bqdz niezgodnie z prawdq przygotowanego materiatu prasowego. Powyzsze dane wskazujq, iz rzecznikom oraz oficerom prasowym PSP brakuje umiejçtnosci wystqpieñ publicznych oraz wiedzy na temat dostçpnych metod obrony wynikajqcych z przepisôw Prawa prasowego [7].

Kolejne pytanie dotyczyto czçstotliwosci, z jakq publicznie wy-stçpujq rzecznicy i oficerowie prasowi PSP w zwiqzku z petnionq funkcjq. Czçstotliwosc ta zalezy gtôwnie od charakterystyki kon-kretnego miasta bqdz powiatu oraz ilosci i rodzaju dziatajqcych w nich mediôw. Sposrôd 112 ankietowanych, 46% z nich wystç-puje publicznie rzadziej niz raz w miesiqcu. Wskazuje to na brak mozliwosci nabierania doswiadczenia „w boju" oraz koniecznosc zadbania przez kadrç kierowniczq PSP o kursy i szkolenia dosko-nalqce dla rzecznikôw i oficerôw prasowych. Kolejno, 19% ankietowanych ma okazjç do wystqpieñ publicznych dwa lub trzy razy w miesiqcu, 18% - raz w tygodniu. Przedstawione powyzej odpowiedzi ilustruje rycina 6.

How often do you speak in public as part of your duties as a spokesperson/press officer? Jak cz^sto wyst^puje Pani/Pan publicznie w zwi^zku z wykonywanq pracg rzecznika/oficera?

Every day /Codziennie;

2-3 times a week / 2-3 razy w tygodniu;

Once a week / Raz w tygodniu;

2-3 times a month / 2-3 razy w miesigcu;

Less than once a month / Mniej niz raz w miesigcu;

I do not speak in public / Nie wyst^puj^ publicznie

Figure 6. The distribution of answers to the question about the frequency of spokespersons and press officers speaking in public in relation to their service Rycina 6. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o czçstotliwosc wystgpien publicznych rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych w zwigzku z petniong stuzbg Source: Own elaboration. / Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

In the next part of the questionnaire, spokespersons and press officers provided information whether they had ever taken part in training sessions addressed to them. The following answers were suggested - "never, once, more than once." The respondents who said that they had taken part in this type of training sessions more than once accounted for 51% of the group. It can be considered a fairly good result, although it should be remembered that 59% of

W dalszej czçsci ankiety rzecznikôw i oficerôw prasowych zapytano, czy kiedykolwiek uczestniczyli w szkoleniu im dedy-kowanym. Zaproponowano nastçpujqce odpowiedzi: nigdy, raz, wiçcej niz raz. 51% ankietowanych uczestniczyta w tego typu szkoleniach wiçcej niz raz. Jest to wynik relatywnie dobry, na-lezy jednak pamiçtac, iz 59% respondentôw petni swojq funkcjç ponad 4 lata (zob. ryc. 1). Nigdy w takim szkoleniu nie uczestni-

the survey participants had over 4 years of experience (see Figure 1). The survey participants who had never taken part in such training sessions accounted for 12% of the group. The distribution of answers to the question whether the respondents had ever taken part in a training session addressed to them is shown in Figure 7.

czyto 12% ankietowanych. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie doty-czqce uczestnictwa w szkoleniu dla rzecznikow i oficerow pra-sowych przedstawia rycina 7.

Have you ever taken part in a training course/session adddressed to spokespersons/press officers? Czy uczestniczyt Pani/Pan kiedykolwiek w szkoleniu/kursie dedykowanym rzecznikom/oficerom prasowym?

Never / Nigdy; Once / Raz;

More than once / Wiçcej niz raz

Figure 7. The distribution of answers to the question whether the spokespersons and press officers taking part in the survey had ever taken part in training sessions addressed to them

Rycina 7. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie o to, czy ankietowani rzecznicy i oficerowie prasowi uczestniczyli w dedykowanym im szkoleniu doskonalqcym Source: Own elaboration./ Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

Referring to the question whether the spokespersons and press officers had ever taken part in professional development training addressed to them, a question was posed whether they saw the need for professional development of that group of officers. It was a single-choice question. The survey participants provided their answers using a scale from 1 to 5, where "1" indicated that they definitely did not see the need for professional development, and "5" indicated that they definitely saw such need. The definite need for professional development of the officers entrusted with the duties of PSP spokespersons or press officers was reported by 70.5% of the respondents. The distribution of answers to the question whether spokespersons and press officer saw the need for professional development of that group of officers has been presented in Figure 8.

