Amstelveen Fire Department
Published: 01 January, 2006
One of the most advanced and modern fire stations in the world is the HQ of The Netherland’s Amstelveen Fire Service.The modern and efficient architecture of the building reflects the attitude of the brigade, reports Ann-Marie Knegt who talked recently to the service’s Technical and Procurement Officer, Robert Raben.
Glass and metal dominate the headquarters building of the Amstelveen Fire Department, and it is constantly buzzing with activity - only the beehive in this case is state-of-the-art.
“We are what’s called a ‘combination corps’. We employ 36 professional firefighters and 30 volunteers. The professional firefighters work a 24-hour day-duty with 10 people working the day shift. Every firefighter is competent in any skill,” Robert Raben reports.
Certainly, stamina and endurance are the key qualities for an Amstelveen firefighter. The daily routine is very demanding and consists of training and excessive exercise. Depending on his or her assigned role for the day, everyone will start his or her routine in the morning.
“On some days the team on duty will do diving practice whatever the weather circumstances. Other teams will train on the water pumper and keep up-to-date on every possible skill,” Robert explains.
In the afternoon there is no time for any individual. For instance, the driver of the ladder vehicle will go and drive through Amstelveen and surroundings to further familiarise himself with the local routes. Others will do vehicle and building maintenance or work in the breathing apparatus room. The fire service makes sure its team members are in peak condition, so if personnel have no assigned task, there are sports facilities and fitness rooms available for work-outs.
Diving specialities:
“The speciality of our brigade is diving. All our personnel receive training at the Royal Dutch Navy Diving Centre in Den Helder. This is not standard for all firefighters in The Netherlands. Every Dutch region has one brigade that specialises in diving.
We co-operate with two other departments in our area, Amsterdam and Haarlemmermeer. Our teams usually attend to problems concerning shipping accidents, oil spills and the recovery of bodies. We are not allowed to recover car wrecks.
This has to be done by organisations assigned by insurance companies,” Robert reports. In lifethreatening situations or blockage of shipping routes the team does remove the wreckage.
At the end of the day team members can retire to their assigned rooms or rest in the communal room, but it seems that the physical fitness of the personnel also stimulates the mind. Robert notes that many personnel at Amstelveen take this time to study for further education projects.
Robert comments: “On average the alarm goes two to three times a day. The call-outs are very diverse. Many are automatic fire alarms, some of them false. Sometimes we have to go and extricate people from buildings with our ladder vehicle, or we have to clean-up oil spills on water with our oil boom. Other core activities include RTAs and entrapments and assistance with resuscitation.”
Changing work patterns: Working in a modern fire station is getting more complicated and the teams face more challenges than ever. Robert feels that the way they all work is changing compared to several years ago.
“In general we will not enter burning buildings anymore, partly because of the stringent rules and regulations of the ARBO Service - the Dutch HSE - and also for the safety of our own men. We need a good reason to actually enter a burning building, such as the rescue of victims or property or possessions of extreme financial importance. The safety of our people is of the utmost priority,” Robert explains.
He feels that the pressure is increasing. “Things today require a more structured and professional approach. Events and procedures are constantly logged. This increases pressure on firefighters but also makes it more important than ever to make careful decisions. The logging of events offers a better insight into our performance. Also civilians are getting more assertive. I have colleagues in other brigades who actually get objects chucked at them when they attend to incidents in some neighbourhoods. Luckily, Amstelveen is fairly quiet,” says Robert.
All and all these changing conditions require an even more organised and efficient approach - that is why Robert set up the preparation department some years ago. This department makes sure that protocols are observed and constantly evolved. Routes must constantly be updated to take into account possible obstacles and other hazards.
Apart from the preparation department, there is also a prevention department.
“We call them the ‘preventists’,” laughs Robert. “Their work consists of educating the public and commercial organisations of fire and related health hazards. Furthermore, they deal with issuing fire certificates for companies. In very special cases they also perform fire investigations.
There is also a volunteer co-ordinator, a sports instructor well an education and training officer working at the fire brigade off Amstelveen.
The centre of operations: The facilities in the brigade’s building are impressive. There is a big lounge, with a TV, football table and full internet and computer access. Adjacent to the lounge is a big industrial kitchen, where the firefighters prepare their meals. The best thing about the leisure room are the French doors that open on to a magnificent terrace with a view over the Dutch landscape. “If we get the chance, we spend many summer evenings here,” Robert comments.
Furthermore, there are assigned bedrooms for every firefighter on duty. The sports facilities are comprehensive and luxurious and would not look out of place in any self-respecting spa resort. Last but not least he shows the asset that even modern fire stations can’t go without: the sliding pole, going through two storeys of the building, making sure that whatever happens the people of Amstelveen fire brigade are always on time.
For more information about the Amstelveen Fire Brigade e-mail: p.weterings@amstelveen.nl
