SOCIAL COMPETENCIES OF STATE FIRE SERVICE COMMANDERS AND THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF RESCUE TEAMS: A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED RESCUEAND FIREFIGHTING UNITS

The article analyses the impact of social competencies of commanders in the State Fire Serviceon the effectiveness of rescue teams during rescue operations. Interpersonal skills such ascommunication, team management and conflict resolution support better coordination ofactivities and influence decision-making speed in critical moments. High social competenciesfoster trust and motivation within teams, leading to more efficient rescue operations. The analysisconfirms the hypothesis that there is a significant correlation between leaders’ social skills andrescue efforts’ effectiveness. The recommendations presented in the article emphasize the need forfurther development of social competencies among State Fire Service commanders, as this maycontribute to enhanced operational outcomes given growing challenges faced by rescue teams. Itis also essential to continue research on training methods that enable more effective developmentof interpersonal skills, thereby increasing readiness and effectiveness in crises. Conducting furtherstudies in this area will be crucial for strengthening the professionalism and effectiveness of StateFire Service interventions.