“This is a new quality in the area of security, chemical rescue and firefighting activities in Poland,” says Artur Kopeć, Member of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty.

The CERGA Centre has been established with the assets and resources of the Grupa Azoty Puławy Company Fire Brigade, and its operations were launched on March 12th 2015 with the inaugural training for chemical rescuers. The training was attended by the Grupa Azoty Group’s employees working in Tarnów, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Police, Puławy and Grzybów (where Grupa Azoty Siarkopol has its registered office). The programme of the first training covered medical check-up, a theoretical and practical part, including practice and a test in a smoke chamber. At the same time, a meeting of the Grupa Azoty Fire Protection Team was held, with the agenda including the establishment of CERGA.

The Grupa Azoty Rescue Education Centre will organise and run trainings for the entire Grupa Azoty Group. The key responsibility of the Centre is to enhance the qualifications and develop the skills of Grupa Azoty employees responsible for security, rescue and fire protection in high-risk plants.

The idea behind the establishment of CERGA has been to support the development of common fire protection and rescue standards, share experience and exploit synergies across the Grupa Azoty Group. This is expected to improve protection of the Group employees, lives and health, ensure the security of local communities in the vicinity of the Group plants and protection of natural environment. “To guarantee the security of our employees at the workplace is our priority. With a specialist training centre, educating rescuers and firefighters from all of the Group’s companies, we will be able to achieve a consistent and highest possible level of rescue services at all our plants,” says Artur Kopeć, Member of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty. “The establishment of CERGA is yet another effect of the consolidation and implementation of the Operational Excellence Programme AzotyPRO. This is a new quality in the area of chemical rescue and firefighting activities in Poland,” Mr Kopeć stressed.

The operations of the Rescue Education Centre will cover Grupa Azoty S.A., Grupa Azoty Puławy, Grupa Azoty Police, Grupa Azoty Zakłady Azotowe Kędzierzyn S.A. and Grupa Azoty Siarkopol, as well as other entities interested in the educational offering. The ceremony marking the official launch of the CERGA operations has been scheduled for May 2015.