Fighting fire cancer

Firefighters are often exposed to hazardous substances released by fire smoke and soot during and after operations. These substances can be absorbed through the respiratory tract, food or skin and are carcinogenic in the long term. To minimize the risk to firefighters, effective decontamination is essential. The ZIEGLER GW-Hygiene with black and white area is one way of ensuring effective decontamination at the scene.

ZIEGLER recently delivered a new vehicle to the fire department of Lünen. The vehicle is equipped with numerous advanced features: for example, it offers separate interior compartments in the black and white area for clean and contaminated materials, which enables effective decontamination and cleaning. The loading area offers space for up to six roll containers so that a wide range of equipment can be transported safely.

In accordance with the Lünen Fire Department's “Hygiene in Fire Service Operations” concept, the vehicle is an integral part of operations where exposure to fire smoke cannot be ruled out. The strategic orientation of the concept stipulates that the emergency services remove contaminated clothing as soon as possible after their work, carry out a rough cleaning of exposed areas and receive fresh emergency clothing. Contaminated material is collected directly at the scene and fresh material, such as breathing apparatus and hoses, is issued and loaded back onto the emergency vehicles. This prevents the spread of contamination and quickly restores operational readiness. The vehicle also serves as a service point at the scene of an incident and offers the emergency services a place to recover after physically demanding activities. 

Built on a MAN TGM 12.250 chassis, the entire vehicle has dimensions of 8,600 × 2,550 × 3,400 mm and a permissible total mass of 12 tons. Due to the requirements for drinking water, a wash water tank was dispensed with when planning the vehicle. Instead, the water is supplied directly via a connection hose to a hydrant. A UV filter installed in the vehicle's internal water supply line provides additional disinfection of the fresh water.

The equipment trailer also has an awning on the side, which provides additional protection when working outdoors, as well as a removal flap, which enables the safe handling of contaminated clothing. Side doors in the load compartment facilitate access to the RC load parts and ensure that the vehicle is ready for use quickly. An integrated fresh waste water system with wash basin and boot washer in the traverse box ensures that the emergency crews are always provided with clean and hygienic conditions.

“We are proud to be able to hand over this advanced vehicle to the fire department of Lünen. With the GW-Hygiene, we are ensuring that our brand promise "We provide security" also applies to our customers, the emergency services who use our products,” says Timm Struck-Winkler, Head of Sales North at ZIEGLER.

As usual, detailed technical data can be found in the 

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