Ready at all time
Ready to go out at any time and possibly even risking their own lives for their colleagues: This is what currently 34 employees at our Osterode plant stand for. In addition to their full-time jobs, they are on duty around the clock as part-time firefighters.
In everyday life they are machine operators, maintenance staff or logisticians. But when their colleagues are at home on the weekend, their commitment to KAMAX continues. “We always hold our training sessions on Saturdays to not get in the way of production unnecessarily,” explains plant fire chief Lars Kreiter. Thus, every two weeks for four hours each, the emergency is practiced: possible firefighting attacks, technical assistance or the handling of breathing apparatus. The recognized plant fire department is subject to the Fire Protection Act, which requires a minimum of 40 practice hours per year.
The company’s own fire department was introduced in Osterode as early as 1973, after the heat treatment plant burned down. The first emergency vehicle was a VW T2 bus. Since then, the plant has had its own response team, which is needed on a regular basis. “On average, we have about 35 or 36 calls a year,” says Lars Kreiter. Oil traces, snow removal or incipient fires at the presses, where, for example, trimming chips can ignite the oil and cause a flash fire, are the main tasks. “We’ve always been lucky so far. Because we can act quickly, no machine has ever burned down completely,” says the plant fire chief happily.
In addition, the company’s own firefighters can also be called in by their colleagues from the public fire department for operations outside the KAMAX premises, “because we have special extinguishing agents such as alcohol-resistant foam or 30 kg CO₂ extinguishers on trolleys,” says Lars Kreiter, describing a special feature. He remembers one operation in particular, where the methanol supplier [for the heat furnaces] accidentally filled bio-ethanol into the tank. “We spent eight hours transferring the tanks into several IBC containers, using hazardous material pumps and breathing protection, because methanol produces toxic and highly flammable gases.”
View into the locker room of the plant fire department
Laying hoses to transport extinguishing water
Dangerous operation: decanting highly flammable bio-ethanol
The early and late shifts are always on standby with nine internal firefighters each (a firefighting group); on the night shift there are a further six. As soon as the sirens or the radio alarm receivers go off, the colleagues start moving and report for duty via the regional control center in Göttingen [next bigger town]. “If we can’t handle a situation on our own, we can also call in the volunteer fire department from the city of Osterode, which can support us with a fire engine (21 people),” says Lars Kreiter.
Are you interested in becoming an active firefighter or fire protection helper? Ask your manager how this is also possible at your location. Perhaps you too will soon be ready at all times for KAMAX!
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