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Key handover: Olpe's new emergency response center is ready for use!
The emergency response center in Olpe is nearing completion - keys will be handed over and commissioned in spring 2026.
Key handover: Olpe's new emergency response center is ready for use!
It is with joy that a new safety milestone is being inaugurated in the Olpe district: the largest building construction project in the region, the Hazard Prevention Center (GAZ), is nearing completion. The key handover took place last weekend, exactly two years after the foundation stone was laid. The GAZ, which was built between Olpe and Drolshagen-Berlinghausen on Kreisstraße 36 in the Hüppcherhammer industrial park, is scheduled to be put into operation in the spring of 2026, as Sauerlandkurier reports.
At the ceremonial handover, those present, including members of the district council, mayors of all seven municipalities as well as managers from the fire department and disaster control, were pleased about the achievement. The symbolic key was presented to District Administrator Theo Melcher by Sebastian Kühlmann from the Olpe District Works. This highlighted the importance of the project, especially in light of past crises such as floods, pandemics and forest fires.
A disaster prevention center
The emergency response center will coordinate the operations of the emergency services, fire brigade and disaster control. Overall, the fire department control center, which accepted over 25,000 emergency calls in 2024, will coordinate operations around the clock. “Right now we are called upon to ensure the safety of the population,” said District Administrator Melcher. The GAZ will also function as a new rescue station for Olpe and Drolshagen, which is equipped with a modern vehicle hall, lounges and a kitchen. The old building had difficulty being ready for use in time, which should now be a thing of the past, reports WDR.
A special highlight of the GAZ will be the training house, which will enable the volunteer fire departments to carry out realistic simulations with artificial smoke and heat. This is intended to significantly improve the training and safety of emergency services and prepare them for various scenarios. The center will also be equipped with vehicles and equipment to make disaster response more efficient.
Sustainability and innovation
Construction and environmental friendliness go hand in hand in this project. The building meets the Efficiency House 40 standard and relies on renewable energies such as ice storage heating, a photovoltaic system and a rainwater cistern that is used for firefighting exercises. Architect Jan Rübenstrunk about the building: “The house does not use more than it needs.” In total, up to 250 companies are working on the GAZ, the construction costs of which are expected to be 40.6 million euros, which is below the budget of 42 million euros.
The city administration is already planning to move in the specialist “fire and civil protection, rescue service” service in February/March 2026. The first steps towards commissioning are already underway. The importance of such facilities is shown not only in the recent past, but also in the training courses offered to deal with disasters. The Katastrophenschutzakademie regularly offers training courses to train specialists in disaster management.
A future-oriented center is being created in the heart of the Olpe district that not only takes a reactive but also a proactive approach to security issues. In the coming months, work will continue on the interior design of the center and the anticipation of the opening is growing.