On 24 August, firefighters from Małopolska received fifty specialised tents as part of a medical package, financed partially through European funding. ECR member and Deputy Marshal of the region, Łukasz Smółka oversaw the distribution of equipment to the State Fire Service in Kraków.

These tents are specifically designed to function as a field emergency room in the event of hospital overcrowding. They are uniquely designed to not only accommodate needs, but ensure sanitary and high quality medical care as well. As part of the region's “Anti-Crisis Shield", 47 partners in the Małopolska region received medical equipment, including PPE, ambulances and the aforementioned tents to help combat COVID-19 and treat patients effectively.

The President of the Małopolska region, Witold Kozłowski stated that “After the (COVID-19) outbreak, we directed our initial activities toward medical care, in order to best protect the health of our constituents. We also remembered the support our firefighters provided for us in this fight. Thanks to EU subsidies and effective cooperation with our partners, we were able to quickly provide care when and where it was most needed". The Deputy Marshal, Łukasz Smółka expanded on this point saying: “While planning the logistics of the Anti-Crisis Shield, we worked to ensure the use of modern technological solutions and the best available equipment. EU funding was a critical tool in helping us succeed in this respect. However, we must also bear in mind the firefighters, whom we knew we could count on to help us distribute the materials and work with us to fight against the virus; they have been a tremendous help".

The Małopolska Anti-Crisis shield was one of many regional efforts which used EU funding to save lives and contain the spread of COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, Małopolska received PLN 190 million from the EU to support its efforts in providing healthcare and stateof-the-art equipment for its people. This act of integration and cohesion strengthens ties between the EU and Poland, as well as between the EU and the people of Małopolska.