A+A: What still needs improvement?
Christian Ronig: “The drone’s sensor capacities are limited due to its performance. It easily becomes too heavy, too big and, thus, too expensive. It would be desirable to improve the battery life, which currently stands at 30-35 minutes.”
A+A: Can drones emit acoustic signals such as announcements or drone alerts?
Christian Ronig: “Theoretically speaking, it’s conceivable, and certainly makes sense, but as a factory fire brigade, we don’t utilize it yet. In general, factories have special announcement systems.“
A+A: What about using Smart clothing that monitors the vital parameters of the relief forces, for instance?
Christian Ronig: “Initial trials with that clothing type have already been realized. And it certainly makes perfect sense, since we have fewer experienced colleagues, the labor turnover is higher than before. And young people are receptive to new techniques and technologies. Therefore, we must focus on collecting and allocating more data.”
A+A: How about digitization, AI, VR and AR during the apprenticeship?
Christian Ronig:„AR and VR are being used more frequently. In our activity area, we simulate driver training for an airport rescue vehicle. Other vehicle types can easily adopt the system. VR headsets also allow simulating hazard scenarios, such as putting out a fire with a handheld extinguisher or a branch.
Software solutions are particularly valuable for staff training, as they allow data from various sources to be linked and applied in practice.
At the same time, working digitally or with AI is not easy because data protection requirements for fire brigades are extremely strict. We’re not allowed to use open-source software. Therefore, AI-driven work is not our everyday reality.”
A+A: How do you adapt your operation strategies to climate change and extreme weather events?
Christian Ronig: “For factory fire brigades, heat is not only driven by outside temperature but also by the waste heat of machines and plants. For better protection, we have, among other things, purchased cooling vests. Vegetation fires, however, require completely different equipment. And as long as the relief forces don’t have it, much drinking and a faster crew rotation are the only options during often long-lasting firefighting operations.
But the three days in June, with temperatures of up to 40 degrees, were a real challenge, even for us in Marl. It is crucial to take preventive measures to be well-prepared and equipped for the extreme. We work with heavy rain maps that are available for free online. If you’re well-prepared, you can direct the water in a way that avoids clogging. On top, we have added flood modules (immersion pumps and power generators), enabling us to operate independently and pump out water when necessary.”
Climate hazards like heavy rain, flooding, and fire were topics at our annual conference in Berlin.“
