Poczta Polska is purchasing more defibrillators and implementing a comprehensive first aid program.

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are devices that restore normal heart rate in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. Polish Post (Poczta Polska) has defibrillators in its parcel sorting centers and, more recently, in its largest post offices. The company also trains employees in first aid. Knowledge and practiced skills facilitate the use of AEDs without stress or unnecessary emotional outbursts in critical situations.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) causes approximately 40,000 deaths in Poland each year. The chance of survival increases when a normal heart rhythm is quickly restored. Using a defibrillator within 3 minutes of cardiac arrest increases survival rates by up to 75%, and within 1 minute – up to 90%. Combined with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (chest compressions at a rate of 100–120/min), an AED is the only way to save a life.

An AED is a fully automated device. It operates according to a pre-defined algorithm that analyzes the heart rhythm and guides the user step-by-step through the safe defibrillation procedure. Even a person without medical education or training can help the injured person.

Several years ago, the Polish Post installed AEDs in its mail sorting centers, which employ hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people and are located in locations (suburbs or suburban towns) where medical services may have a long travel time. Recently, defibrillators have also been installed in the largest post offices, most often located in city centers, where crowds of residents and tourists pass through.

Poczta Polska installed the first AED defibrillators in sorting offices in Białystok, Bydgoszcz (Lisi Ogon), Ełk, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Kielce, Poznań (Komorniki), Kraków, Koszalin, Łódź, Olsztyn, Ostrowiec Wielkopolski, Pruszcz Gdański, Rzeszów (Rudna Mała), Szczecin, Warsaw, Włocławek, Wrocław, Zabrze and Zielona Góra. Recently, the devices have appeared in the following post offices: UP Białystok 1, UP Bydgoszcz 1, UP Gdańsk 50, UP Katowice 1, UP Kielce 1, UP Kraków 53, UP Lublin 1, UP Opole 1, UP Poznań 2, UP Rzeszów 2, UP Szczecin 2, UP Toruń 1, UP Warszawa 1, UP Wrocław 32, UP Włocławek 1, UP Łódź 40, and in a new sorting office near Warsaw (Ciemne near Radzymin). The defibrillator – at the initiative of the City Hall in Mońki (Podlaskie Voivodeship) – will also appear in the post office located in this town.

Using a defibrillator is very simple, but it's much more readily and openly used by those who have completed a first aid course using an AED. Poczta Polska has been training employees in this area for several years. Last year, at least dozens of open and closed training sessions were conducted across the country. These were organized, among other events, during the annual "Safety Week" event. Training is organized according to the individual needs of individual teams. Their supervisors can request it at any time.

As a pilot project, Poczta Polska has also launched medical points in two large sorting plants, equipped with the equipment necessary to provide first aid to injured people.