Fire truck adds excitement but poses storage challenges

The city of Malchin is making significant strides in modernising its fire department with the arrival of the new Hilfeleistungs-Löschfahrzeug HLF 20. On Wednesday evening, the first training session for the firefighters took place, marking the beginning of a new era for the Malchin Fire Department.

Mayor Axel Müller (CDU) announced the city's plan to find a suitable interim solution to ensure the operational readiness of the fire department during the construction period. The city administration is confident that they will find a solution, with the current examination of renting lightweight halls to accommodate the fire equipment during the construction phase. The proposed location for the temporary halls is the open space of the Baumarkt Schnepf on the Stavenhagener Straße.

The new HLF 20, equipped with state-of-the-art technical equipment, significantly eases the work of the machine operators. The vehicle, designed for a wide range of tasks, including traffic accidents, fires, and technical assistance, has a water tank capacity of 2100 liters. However, the HLF 20 barely fits into the Malchin Fire Department station, replacing the old fire engine LF 16/12, which dates back to the 1990s.

The Malchin Fire Department operated a new fire engine of the LF 20 type last year, but the arrival of the HLF 20 marks a significant upgrade. The new vehicle was picked up from the Rosenbauer company in Luckenwalde. Some members of the Malchin Fire Department inspected the new vehicle on Wednesday afternoon before the training session.

Detailed and evaluable documents are to be sent to the Ministry of the Interior as early as September, with the decision on whether and to what extent the project will be supported by funding to follow. Documents sent in September will form the basis for this decision. The construction of the new fire station on Poststraße in Malchin is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025, with the project planned to be completed with financial support from the federal and state governments by 2029/30.

The demolition of the old station and the planned new build are largely dependent on the decision from the Ministry of the Interior regarding funding. The new fire station is expected to cost over nine million euros and will be a modern facility to serve the Malchin Fire Department for years to come. The city is committed to ensuring the operational readiness of the fire department during the construction period and is actively seeking an interim solution.