Preparing for the most varied of scenarios as realistically as possible is a central concern of the Regio Basel Industrial Fire Service (RBIFS). «We are therefore looking for places like the Intercantonal Fire Service Training Centre in Balsthal,» explains Oliver Hofer, Fire Chief of the RBIFS Schweizerhalle. There, the RBIFS books the training infrastructure to conduct its own courses.
Change of subject every three years
The program on the training facilities in Balsthal is designed for three years each. During this time, the same problem is practised again and again. Oliver Hofer refers to the large number of firefighters. «We need a long time until everyone has completed the course.» After the fire attack platform, the Theme Park and the Flashover training facility, the Pyrodrome and container facility are used for the current education and training program. «We are planning to use the newly built Firehouse Q for the next three-year sequence.»
Themenwechsel alle drei Jahre
Für jeweils drei Jahre wird das Programm auf den Übungsanlagen in Balsthal konzipiert. In dieser Zeit wird immer wieder dieselbe Problematik geübt. Oliver Hofer verweist auf die grosser Zahl der Feuerwehrangehörigen. «Wir brauchen so lange, bis allen den Kurs absolviert haben.» Nach der Löschplattform, dem Themenpark und der Rauchdurchzündungsanlage werden für das aktuelle Ausbildungs- und Trainingsprogramm das Pyrodrom und die Containeranlage eingesetzt. «Für die nächste Dreijahressequenz planen wir, das neu erbaute Brandhaus Q zu nutzen.»
Instructors from their own ranks
The lessons and drills are geared to the needs of the industrial fire service. They are carried out on their own initiative. «We have ten cantonal instructors in our ranks, some of whom also work as instructors in Balsthal.» As a result, Oliver Hofer can draw not only on the necessary personnel but also on good facility knowledge. All courses are supervised by a responsible technician of the Intercantonal Fire Service Training Centre. The technician also takes care of the facility, the material and all other necessary resources.
«I think it's very good that we can use the training facilities in all spaces,» summarizes Oliver Hofer. «All the infrastructure up to the showers and the catering is available so that we have many options in Balsthal without large transport efforts.»
Standard courses complement our own offers
Not all topics can be covered internally. In some cases, specially trained instructors are missing. For example, the International Fire Academy's courses are used to prepare for operations in underground transport systems and on railway facilities. RBIFS locations, which provide a special base for railways, send their members to the corresponding standard courses.
«What we still lack here is a chemical or industrial training facility,» regrets Oliver Hofer. The RBIFS, therefore, takes additional courses at the chemical defence school of Bilfinger Industrial Services Switzerland AG in Zofingen and at Falck Fire Services NL (formerly RISC) in Rotterdam. After all, what counts is that the service is fully prepared for intervention in HAZMAT incidents, fires, explosions and accidents.
