The Pirmasens fire brigade was deployed more than 630 times in 2021. In order to augment the existing 18 full-time employees in the three security departments due to the ever-increasing number of operations, officials collaborated with fire services of similar size in Zweibrücken and Speyer. Like the Pirmasens, they are faced with the challenge of addressing the staff shortage by training specialists on their sites. The joint pilot project to be undertaken includes a six-month basic training of the professional fire brigade professional course for candidates in the same three cities. The reason for this is the inability of professional fire brigades in the Rhineland-Palatinate; These are currently primarily training their own fire service officers.
Due to the optimally technically equipped buildings and vehicles, all basic firefighting training takes place at Pirmasens. Subsequent security drills and paramedic training are completed in the respective cities. They all returned to Permasens for a two-week team leader training course before the professional course at the Rhineland-Palatinate Fire and Disaster Management Academy (LFKA) in Koblenz. Consideration is already being given to extending the offer of co-op training to other cities and municipalities in the Rhineland-Palatinate that have corresponding needs after successful completion.
Chainsaw course and crane driving license
At the start of the pilot, a total of nine future fire chiefs – three each from Permasens, Zweibrücken and Speyer – began their basic training at Permasens. They were all previously active in volunteer fire brigades in their cities. Until mid-September, they will now learn all basic activities of the fire brigade, including mechanic and chainsaw training. There are also corporate and power supplier excursions, as well as a forklift and crane driver’s license.
The course is led by Michael Offer, former deputy director of the Kaiserslautern Fire Department. The other coaches are Karl Heinz Barr, Permasens Fire and Disaster Inspector and Head of the Bureau of Fire and Disaster Management, and Simon Tejes, Deputy Barr in the Bureau. In addition, there are other office employees and external honorary workers who also serve as trainers for professional fire brigades.
Bauhilfe provides housing for the residents of Speyer
A furnished apartment in Pirmasens is available to the three participants from Speyer for the duration of the basic training, since they have the longest journey to get there. The apartment is provided by Bauhilfe Pirmasens.
“In order to ensure rapid assistance at all times, we need highly trained, young and constantly qualified firefighters for this very responsible job. Weil es aber leider kaum noch Möglichkeiten gibt, Kameraden aus der Wehr in unserer Region zur Grundausbildung bei den Berufsfeuerzuerwehren, unterelzuerweh Entscheidung, dies einfach selbst in die Hand zu nehmen”, erklärt Denis Clauer, der als Beigeordneter der Stadt für die Feuerwehr zuständig Ho. – The fire brigades of the Pirmasens, Zweibrücken and Clauer in any case can confirm that they are in close contact with each other. Application of the project to other cities and municipalities in the Rhineland-Palatinate: “Because all larger fire brigades currently employ full-time staff, all full-time fire departments face the same problems when training their junior staff.”
Background: Permasens fire brigade
The Volunteer Fire Department of Permasens is the city’s municipal fire protection authority. Founded in 1869, it is one of the oldest dams in the Rhineland-Palatinate. There are currently 18 firefighters working on shifts at Central Station, as well as trainee fire chiefs, three administrative staff and a two-person management team. Additionally, about 100 volunteer firefighters are part of the contingent.
The defense is divided into two fire trains for defensive fire protection and technical assistance. In addition to their actual work, three doctors from the fire brigade also participate in firefighting vehicles and train firefighters in the medical field.
Since 1989, the Permasens Fire Brigade has been a Technical Operations Management Unit (TEL), which reports to the city’s Department of Civil Protection. In 2000, the Specialized Unit of Special Rescue from heights and depths (SRHT) was created – the Pirmasens fire brigade, as one of the first volunteer fire brigades in the Rhineland-Palatinate, dedicated itself to this particular range of applications with special forces. There’s also a Hazardous Materials Platoon, Driving Support and a Fall Protection Kit. The fire brigade is also supported by the 25-member Emergency Medical and Logistics Team.