An international conference entitled “CBRN Threats in Public Spaces – Awareness and Cooperation” was held in Zakopane from May 26–29, 2026, inaugurating the project “PROTECT – Increasing the Competencies of the Police of European Union Member States in Protecting Public Spaces from CBRNE Threats.”
Dr. Karol Łyziński from the Department of Disaster Medicine and Emergency Care at the Jagiellonian University Medical College participated in the event, representing the perspectives of disaster medicine, emergency medical services, and preparing the healthcare system to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive incidents.
The conference brought together representatives of the police, public safety services, administration, state institutions, and the scientific community. Participants included, among others, Dr. Representatives from the National Police Headquarters, provincial police headquarters, foreign police forces, the Government Centre for Security, the Internal Security Agency, the Border Guard, the State Fire Service, the Sanitary Inspectorate, and universities and research institutes attended the conference.
The conference topics covered contemporary CBRN threats in public spaces, including their importance in the context of hybrid threats, civil protection, cooperation between services and institutions, identification and neutralization of threats, as well as first aid and protection of personnel in contaminated environments. The PROTECT project, co-financed by the Internal Security Fund for 2021–2027, aims to increase the preparedness and capability of the police forces of EU Member States to respond to such threats through training, practical exercises, and the development of cooperation between services.
The participation of a representative of the ZMKPiD UJ CM in the conference provided an opportunity to incorporate a medical perspective into the discussion on CBRN/CBRNE security in public spaces. Of particular importance were issues related to the cooperation between the police, emergency medical services, hospitals, and other healthcare providers in the event of mass casualty incidents, contamination, and hybrid crisis situations. The presence of the Department of Disaster Medicine and Emergency Care at the Jagiellonian University Medical College at this event is consistent with efforts to develop competencies in disaster medicine, prepare healthcare for CBRNE events, and strengthen cooperation between services and the academic community.