“We can get to every building here,” says Thomas Sonntag from the Datteln fire department with satisfaction. The firefighter stands in the basket of the turntable ladder at the level of the third floor of a residential building in downtown Datteln. Construction work will take place there soon. In order for the construction site to be set up appropriately, the fire department and the city must now test how the work is compatible with fire protection.
Narrow pedestrian zone is a challenge for the fire department
The pedestrian zone in Datteln is sometimes very narrow. “In some places it is just ten meters wide,” says Sebastian Kiffer, deputy head of the fire department. Even without a construction site, this is sometimes a challenge for the fire department. But when the ground is torn up in the middle of the street in order to build new lines relocated, the fire department doesn’t have much space left for rescue and extinguishing in an emergency.
What is crucial is whether the lifesavers can “instruct” everywhere, i.e. whether they can drive to every house. “Now that there is no emergency, we have the opportunity to test it,” says Thomas Sonntag. Meanwhile, he maneuvers the rotating basket further up – up to almost 30 meters, higher than any house in downtown Datteln.
Some trees probably need to be cut to be on the safe side
As it extends it comes very close to some branches. “Anything that can get in our way needs to be taken into account now,” said the firefighter. From above he has a completely different view.
The fire department official suspects that some trees may therefore have to be trimmed before construction begins. For example, the turntable ladder test shows on the first day: The first house is easily accessible, but branches could be blocking the way to the neighboring house. Because the construction work doesn’t leave many alternatives to position the fire truck differently, the tree will probably have to be trimmed a little as a precaution.
But the decision to do so lies with the city, not with the fire department officials, they say. They’re just testing, says Thomas Sonntag. The impression of a pedestrian zone is deceptive in some places. Even where it seems wide enough, you have to take the size and weight of the ladder truck into account.