Rescue from the smoke: Fire brigade exercise in Unterkochen successfully completed!

Rescue from the smoke: Fire brigade exercise in Unterkochen successfully completed!

On May 22, 2025, a complex exercise of the fire department departments Aalen and undercoing took place in Unterkochen, Aalen. The assignment was led by Stefan Wandel and comprised a total of 50 emergency services and eight vehicles. The exercise simulated two scenarios: a fire of the cargo (scrap) of a freight wagon and a smoldering fire in a warehouse that was created after the scrap was unloaded. These realistic scenarios presented the fire brigade with important challenges.

The procedure of the emergency services included the use of a fire truck and a turntable ladder of the Aalener weir to combat the fire in the wagon. The Unterkochen fire brigade was then requested to support the smoldering fire in the warehouse. A troop with respiratory protection urged the hall and saved two "injured" while a generator was used for smoke extraction. The extinguishing water withdrawal from the neighboring stove was also successfully carried out.

challenges and problems

However, the exercise revealed some problems. A water hydrant on the company premises was created too deep and was therefore not accessible with the usual withdrawal. In addition, the removal points at the stove were adjusted by the fences of the adjacent companies. Despite these challenges, the overall exercise results were rated as positive, and those responsible, including Kai Niedziella and Stefan Stütz, were satisfied.

The fire brigade found that fires in silos and similar containers often run without open fire and therefore represent a special challenge. Wrong tactics can lead to difficult to foreseen situations. It is important to achieve effective extinguishing success with minimal risk to the emergency services, which makes the exercises all the more relevant. Measures to prevent dust explosions and the use of suitable extinguishing agents are essential in order to be able to counter these risks, such as Feuerwehr-ernbar executed.

follow -up of the exercise

After completing the exercise, a comprehensive debriefing is of great importance. The results are analyzed, it is discussed about positive aspects and possible improvement areas. An open exchange promotes learning from the exercise and supports the continuous improvement of fire protection measures. This is also considered an important part of the exercise process, as is emphasized in the guidelines of the Brandschutz-zentrale

A protocol of the exercise must be created that records measures, observations and a final conclusion. Such documents serve as valuable references for future exercises and for official requirements. The input of the firefighters used is crucial for the clarification of defects and the development of solutions that further increase the safety of the operations.