The Zurich fire brigade: A Heli is of no use, the head is not enough

In Paris burned the Notre-Dame ablaze. You could save the Zürcher grossmünster, if it were in the full fire?
Delete the Brand , but the damage could be even with us immensely. When a so-called interior attack, the Fire was so in the interior of the Church, it would be easier to get the flame in the handle. From the Outside, the extinguishing effect is small.

Why?
Because we could fight at this point of the old town centre with turntable ladders of the Fire. These reach only to a height of 30 meters, the grossmünster is much higher. Alone the towers are 64 meters high. This height we can't reach with the ladder.

Is there no other extinguishing devices, with which the forces higher up can get?
But, with the Hubretter we could be up to 53 meters high. But other than the rotation of the vehicle ladders with their 18 tons has a weight of 28 tons, and the grossmünster are located underground catacombs. You would not withstand this load and could collapse. For this reason, we are not able to proceed with the Hubrettern to the grossmünster. As we were not able to save a tourist with a broken leg by conventional means from one of the towers, we had to retrieve it with a helicopter.

rescue from height: The Hubretter of protection and rescue Zurich in use (image: Steffen Schmidt/Keystone)

A helicopter could also to Delete such a fire be used?
In the forest, but not in the case of a large fire in a building. A helicopter can't fly in such thermals. To not get themselves in danger, would not have to fly with the Pilot so far up that the water came in the end not below. A firefighting aircraft for the fire fighting at this point is not an Option, because it would be a lot of draining to be inaccurate a large amount of water. Because even more damage to the building.

So how would you, specifically, in the case of a fire in the great Cathedral approach?
In the case of a fire we would have to heads, with rotary and to get the foot as close as possible to the source of the Fire. We could, presumably, that would be too dangerous. Outside of the building, we would not have to pay attention constantly to the fact that the debris will be rain threatened us.

there Is a well-trained corps de deletion scenario for such a historic building in the city?
no, a standardized approach there is no to Delete a full fire in the great Cathedral. In such a case, it is important to save in all possible ways, what is to be saved, and the fire as quickly as possible to curb. Medieval buildings contain many wooden structures, the burn quickly like tinder. Also, the grossmünster has already burned twice: Once in 1572, and at the 24. In August 1763 a tower in flames, because the place got hit by lightning. The tower had shingles a roof made of thin wood. The firefighters then removed from the other tower from the fire.

Would it be an Option to delete from the tower?
Yes, quite. As long as the towers themselves are not at risk of collapsing. The safety of the rescue workers, however, has priority in any case.

How it looks with the protection of the surrounding houses?
The security of the houses is a top priority. From the Church of fire no town may be a fire. It is actually very difficult, with the fire-fighting vehicles arrive in the old town. Especially in the case of the Church of St. Peter, we come just to walk in the vicinity of the building. The Fraumünster, the available space is better and the ground is more stable. As we came with turntable ladders up to the roof. But basically, one can only hope that a fire in such old houses is quickly discovered. Then we would have the better cards.

how did you feel when you saw the images of the burning of Notre-Dame?
I was speechless. It is a historical monument of international renown. One inevitably thinks: how can I be this task to save it. This feeling is terrible. It gnaws at you, after all, it is our Central task, to save people, to extinguish a fire and to secure the building. I'm thinking in the members of the Paris fire brigade.

Video: chronology of the Paris fire disaster
flames in the night, fear in the night, in Spite of the Morning: the fire in The Notre-Dame in retrospect. (editor-in-Tamedia)

Created: 16.04.2019, 12:16 PM