Expo Lubin – National Civil Protection and Civil Defence Fair

Expo Lubin – the National Civil Protection Fair – made one thing abundantly clear: security is no longer a theoretical discussion. It has become an area of urgent decisions, practical action and growing responsibility, increasingly felt by local authorities, public institutions and operators of critical infrastructure.

Global Protection Group’s presence at the event was a natural response to these challenges. Over the course of two days, we held extensive discussions – both at our stand and throughout the wider event – with representatives of local government, municipal companies and institutions responsible for public safety. In many cases, these were the first genuinely substantive conversations about how to implement the new obligations arising from the Act on Civil Protection and Civil Defence in practice, and how to translate legal requirements into genuine operational readiness.

The discussions we held focused directly on the areas in which Global Protection Group operates and highlighted very clearly the challenges now facing local authorities and critical infrastructure operators. It is increasingly evident that legislation alone is not enough – what is needed are capabilities, procedures and proven solutions that can be implemented in specific local conditions. Training emerged as a particularly important issue, not only in terms of formal compliance, but above all in the form of practical workshops that prepare personnel to act effectively in crisis situations. There was also strong interest in advisory support related to documentation for entities designated to carry out statutory duties, such as hospitals and water utility companies, as well as in a comprehensive approach to critical infrastructure protection – from concept development and system design through to implementation.

An integral part of our participation in Expo Lubin was the series of presentations delivered by Global Protection Group experts, which attracted considerable interest from attendees. In his talk, “When Reality Becomes the Battlefield”, based on experience gained during the war in Ukraine, Tomasz Sanak pointed directly to the real shortcomings that still exist in Poland in terms of preparing society and civilian structures to function in crisis conditions. His presentation made it clear that threats which until recently seemed distant now have a very tangible dimension and require a systemic response. During his “Stop the Bleed” session, Bogdan Serniak demonstrated what lifesaving action looks like in practice in the event of catastrophic bleeding, stressing that the first few minutes are decisive and that what matters most is not specialist equipment, but knowledge, confidence and the ability to act. Piotr Hałys, in turn, focused on business continuity and organisational resilience for entities carrying out duties under the Act of 5 December 2024, outlining specific requirements and the minimum standards that must be met by local authorities and municipal companies.

The conclusions drawn from both the discussions and our observations during the fair are clear. Poland is currently in a phase of intensive development of its civil protection and civil defence system – based on new regulations, but without well-established national operating models. Combined with the unstable security environment in the region, this means that many organisations are actively seeking partners who not only understand the regulations, but are also able to turn them into concrete, workable solutions.

This is precisely why events such as Expo Lubin matter. They provide an opportunity to test assumptions against operational reality, exchange experience and begin cooperation that goes beyond conversation alone. For Global Protection Group, the fair was a period of intensive work, but above all the starting point for further projects that will have a direct impact on the safety of local communities and the resilience of critical infrastructure.