Fire engines and other emergency vehicles can also meet the requirements of the Euro VI emissions standard. According to the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), existing exemptions that still allow EU standard V for such vehicles will no longer be necessary in the future.
Extensive experience from the fire departments in Berlin, Hamburg and Hanover has shown that there are no significant performance restrictions in driving and operational operations, said Christoph Bahlmann from the Hanover professional fire department on Tuesday during the 65th vfdb annual conference in Duisburg.
Fire engines with Euro VI equipment
“We must not close ourselves off from the environmental policy discussion,” emphasized the Head of the vfdb department responsible for vehicles and Technical Assistance, Karsten Göwecke from the Berlin fire department. In a leaflet, the vfdb provides relevant practical information for the implementation of the Euro VI standard.
Among other things, it was about increased weight and concerns about loss of space
The paper can be obtained from the homepage (vfdb.de). The exceptions were originally approved because the emergency services feared restrictions on the performance of their vehicles. Among other things, it was about increased weight and concerns about loss of space. “This skepticism was initially justified. But the problems have now been solved,” said Christoph Bahlmann.
There are currently 52 fire engines with Euro VI equipment in operation in Hanover. The vfdb's future topics in the vehicle sector also include the possibilities of electric drives for emergency vehicles, digitalization and ergonomics.
Emergency services in Germany
An impressive highlight in the congress program on Tuesday was the lecture by Richard Mills from the London Fire Brigade about the devastating Grenfell Tower fire, in which 71 people died a year ago.
Richard Mills was a member of the overall operations team at the time. Using pictures and figures, he described the course of the disaster and the difficult operating conditions. Within minutes, the flames had spread across the facade of the 24-story building.
200 firefighters were on duty at the time. The operation lasted 13 days and, according to the fire department official, the police and legal investigation will take many more months.
Duisburg annual conference of the vfdb
The Duisburg annual conference of the vfdb, in which around 700 experts take part, lasts until Wednesday. One of the highlights is the increasing strain on the emergency services in Germany.
But digitalization also continues to play a dominant role in all areas of fire services, rescue services, and disaster control.