Respondentow zapytano rowniez, czy widzq oni potrzebç doskonalenia zawodowego tej grupy funkcjonariuszy. Byto to pytanie jednokrotnego wyboru, a odpowiedzi mozna byto udzie-lac w piçciostopniowej skali (gdzie odpowiedz 1 oznaczata, iz zdecydowanie nie widzq takiej potrzeby, odpowiedz 5 - iz zde-cydowanie widzq takq potrzebç). 70,5% ankietowanych zdecydowanie widzi potrzebç doskonalenia zawodowego funkcjonariuszy, ktorym powierzono funkcjç rzecznika bqdz oficera prasowego PSP Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie przedstawia rycina 8.

Do you see the need for the professional development of officers serving as spokespersons/press officers? Czy widzi Pani/ Pan potrzeby doskonalenia zawodowego funkcjonariuszy petni^cych funkj rzecznika/oficera prasowego?

Definitely yes Zdecydowanie tak

70.50%

21.40%

Figure 8. The distribution of answers to the question whether spokespersons and press officers saw the need for professional development of that group of officers

Rycina 8. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie

o to, czy rzecznicy i oficerowie prasowi widz^

potrzeby doskonalenia zawodowego tej grupy

funkcjonariuszy

Source: Own elaboration.

Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

Definitely no Zdecydowanie nie

7.10%

2 1.00%

0.00%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

The key question in the survey featuring spokespersons and press officers was related to the issue of the range of knowledge the respondents would like to expand. Five answers were suggested for this question - "contacts with the mass media", "speaking in public", "press law", "using social media", and "the activities of spokespersons and press officers during a media crisis." It was a multiple-choice question and the respondents could select more than one answer. The most popular answer was "speaking in public" as it was selected by 56.3% of the respondents. The detailed distribution of answers to this question is shown in Figure 9.

Kluczowe pytanie ankiety przeprowadzonej wsrod rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych dotyczyto zakresu wiedzy, o ktorq chcieli-by siç wzbogacic ankietowani. Zaproponowano piçc odpowiedzi tj. kontakt z mass mediami, wystçpienia publiczne, prawo prasowe, wykorzystanie mediôw spofecznosciowych oraz dziafalnosc rzecz-nika bqdz oficera prasowego w trakcie kryzysu medialnego. Pytanie miato charakter pytania wielokrotnego wyboru, ankietowani mogli udzielic wiçcej niz jednej odpowiedzi. Najczçsciej udzielonq byta odpowiedz zwiqzana z wystqpieniami publicznymi, ktorq wybrato 56,3% ankietowanych. Rycina 9 prezentuje szczegotowy rozktad odpowiedzi.

What issues would you like to explore as part of improving your skills related to the position of a spokesperson/press officer? O jakie zagadnienia chciataby Pani/chciatby Pan poszerzyc swoje umiej^tnosci zwi^zane z wykonywaniem funkcji rzecznika/oficera prasowego?

Speaking in public / Wystgpienia publiczne

Activities of PSP spokespersons/press officers during a media crisis Dziatalnosc rzecznika/oficera prasowego PSP w trakcie kryzysu medialnego

Press law / Prawo prasowe

Contacts with the mass media / Kontakt z mass mediami

Use of social media / Wykorzystanie mediöw spotecznosciowych

Other / Inne 1.80%

0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00%

Figure 9. The distribution of answers to the multiple-choice question on the range of knowledge which PSP spokespersons or press officers would like to expand

Rycina 9. Rozktad odpowiedzi na pytanie wielokrotnego wyboru o zakres wiedzy, o ktorg chcieliby siç wzbogacic ankietowani rzecznicy i oficerowie prasowi PSP Source: Own elaboration. Zrodto: Opracowanie wtasne.

Discussion on the methods and results - recommendations related to the professional development of PSP spokespersons and press officers

The results of the preliminary survey conducted among spokespersons and press officers demonstrated that it is necessary to develop a training and professional development system for these officers. This objective may be achieved by appropriately updating "The Principles of Professional Development at the State Fire Service." As already mentioned in the introduction, all PSP officers are obliged to pursue professional development, taking into account the nature of the tasks they perform. The professional development of spokespersons and press officers should be included in a sub-chapter entitled "The system of professional development of firefighters fulfilling tasks related to participation in rescue operations." This sub-chapter supplements a chapter entitled "The professional development of firefighters serving on a day-shift basis and civil staff."

