Holland Buffing Trip 2013

[Guest]

Next up was this 1990 Mercedes Unimog off-road Light Fire Vehicle, the Brandweer Zeist purchased this second hand in 2006.

 

 

[Guest]

Aerial capability is provided by this 2001 MAN 18.285 Hydraulic Platform with Wumag booms.

 

 

[Guest]

We didn't have the time to photograph each vehicle on station, but the last truck was certainly the most impressive.

 

Its a Scania P380 Prime Mover which carries a Forest Firefighting Unit, basically it has the ability to operate a water monitor whilst the vehicle moves across rough ground.

 

It was a sharp looking truck and a nice way to end the first day in Holland, thanking our host we then headed into Rotterdam city centre for a well earned shower, change of clothes and meal before a few drinks in the hotel bar to chew the fat about our day.

 

 

[SrFireOfficial]

Any information on the staffing of their "appliances"?

[Guest]

Any information on the staffing of their "appliances"?

 

At career stations (full-time), all appliances are manned, plus they ride with bigger crews in Holland - for example a pump (engine) will ride with office + driver + five = seven on the appliance. An aerial or Rescue Vehicle will ride two - driver and officer.

 

At volunteer stations they will respond to the station and man any vehicle that is required for that response.

[Richard_L_Dean_07405]

We found it incredible that everything at this station was volunteer and that Maarssen was only a small town. Over the next few days I learned that money and financing of the Fire Service in Holland is not so much a problem as it is in the UK.

 

After our epic photo session Arnold invited us to the station bar where we had a couple of cold beers - the bar is bigger and more well stocked than most pubs and taverns I have seen and apparently the fire station is like a social club at weekends!

 

 

 

Many volunteer firehouses here in New Jersey and other areas of nearby states that I've visited over the years also have social halls with similar bars, many of them having club liquor licenses just like veterans posts.  Maybe it's because our state was once a  Dutch colony.