Polish Red Cross floods operation

May 2010

Due to heavy rains which started during the weekend of 15th – 16th May 2010, a large part of the country
has been affected by this natural disaster. According to the Government Security Centre on 27th May
2010:

30,000 people were evacuated

275,000 hectare affected
11 voivodships affected
564 villages, towns and cities affected

The beginning…

The Polish Red Cross response was based on local or regional capacities involving hundreds of staff,
volunteers and members from: Malopolskie, Śląskie, Świętokrzyskie, Opolskie, Lubelskie and
Podkarpackie branches. The first emergency response was based on Rescue Service Teams (Kraków,
Bielsko-Biała, Czechowice-Dziedzice, Kielce, Ostrowiec, Sandomierz and Opole) which completed search
& rescue operations, medical assistance and humanitarian aid support, working closely with the local
fire services and emergency medical services. More than 100 Red Cross volunteers worked hard to save
lives, provide clean water and medical aid.

Regional intervention warehouses send their first humanitarian aid transports for Czestochowa,
Sandomierz, Annopol and seriously affected Wilków.

In the middle of operation…

As the heavy rains were in progress, nearby cities

implemented a “flood alert” status for Vistula, Odra
and Warta which are closest to the affected areas.
Flood waves made a disastrous impact on peoples’
living – IT & telecom connections, schools and public
buildings have been affected. During this time, Polish
Red Cross staff and volunteers from northern branches
have supported their southern colleagues by means of
humanitarian aid (blankets, mattress, sleeping bags,
basic toilet items). The Świętokrzyskie Regional Branch
worked hard to provide medical assistance by
establishing an Advanced Medical Post in Sandomierz
supporting more than 300 people evacuated from the Polish Red Cross staff and volunteers engaged
area. 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid supplies were in emergency search and rescue activities in
collected at the regional branch level. Zabrze.

The disaster relief effort has been speeded-up by the national HQ money collecting process, through an
SMS campaign with Polsat TV, and the American consul donated US$50,000 for the Kraków Regional
Branch’s humanitarian activities for people affected in the Malopolskie voivodship. Muszynianka
provided spring water which were distributed by local Red Cross volunteers. Operations have also
started in the central part of Poland after the dyke on the Vistula River was breached. The Polish Red
Cross has sent transports to Plock and the surroundings.

May 2010 Polish Red Cross Floods Operation

In the next few weeks…

The capacities of the Polish Red Cross regional

branches to respond locally, and also at regional
level, were seriously hit. However a new
mobilisation process is ongoing and the first
international assistance arrived to Kraków from
the German Red Cross providing aid for flood
victims. The Polish Red Cross personnel involved
has now reached a few hundred staff, volunteers
and members.

Polish Red Cross staff and volunteers filling

sandbags in Czechowice-Dziedzice.

Irish Red Cross assistance

The Irish Red Cross is liaising closely with our colleagues in the Polish Red Cross, and will help to co-
ordinate support from the public in Ireland who wish to provide assistance to the Red Cross response in
Poland.

For more information contact:

Mairead Fortune
Fundraising Department
Irish Red Cross Society
Email: mfortune@redcross.ie
Tel: (01) 642 4600

For more information on the work of the Irish Red Cross Society, please visit our website at:
www.redcross.ie

Irish Red Cross Society Head Office

16 Merrion Square
Dublin 2
Ireland
Tel: 00353 (0)1 642 4600

May 2010 Polish Red Cross Floods Operation