History

The Decoration for Merit to Civil Defence was established by the Council of Ministers in 1976. It was awarded to Polish citizens in recognition of outstanding contributions to civil defence at the municipal, regional, or national level, as well as to Polish organisations and institutions in recognition of preparedness and civil defence initiatives. It was discontinued following the collapse of the communist regime in 1989.

The I Class Medal features initials on the obverse that stand for "Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa" (Polish People's Republic) with an additional inscription that translates to "Merit for Civil Defence." The reverse inscription translates to "Civil Defence, Protects, Aids, Saves."