Warsaw East Station Undergoes Night-Time Evacuation Drill

The news in Polish

1. ewakuacyjny
   dotyczący ewakuacji, czyli przemieszczenia ludzi z miejsca zagrożenia ↩︎
2. straż  (f.)
   organizacja zajmująca się zabezpieczeniem przed pożarami oraz ich gaszeniem ↩︎
3. modernizacja  (f.)
   proces unowocześniania i usprawniania obiektu lub systemu ↩︎
4. rozpocząć
   zacząć coś robić ↩︎
5. obejmować
   zawierać coś w swoim zakresie ↩︎
6. pasażer  (m.)
   osoba, która przemieszcza się środkiem transportu ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What type of emergency was the Warsaw East Station drill preparing for?

Question 2: When is the modernization of Warsaw East Station expected to start?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
ewakuacyjny	evacuation
straż  (f.)	fire brigade
modernizacja  (f.)	modernisation
rozpocząć	commence
obejmować	include
pasażer  (m.)	passenger

Read the full story

On the night of 21st September, the bustling Warsaw East Railway Station (Dworzec Warszawa Wschodnia) became the scene of a critical evacuation drill. The exercise commenced at 23:30 and was designed to last for an hour. The main goal of the exercise was to simulate a fire threat near the ticket office area on level zero, specifically fire zone number one, adjacent to Kijowska Street.

These exercises were conducted in collaboration with the Polish State Fire Service, which assumed command once on site. The service’s units engaged in a tactical deployment to identify and manage the simulated hazard. This important safety drill was intended to assess practical evacuation and organisational procedures in a real-world scenario, employing both fire safety devices and the station’s safety protocols.

The area designated for assembly of evacuees was a clearly marked section on the exterior of the building, facing Kijowska Street. The operation offered an opportunity to verify the existing protocols and ensure the readiness of the team for potential real emergencies.

This exercise comes ahead of a larger-scale effort aimed at modernising Warsaw East Station, a project that is expected to commence towards the end of next year. The station, which last experienced significant upgrades for the 2012 European Championships, is now marked for a complete overhaul led by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe, the company managing Poland’s rail infrastructure. The plan includes updating tracks, platforms, and passenger information systems to meet modern standards, addressing current accessibility challenges and improving the overall capacity of this vital railway hub.

The significant funding required, estimated at four billion złotys, reflects the comprehensive nature of the upcoming renovations. The modernisation of Warsaw East is a part of a broader project to enhance the entire Warsaw railway line, including planned upgrades to the central tunnel starting around 2030.

Info: “Polish Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Polish”, providing updates and insights for those interested in mastering the language. As a Polish language school, we offer a range of online courses designed to suit various learning needs.