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New fire engine for disaster relief
The Griesheim volunteer fire department has received a new addition: a new fire engine for disaster relief (LF-KatS). Provided by the federal government, it is now ready for deployment. The modern fire engine is equipped for firefighting and minor technical assistance.
The vehicle will be deployed in response to reports of forest and vegetation fires, for inter-municipal firefighting assistance, and in large-scale incidents. "The vehicle is a very good addition," says Sven Schwiderek, Fire Chief of the city of Griesheim, "and allows us to operate even more effectively. The fire engine will play a particularly important role in larger operations, such as forest fires and large-scale incidents. Furthermore, the vehicle offers the advantage of integrating us, as the fire department, into the operational processes at the municipal level."
As part of the vehicles procured by the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Relief for use in civil protection and disaster relief, the vehicle allocated to the Darmstadt-Dieburg district was stationed at the Griesheim fire station. The federal government, responsible for civil protection, provides the states with vehicles for disaster relief. The states, in turn, distribute these vehicles to the municipalities via the districts.
The vehicle is designed for a crew of nine (9 firefighters) and enables comprehensive firefighting operations as well as minor technical assistance missions. To ensure an adequate water supply, the vehicle has a built-in 1,000-liter water tank and an additional collapsible 5,000-liter tank. In addition to the integrated centrifugal fire pump, the LF-KatS (firefighting vehicle for disaster relief) is also equipped with a portable pump. The latter can be used either at a water source or as a booster pump in a water supply line. To reach remote incident sites, the vehicle has all-wheel drive and a 600-meter hose line. Self-contained breathing apparatus and various tools complete the equipment.
With its technical equipment and load for water supply, the vehicle complements the water supply unit consisting of a swap body truck and a hose container, which is operated by the Griesheim fire department for the Darmstadt-Dieburg district. After the Griesheim emergency personnel have been trained on the vehicle and its equipment, the vehicle will be put into service before Christmas.
(Text and photo: PSG)
