“Nearly 18 thousand people have signed up for the pilot program of voluntary, nationwide training within just two weeks. What will be the outcome of this course? We will know how to behave in a crisis situation. We will know how to provide first aid if someone faints on a tram. We will know what to do when an evacuation is announced, how to prepare for the most difficult moments. These will not always be related to armed conflict,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during his visit to Kraków.
Photos: Polish Ministry Of National Defence
The Ministry of National Defence, in cooperation with the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, has launched the wGotowości program – universal, voluntary defense training for anyone who wants to gain practical skills for acting in crisis situations. This is the first initiative of such scale in Poland that allows every adult citizen to acquire skills essential in times of danger – from first aid to cybersecurity.
Encouraging people to take part in the training, the Defense Minister said:
“You cannot build a strong state without a strong society. Three pillars shape our security. A strong army – and here we have the transformation process, size, operational capabilities. (…) When a state is attacked, it is not defended solely by its armed forces; it is defended by the strength of its entire society. The better prepared we are, the more we will achieve. The W gotowości exercises are innovative. I warmly invite everyone who has not yet registered. In the mObywatel app it takes 8 seconds. (…) At the end of the training, all course participants will complete a survey that will form the basis for evaluating this project to create the best course and the best classes – the kind people will be interested in. (…) I would like to sincerely thank all the instructors for coming today, dedicating their time, getting involved, and showing responsibility.”
The training consists of four one-day modules, each lasting 8 hours:
- Security – how to prepare yourself and your home for emergency situations, respond to alarm signals, and carry out an evacuation.
- First Aid – basics of pre-medical rescue, elements of battlefield medicine, use of an AED defibrillator.
- Survival – preparing an evacuation backpack, planning shelter, land navigation, and basic survival skills.
- Cybersecurity – how to protect data, recognize phishing, fake news, and social-engineering attacks, and how to use AI and social media safely.
