Polish phrase cards handed out to firefighters

Firefighters in Lancashire are being handed Polish phrase-cards with sentences including 'What is on fire?' and 'Are you hurt?' to help cope with an influx of eastern Europeans.

Free Polish classes are also on offer to firefighters, to help make them understood by the 50,000 Polish immigrants who have settled in Lancashire neighbourhoods.

Most have arrived since the country was admitted to the European Union.

But Polish communities are said to be instinctively suspicious of any uniformed services due to experiences in their homeland.

The card has been produced to try and gain their help and support.

As well as the cards, firefighters have been attempting to raise awareness on the dangers of incidents sparked off by drying clothes over fires, cooking, and people drinking or smoking.

Therefore thousands of fire safety leaflets have also been printed in Polish and distributed across the county.

Assistant chief fire officer Peter O'Brien said that many Poles lived in shared houses which were often overcrowded and considered to be a fire hazard.

He said: "The accommodation being used is often poorly maintained and, when combined with over-crowded conditions, the risk of fire occurring and causing serious injury or death is heightened."

Phrases included in the leaflet:

• Are you Polish?

Czy jestes Polakiem?

•Do you know anyone who speaks English?

Kto Mowi Po Angielsku?

• How many people live here?

Ile osob tu mieszka?

•Is everyone out?

Czy wszyscy sa na zewnatrz?

• Where is the fire situated?

Gzdie dokladnie jest pozar?

• What is on fire?

Co jest w plomieniach?

• Is there anyone in the building?

Czy jest ktos w tym budynku?

• Are you hurt?

Czy jestes ranny?