Preparedness and ethical challenges of Czech Fire Rescue Service in radiological response operations
The Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic is a key component of the integrated rescue system, ensuring the protection of the population, the environment, and property from the effects of fires, chemical accidents, and radiation incidents. Given the changing security situation in Europe and growing technological demands, it is necessary to analyse the preparedness and activities of members of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic in the area of chemical services and radiation protection. The aim of the study was to evaluate the current state of professional training, equipment, and ethical aspects of interventions, and to propose measures to increase the effectiveness of the system. Methodologically, the work is based on qualitative research of professional literature and evaluation using SWOT analysis, which identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the system, opportunities, and threats. The results show that the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has a robust training system and technical facilities, but faces challenges in the areas of integrating new technologies, the mental resilience of responders, and ethical decision-making. The study recommends expanding training to include augmented reality simulations, supporting research into environmentally friendly shielding materials, and introducing ethical protocols for interventions in contaminated environments.
Authors
- Renata Havránková (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4747-2908)
- Štěpán Kavan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7997-8711)
- Radka Dušková
- Jiří Dušek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0687-8311)
- Eva Stýblová
Institutions
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (CZ)
- Nemocnice České Budějovice (CZ)
- University of Defence (RS)
- Czech Technical University in Prague (CZ)
- University of Defence (CZ)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Radiological Protection
- Published
- 2025-11-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ae258b
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Disaster Management and Resilience
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.20