Dyskusja nad metodami i wynikami - rekomendacje w zakresie doskonalenia zawodowego rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych PSP

Wstçpne badanie ankietowe, ktore zostato przeprowadzone wsrod rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych, wskazuje na potrzebç stworzenia dedykowanego im systemu szkolenia oraz doskonalenia zawodowego. Temu celowi stuzyc z powodzeniem mogq odpowiednio zaktualizowane Zasady organizacji doskonalenia zawodowego w Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej. Jak wspomniano we wprowadzeniu, doskonaleniu zawodowemu podlegajq wszyscy funkcjonariusze PSP z uwzglçdnieniem charakterystyki zadan, jakie wykonujq. Doskonalenie zawodowe rzecznikow i oficerow powinno zostac uwzglçdnione w podrozdziale „Organizacja doskonalenia zawodowego strazakow wykonujqcych zadania zwiq-zane z udziatem w dziataniach ratowniczych". Podrozdziat ten stanowi rozwiniçcie rozdziatu „Doskonalenie zawodowe straza-kow petniqcych stuzbç w codziennym rozktadzie czasu stuzby oraz pracownikow cywilnych".

The main obligations of PSP spokespersons or press officers include press and information activities related to the rescue operations conducted by PSP units. In line with the principles of cooperation between the units of the National Firefighting Rescue System and the mass media, in the event of long-lasting operations, a spokesperson or a press officer should be part of the command centre staff [2, p. 10]. Analysing the above, it can be stated that spokespersons or press officers perform tasks related to participating in rescue operations. Furthermore, at the beginning of a given operation, the obligation to contact the media is imposed on the person in command of the rescue operation, and a spokesperson or a press officer can take over the tasks. This demonstrated that spokespersons and press officers take part in rescue operations. Therefore, an appropriate place of spokespersons and press officers in PSP professional development structure is the first step towards supplementing and raising their qualifications.

The development of a professional development programme for this group of officers is a key issue here. On the basis of the preliminary survey and the analysis of the subject matter, is it possible to list issues which should be taken into account.

These are most of all issues related to:

- speaking in public,

- the principles of the work of spokespersons or press officers during a media crisis,

- the press law and the principles of defence in contacts with mass media representatives,

- the use of social media in the work of a spokesperson or a press officer.

The aforementioned elements can be influenced by appropriate preparation for contacts with mass media representatives, or the ability to prepare press materials, including photographs and videos. These areas should also be included in the professional training programme.

It is recommended that the State Fire Service adopt a comprehensive professional development system for PSP spokespersons and press officers aimed at responding to the needs of this group of officers.

Summary

Adam taszyn points out that notwithstanding whether the tasks of a spokesperson are performed occasionally or on a day-to-day basis, "the skills of communicating with the mass media are necessary and it is worth gaining them" [8, p.20]. The work in the position of a spokesperson or a press officer is both a distinction and a huge challenge. The image of PSP depends on their work. The appropriate preparation of persons representing PSP should be treated as priority. The definition of competence and the range of knowledge which each spokesperson or press officer should have was made possible thanks to conducting this preliminary survey featuring those officers. The professional development system in place at PSP does not fully account for the needs of spokespersons and press officers, leaving this aspect of PSP

Wsrod gtownych obowigzkow rzecznika bgdz oficera prasowego PSP pozostajg czynnosci prasowo-informacyjnych zwigza-ne z prowadzonymi przez PSP dziataniami ratowniczymi. Zasady wspotpracy jednostek Krajowego Systemu Ratowniczo-Gasni-czego ze srodkami masowego przekazu okreslajg, iz w przypad-ku dziatan dtugotrwatych rzecznik bgdz oficer prasowy powinien zostac wtgczony do sztabu akcji [2, s. 10]. Przytoczony zapis daje podstawy interpretacji, iz rzecznik bgdz oficer prasowy wykonuje zadania zwigzane z udziatem w dziataniach ratowniczych. Ponad-to poczgtkowo obowigzek kontaktu z mediami spoczywa na kie-rujgcym dziataniem ratowniczym, a obowigzki te moze przejgc od niego rzecznik bgdz oficer prasowy. Uwarunkowania te wskazujg na udziat rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych w dziataniach ratowniczych. Dlatego tez odpowiednia lokalizacja w strukturze dosko-nalenia zawodowego PSP rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych sta-nowi pierwszy krok w procesie uzupetniania i podnoszenia przez nich kwalifikacji.

