In response to growing global threats, the Government Security Centre (RCB) will launch an educational portal aimed at citizens, including primary school pupils. The portal aims to educate on how to deal with CBRNE threats – chemical, biological, radiation, nuclear and explosion related.

The portal, which will be launched on Friday, provides guidance on a variety of hazards, including those related to chemistry, biology, radiation, nuclear and explosion (CBRNE). RCB spokesman Piotr Blaszczyk stresses that education is key to building the country’s resilience to such threats.

A CBRNE Crisis Communication Book is also part of the website. It is intended to support institutional spokespersons at many levels (basic knowledge of information management in a crisis). One of its chapters has been dedicated to risk communication (conveying information about the possibility of a threat) which is essential in CBRNE emergencies.

The portal is not only aimed at adults. It also contains materials for students in grades 4-8, including infographics, animations, educational games, and ready-made lesson plans for teachers. There is also a “Be ready” tab with information on how to prepare relatives for emergencies (including the need to evacuate) and what should be in an evacuation backpack.

The content of the website was prepared with the use of Norwegian funds, in cooperation with such institutions as the State Atomic Energy Agency, the Internal Security Agency, the National Police Headquarters, the National Fire Service Headquarters, the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate, and the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. The project cost PLN 7.2 million, with most of the funding (PLN 6.1 million) coming from the Norwegian Fund.

This is not the RCB’s first initiative to educate the public about hazards. Two years ago, a manual ‘Be ready. A guide for times of crisis and war’ was published.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński