The Order of Malta’s and the Fire Brigade’s International Rescue Manoeuvres, from 22 to 24 May in the town of Szczyrk, Poland, celebrated their 14th edition this year.

The event featured twelve teams from the Order’s Relief Corps from Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, as well as the Polish public emergency services. There were also observers from Slovenia and Romania, demonstrating an ever-expanding European cooperation.
Over the weekend, the teams faced ten different, very realistic emergency scenarios, testing their ability to manage complex trauma, provide advanced life support and coordinate logistical response.

There was particular emphasis on integrating psychological first-aid alongside clinical care. The simulations included road accidents, evacuations in hostile environments and support for a mother with postpartum depression and her newborn. The manoeuvres concluded, in the spirit that has always distinguished the Order, with the celebration of holy mass and the subsequent prize-giving ceremony for the teams by the Polish Association Hospitaller Marcin Swierad.

This international appointment was created to promote interoperability and exchange of expertise among the Order of Malta’s different national associations. The importance of such joint exercises was confirmed during the recent 32nd International Hospitaller’s Conference, held in Cologne in March 2026, where strengthening cross-border cooperation and operational readiness was identified as an absolute priority for the Order’s humanitarian mission.