Andy Daley (BritishAndy) Photos

[Guest]

Next, a Ford Transit Light Rescue

[Guest]

Back shot showing the equipment carried.

 

 

[Guest]

We then headed upstairs to the mess room where they had laid a spread of food on for us, which considering we were due to head into the village for a meal later on was a bit daunting. The Chief was putting the Vodka away like water and insisted on giving us shot after shot after shot, to the point where I was feeling quite merry!

 

After this our guide and driver, Rob, invited us to go for a ride off-road in the Ural! Now as much as I love my hobby, going off road across sand and undergrowth in a 1970s Soviet 6 wheeler AFTER eating a pile of food AND downing Vodka didn't appeal, but our manners meant we didn't say no so off we went.

 

What followed was probably the most hair-raising (but enjoyable) ride we ever had. The Ural was a monster and could tackle any terrain with ease. I took a short video, it doesn't really do the ride justice but you get the idea....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaY7LiWRkB8

 

Click on the Youtube link and take a watch.

[Guest]

This was our ride for off roading - the Ural 4230.

 

We then headed back to station, took a shower and headed into the village with a couple of the guys where we bought them dinner and beers - our way of saying thank you. We got back to the fire station at around 10pm to find the Chief and his friends waiting for us - with you've guessed it, more Vodka.

 

We had only been in Poland a day and already I was in love with the country and its people.

 

 

[derry86]

AWESOME, just awesome!

[Roto-Ray]

What a great trip and series of photos, Andy!

[Guest]

Thank you for the positive comments so far guys, I hope you are enjoying the pictures.

 

On Monday we were visiting some of the eight stations which make up Krakow Municipal Fire Service - basically the stations responsible for covering the actual city of Krakow - an area of around 126 square miles.

 

When we originally planned our visit we wrote to the Krakow service for permission to visit and they replied offering us a guide to take us around.

Our guides for the Monday were three officers - unlike the US and the UK, in Poland you can enter the fire service at officer level depending on your education and qualifications. One of our guides was a real pretty girl in her 20s who held the rank similar to that of Battalion Chief, however her role was that of Hazmat Specialist because she had studied chemistry and university. She had no training in firefighting as such.

 

So, our first stop was Station No.7 - they normally ride two pumpers and an aerial, but only one pumper was on station - the second and the aerial were out cutting down some dangerous branches at a nearby park.

 

This is a MAN LE with ISS Wawrzaszek bodywork, it was built in 2003

[Guest]

Our next stop was Station Number 5, as well as a traditional fire station, it was also the designated 'Special Rescue Station' in the city.

 

First up, a MAN LE Heavy Pump with Stolarczyk bodywork from 2006. It carries enhanced rescue gear such as jaws of life.

 

 

[Guest]

Next up was this brand new Iveco Daily 70C Light Rescue Vehicle, this is used primarily for road accidents.

 

 

[Guest]

My personal favourite was this Star 266 6x6 chassis which was converted from a pumper and now is used for USAR and carries lumber and other ancillary equipment. It dates from the 1980s.

 

 

[Guest]

Next up was this unusual Iveco Magirus General Purpose Unit with bodywork by Wackenhut. It was purchased second hand from the THW - Bundesanstalt Technisches Hilfswerk (the German Civil Defence), hence the blue livery which they haven't bothered to repaint.

 

Our guides told us this just carries equipment that the other Rescue vehicles cant fit onboard.

 

 

[Guest]

Next up a 2010 Renualt Kerax Prime Mover which was loaded with a SCBA Pod (used for recharging and cleaning BA sets at incidents).

 

 

[Guest]

Last up at this station was this Magirus Deutz 256 Turntable Ladder with 30metre ladder. It dated from the mid 1980s.

 

Unfortunately inside the station was two more brand new Prime Movers with pods, but because one of our party was taking excessively long taking his photographs, the guys got fed up and wouldn't move anything else. Surely you guys must experience this type of photographer? He would take about 50 shots of one rig, then take some on his phone and then take more on his camera!

We all like the perfect photo, but this guy takes the p-ss!

 

Anyhow, when we got back in our vehicle, we told him straight, quit jerking these guys around and be quicker taking your pictures!

 

 

[Guest]

Our next stop was Station Number 3, like our previous station each bay was occupied and we weren't to be disappointed.

 

First up, the Heavy Pump - again, based on a MAN TGM 18.380 chassis with Stolarczyk bodywork.

 

 

[Guest]

Next was the second pumper, another MAN TGM chassis however this is a 4x4 version built in 2009.

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

How about this - one of two E\-One Hurricane Tower Ladders that were delivered to Krakow in 1993. At the time they also had some Pumpers from either E\-One or Spartan, but they have been disposed of elsewhere.

 

They wound up the Federal Q on this beauty which sounded great.

[Guest]

This Mercedes Unimog was delivered to them as just a chassis in 2004, the guys at workshops constructed the bodywork themselves and it now runs as a Water Rescue Unit. We managed a quick picture before it disappeared off to the local river to collect some equipment.

 

 

[Guest]

Rear shot

 

 

[Guest]

This impressive rig is a Ultra Heavy Pumper/Water Carrier - they have quite a lot of these across Poland on different chassis. It was apparent that the hydrant system in Poland can be problematic at best, and as a result the Fire Service is really hot on Water Carriers.

 

This is a 2004 MAN TGA 26.430 6x6, it carries 6000 litres of water, 4400 of foam and can pump at around 6400 litres per minute.

 

 

[Guest]

Big brother to the previous rig was this HUGE Water Carrier. Again, these rigs are quite popular in Poland due to the poor hydrants and also vast rural areas.

 

This is a 2010 Iveco Stralis with bodywork by Germaz, it carries an impressive 25,000 litres of water.

 

Unfortunately the yard at Station 3 was full of private cars and ancillary vehicles, and although quite capable, we didn't like asking the driver to get the perfect position as apparently reserving this thing was a real pain.