Kluczowym zagadnieniem staje siç opracowanie programu doskonalenia zawodowego omawianej grupy funkcjonariuszy. Na podstawie przeprowadzonego wstçpnego badania ankietowego oraz analizy przedmiotu wyroznic mozna obszary, ktore wyma-gajg uwzglçdnienia.

Sg to przede wszystkim zagadnienia zwigzane z:

- wystgpieniami publicznymi;

- zasadami pracy rzecznika bgdz oficera prasowego pod-czas kryzysu medialnego;

- prawem prasowym oraz zasadami obrony w kontakcie ze srodkami masowego przekazu;

- wykorzystaniem mediow spotecznosciowych w pracy rzecznika bgdz oficera prasowego.

Wptyw na powyzsze elementy ma odpowiednie przygotowa-nie siç do kontaktu ze srodkami masowego przekazu, czy cho-ciazby umiejçtnosc przygotowania materiatow prasowych, w tym zdjçc oraz filmow. Te obszary rowniez powinny byc uwzglçdnio-ne w programie doskonalenia.

Rekomenduje siç wiçc przyjçcie w Panstwowej Strazy Pozar-nej kompleksowego systemu doskonalenia zawodowego rzecz-nikow i oficerow prasowych PSP zorientowanego na potrzeby tej grupy funkcjonariuszy.

Podsumowanie

Adam taszyn wskazuje, iz niezaleznie od tego, czy funkcjç rzecznika prasowego petni siç okazjonalnie, czy jest ona codziennoscig, „kwalifikacje kontaktu z mediami sg niezbçdne i warto je zdobyc" [8, s. 20]. Praca w roli rzecznika bgdz oficera prasowego to jednocze-snie wyroznienie i duza odpowiedzialnosc. Od sposobu jej petnienia zalezy wizerunek PSF! Odpowiednie przygotowanie osob, ktore repre-zentujg PSP powinno byc priorytetem. Okreslenie kompetencji oraz obszarow wiedzy, jakimi powinien legitymowac siç rzecznik bgdz oficer prasowy, mozliwe stato siç dziçki przeprowadzeniu wstçpnego badania ankietowego tych funkcjonariuszy. System doskonalenia zawodowego przyjçty w PSP nie uwzglçdnia w petni potrzeb rzecznikow i oficerow prasowych, pozostawiajgc ich rozwoj i kompetencje nieure-gulowanym aspektem dziatalnosci PSP Medialny przekaz z dziatan

operations unregulated. The media coverage of rescue operations, running websites and preparing social campaigns are only some of the tasks entrusted to spokespersons and press officers. In the times of fast information exchange, PSP should build a well-organised and effective press and information service. The effectiveness of the activities which spokespersons and press officers perform to a large extent depends on the professional development system. Persons of high professional competence in the field of cooperation with the mass media are the only ones who have the ability to foster the media image of PSP. The results of the survey should be a starting point in the process of professionalising the work of spokespersons and press officers, and should provoke a discussion on the role, tasks and support of such officers. In the future, PSP should seek to support spokespersons and press officers in reaching a high level of specialisation, comparable to other areas of operation of this service, e.g. firefighting, technical rescue, chemical salvage, and environmental and medical rescue operations [9, § 1]. The professional work of spokespersons and press officers should be an indispensable aspect of rescue operations conducted by PSP. Their activities should gain particular significance during natural disasters, since such circumstances require evacuation or effective communication with the citizens. The professional approach of spokespersons and press officers influences not only the image of PSP but also the safety of citizens.

