Fires are among the few processes that significantly impact the state and quality of the environment. Depending on the type and quantity of materials, products, or waste accumulated at a given location, various substances can be released into the environment during a fire. Knowledge of the potential hazards resulting from emission levels allows for appropriate action to be taken and protective measures to be implemented for those present at the scene. Therefore, this article analyzes the composition of emissions depending on the type of material involved in the fire, with particular emphasis on forest fires, substance dumps, and waste disposal sites. An analysis of the available literature revealed the presence of countless toxic organic and inorganic substances, including ultrafine particles and nanoparticles of metals, nonmetals and their compounds, and compounds with long-term toxic and mutagenic effects, such as benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), formaldehyde, and 1,3-butadiene. The development of new materials influences the composition of gases and fumes released during fires; therefore, continuous quantitative and qualitative analysis, the development of appropriate analytical tools, and legal requirements are essential.

The extremely dynamic development of civil aviation in recent years has simultaneously contributedto the growing popularity of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have taken over air traffic inthe areas of protection and security of the population and, since the armed conflict in Ukraine, havealso been put to use as dual-use products in military operations. However, one must bear in mind alsousers who fly drones for private and recreational purposes. Such a rapid growth in interest caused thenecessity of introducing regulations that would enable their safe design, production, maintenanceand operation in the EU. Thanks to these requirements, the civil aviation authorities in the EU havemade every effort to create a solid legal framework for the operations of UAVs, keeping up with theirrapid technological development, minimizing accidents that involve flight participants and reducingthe risk of material damage or safety of bystanders present on the surface.The authors adopted the assumption that aviation safety regulations are excessively conservative.The first part of this hypothesis is not a revelation, the rule being that legal regulations are delayedin relation to the dynamics of technological progress in this field. The second is an open questionregarding the need for greater liberalization in the field of unmanned flights.

Aim: The aim of the article is to present examples of rescue and firefighting activities carried out by PSP / national rescue and firefighting system (KSRG) with the use of innovative techniques and technologies resulting from the research and development projects carried out by teams of contractors, which included CNBOP-PIB as a leader or member of the consortium. In practice, the implementation of the obtained results allows for the actual and formal safety of firefighters-rescuers and other participants in rescue and firefighting operations, which is one of the basic duties of research and development units operating in the field of broadly understood fire protection, civil protection and crisis management. Introduction: Achieving the above goal is possible through the use of innovative techniques and technologies in rescue and firefighting operations, which allow reducing the risk of accidents and failures. Due to rational technical solutions, it is also possible to limit or even completely eliminate overloads of the osteoarticular system. The planned effect, which is to increase the safety level of rescue and firefighting operations, can also be achieved with the use of organizational and technical methods resulting from the selection of optimal methodologies, including those in logistics activities. Methodology: The article presents the possibilities of using products created as a result of the implementation of projects financed by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) related to the improvement of activity management and the use of innovative design solutions for equipment used in the planned activities. The considerations were based on the results of development activities carried out by consortia in which CNBOP-PIB participated. Summary: In literature, innovation is the implementation of a new or significantly improved product (or service), process, new marketing method or a new method of organization in the field of business practices, workplace organization or relations with the environment. Products (and services), processes and methods (technical, organizational and marketing) can be called innovations if they are new or significantly improved, at least from the point of view of rescue and firefighting activities carried out by PSP/KSRG. Conclusions: Effective use of the results of projects financed by NCBiR is one of the fastest ways to implement organizational and technical innovations in system activities. According to the authors, in order to increase the rational use of funds allocated to the implementation of research and development projects, a more active participation of the operator is recommended (in terms of content). The use of innovative technologies, even on a national scale, allows achieving measurable effects in terms of increasing the functionality, usability of products, modernization of existing systems, improvement of technologies used in rescue and firefighting operations, optimization of working conditions and time, and protection of the natural environment by reducing technogenic situations. Keywords: innovative technologies, organization of rescue and firefighting activities, effectiveness of activities Type of article: review article

Aim: Safety air cushions play a key role in the Polish rescue system. The basic principles of operation of the jump cushion are based on controlled absorption of the kinetic energy of the human body falling from a great height. Thanks to the use of air layers and flexible energy-absorbing materials, the jump cushion is able to reduce the overload affecting the human body during contact with the shock-absorbing surface. The mechanism of impact overload during a fall involves a sudden deceleration and the accumulation of forces acting on the body, which creates a risk of injuries such as fractures, damage to internal organs or concussion. In order to ensure an optimal level of safety while minimising the risk of serious injuries to both rescuers and rescued people, it is important to understand the excessive deceleration mechanisms during a fall from a significant height. Safety air cushions are designed to slow the body down in a controlled manner by spreading kinetic energy over a larger surface area and for a longer period of time, which reduces the risk of serious injury. Typical g-forces on a well-designed air cushion are in the range of 5-10 g and exceeding them significantly increases the risk of injury. Methodology: series of experiments was conducted, where drop test manikins weighting 40 kg to 90 kg and equipped with accelerometers were thrown from height of 16 metres onto jump cushion targets. During these experiments, various jump cushions from different manufacturers with air-filled frames fed via air tanks were used. The data gathered together with video recordings of those tests were then thoroughly analysed. Conclusions: The research results established acceptable levels of g-force overload for the human body in specific boundary conditions. The data were confirmed consistent with the results accessible in the available literature and enabled the development of technical and operational requirements for safety cushions. The research emphasises the importance of refining the technical parameters of safety air cushions in order to ensure safety and minimise the risk of injuries during rescue operations. In the future, it may be necessary to conduct tests with a manikin of greater mass, which is dictated by the social tendency to gain weight, and to not limit falls to other places on the upper surface of the jump cushion, which may be significant for the magnitude of the overload occurring. Keywords: air cushion, jump cushion, biomechanical overload, air-filled frame, air cushions, impact (shock) absorption technologies