Modern WOPR Facilities to Be Built in Tuchola and Tleń
Modern water rescue stations will be built in Tuchola and Tleń (Świecie County), providing lifeguards with functional facilities and improved conditions for storing rescue equipment. The combined value of the two projects is PLN 5.6 million, including nearly PLN 5 million in funding from the European Funds for Kujawy and Pomorze 2021-2027 programme.
“For many seasons, we have supported the work of the Volunteer Water Rescue Service (WOPR), thereby improving the safety of people enjoying leisure time by the water. Equipped with modern gear, our highly trained rescuers patrol not only lakes and rivers but also assist the police and fire service during emergency operations,” said Piotr Całbecki, Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region. “The next stage of this EU-funded support is the modernisation of WOPR stations. In this way, we are comprehensively strengthening the region’s water rescue capacity by providing rescuers with modern equipment, essential qualifications and appropriate facilities that enable them to respond effectively.”
The former rescue station on the shores of Lake Głęboczek in Tuchola will undergo a comprehensive renovation. The funding agreement for the project was signed by Tadeusz Kowalski, Mayor of Tuchola, and Marshal Piotr Całbecki.
The project includes renovation of the building, upgrades to utility installations, installation of energy-efficient lighting, photovoltaic panels, a monitoring system and burglar alarm, as well as refurbishment of the terrace and the surrounding area. The investment is valued at PLN 1.3 million, including PLN 1.1 million from the European Funds for Kujawy and Pomorze.
The larger investment, worth PLN 4.3 million, will be carried out in Tleń, near Lake Żur. It involves construction of a modern rescue complex replacing the existing facilities. The project includes two single-storey buildings – an office and social facilities building, and a garage and storage building for rescue equipment – together with the necessary technical infrastructure. Plans also include landscaping, renovation of small architectural features and construction of terraces overlooking the lake. EU funding for the project exceeds PLN 3.6 million.
The future site of the Tleń rescue station was visited by Marshal Piotr Całbecki, accompanied by Regional Councillor Tadeusz Pogoda, Member of Parliament Iwona Karolewska, Daniel Siewiert, Director of the Wdecki Landscape Park, and park employee Julita Karpus. They were guided around the site by Grzegorz Sułkowski, member of the board and rescuer of Wdecki WOPR, Dawid Warzyński, Chair of the Osie Municipal Council, and Joanna Troka, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Osie.
The Kujawsko-Pomorskie regional self-government has consistently supported water rescuers through investments and equipment purchases. During this year’s opening of the summer holiday season, Marshal Piotr Całbecki handed over EU-funded rescue equipment to WOPR units, including vehicles, ATVs, kayaks, rescue boats and automated external defibrillators (AEDs). As every year, the regional self-government also finances WOPR summer patrols and duty shifts, allocating PLN 130,000 for this purpose.
Funding from the previous Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020 enabled the purchase of training equipment and specialist tools used in search-and-rescue operations. WOPR units received, among other items, underwater scooters, drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, sonar systems, rescue sleds, dry suits, radios, rescue boats and AEDs.
As a result of an EU-funded training project, nearly 1,000 residents of the region obtained qualifications required to work in water rescue services and certifications in first aid.
To improve the safety of people spending time by the water (as well as in the mountains), the free Ratunek (“Rescue”) mobile application has been developed. The app enables emergency services to quickly locate a person in need of assistance. Users are encouraged to install it on their mobile phones so they can contact WOPR immediately in life-threatening situations. The application automatically connects to the appropriate emergency dispatch centre and transmits the caller’s location with an accuracy of up to three metres. Water emergency number: 601 100 100. Calls from the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region are handled by the Regional Water Rescue Coordination Centre in Kruszwica (Inowrocław County), which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Beata Krzemińska
Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office
14 July 2026