ratowniczych, prowadzenie stron internetowych oraz przygotowanie kampanii spotecznych to tylko niektóre z zadan powierzanych rzecz-nikom i oficerom prasowym. W dobie coraz szybszego obiegu infor-macji PSP powinna budowac zorganizowanq i skutecznq stuzb? pra-sowo-informacyjnq. Sprawnosc poodejmowanych przez rzeczników i oficerów prasowych dziatan w duzej mierze zalezec b^dzie od syste-mu doskonalenia zawodowego. Wytqcznie osoby o wysokich kompe-tencjach zawodowych w zakresie wspótpracy ze srodkami masowe-go przekazu b^dq potrafity w odpowiedni sposób zadbac o wizerunek medialny PSP Wyniki przeprowadzonego badania powinny stano-wic punkt wyjscia w procesie profesjonalizacji pracy rzeczników i oficerów prasowych oraz rozpoczqc dyskusj? o roli, zadaniach i wsparciu tych funkcjonariuszy. W przysztosci PSP dqzyc powinna do osiqgni^cia przez rzeczników i oficerów prasowych wysokiego po-ziomu specjalizacji, porównywalnego do innych obszarów dziatalno-sci tej formacji np. walki z pozarami oraz ratownictwa technicznego, chemicznego, ekologicznego i medycznego [9, § 1]. Profesjonalna praca rzeczników i oficerów prasowych powinna byc nieodzownym aspektem dziatan ratowniczych prowadzonych przez PSP Ma ona szczególne znaczenie podczas kl^sk zywiotowych, w takcie których konieczna jest ewakuacja ludnosci czy skuteczna komunikacja ze spoteczenstwem. Profesjonalizm rzeczników i oficerów prasowych wptywa wi^c nie tylko na wizerunek PSP ale przede wszystkim na bezpieczenstwo obywateli.

Literature / Literatura

[1] Witek E., Komunikacja wizerunkowa, Wyd. ASTRUM, Wroctaw 2015.

[2] KG PSP, Zasady wspótpracyjednostek Krajowego Sytemu Ratowniczo-Gasniczego ze srodkami masowego przekazu, Warszawa 2012.

[3] https:// https://www.sgsp.edu.pl/?page_id=40 [dost^p: 10.11.2019].

[4] KG PSP, Zasady organizacji doskonalenia zawodowego w Panstwowej Strazy Pozarnej, Warszawa 2016.

[5] Pelc M., Elementy metodologii badan naukowych, Wyd. AON, Warszawa 2012.

[6] http://www.straz.gov.pl/kontakt/Rzecznicy_prasowi_ko-mendantow_wojewodzkich_PSP_i_szkol_PSP [dost^p: 01.02.2018].

[7] Ustawa z dnia 26 stycznia 1984, Prawo Prasowe (Dz. U. 1984 Nr 5, poz. 24).

[8] taszyn A., Media i Ty, Wyd. Message House, Warszawa 2015.

[9] Rozporzqdzenie Ministra Spraw Wewn^trznych z dnia 3 lipca 2017 w sprawie szczegótowej organizacji krajowego systemu ratowniczo-gasniczego (Dz. U., poz. 1319).

DOMINIK DURALSKI, M.SC. ENG. - Lecturer at the Faculty of Safety Engineering and Population Protection at the Main School of Fire Service (SGSP). He graduated from the Faculty of Fire Safety Engineering at SGSP having completed a degree programme in the field of safety engineering, specialising in fire safety engineering. In the period between 2015 and 2018, he was an expert for student affairs at the Polish Accreditation Committee. His active involve-ment in student activities was completed in the position of the Chairman of the Forum of Technical Universities. Between 2017 and 2019, he was member of the Disciplinary Board for academic teachers at the Central Council for Science and Higher Education.

Stworzenie angloj^zycznych wersji oryginalnych artykutow naukowych wydawanych w kwartalniku „BITP. Bezpieczenstwo i Technika Pozarnicza" - zadanie finansowane w ramach umowy 658/P-DUN/2018 ze srodkow Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyzszego przeznaczonych na dziatalnosc upowszechniajqcq nauk^.

MGR INZ. DOMINIK DURALSKI - asystent na Wydziale Inzynierii Bezpieczenstwa i Ochrony Ludnosci Szkoty Gtównej Stuzby Pozarniczej. Absolwent Wydziatu Inzynierii Bezpieczenstwa Poza-rowego SGSP na kierunku inzynieria bezpieczenstwa w specjalno-sci inzynieria bezpieczenstwa pozarowego. W latach 2015-2018 Ekspert Polskiej Komisji Akredytacyjnej ds. studenckich. Prowadzit aktywnq dziatalnosc studenckq, w tym na stanowisku Przewodni-czqcego Forum Uczelni Technicznych. W latach 2017-2019 cztonek Komisji Dyscyplinarnej ds. nauczycieli akademickich przy Radzie Gtównej Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyzszego.

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Minísterstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyzszego