A firefighting department is needed. - Offenders who hinder parking operations face consequences.
Wrongly parked vehicles have become a persistent issue for fire departments in Thuringia, making it difficult for them to access fire scenes, especially at intersections. "In bigger cities, this parking congestion is already a common challenge for our emergency responders," says Michael Schwabe, a board member of the Thuringia Firefighting Association. When wrongly parked cars impede the way, fire trucks might find it hard to reach the location. Moreover, these cars make it challenging for ladders to turn around as they need sufficient space.
"Unfortunately, people usually grasp this problem only when it leads to destruction," Schwabe shares. The daily quest for parking spots often leads to this issue fading into the background. "Yet, all citizens must remember that they might need our assistance one day," Schwabe adds. The standard guidelines are to maintain crossroads clear and maintain a passage width of at least 3.05 meters in all locations. Besides, observing parking and stopping prohibitions is vital for a smooth day-to-day operation, Schwabe underlines. Nonetheless, cities need to expand their parking facilities, especially in those vulnerable areas.
Routine checks for emergency routes are part of the regular work of fire departments in major cities. In Suhl, for instance, Marko Gottschalk, Operations Department Head at the professional fire service, explains that checking obstacles on emergency routes and collaborating with the local public safety office is their regular business. They conduct these checks weekly, such as on Sunday mornings in residential areas. For more severe blockages, they may report it to the public safety office, resulting in fines and even towing away the vehicles. "In urgent situations, it may literally be a matter of life and death," Gottschalk emphasizes. Additionally, they evaluate street work situations in advance to anticipate emergency routes and suitable alternatives if needed.
In Jena and Gera, too, fire departments take proactive steps to address this issue through test drives in troubled areas. "Parking scofflaws haven't been a big issue in Suhl," maintained Gottschalk. The authorities carry out these examinations weekly, generally in residential neighborhoods. "In some cases, fines can be levied immediately," says Michelle Kayser, spokesperson of Gera's city administration. However, they note that these measures have only led to short-term improvements. In Jena, the collaborative approach with the public order office has been more effective, shares Ingolf Helbig, fire prevention officer at the Jena fire department. While the problem remains, it's manageable due to this cooperation.
Moreover, there are other factors that make the situation more complicated. Ingolf Helbig of Jena Fire Department comments that dangerous parking isn't their sole concern — the increasing traffic resulting from drop-offs in front of schools is also creating difficulties. "The rising number of parents driving their children to school has made the traffic conditions quite unmanageable in specific spots during school hours, particularly in the mornings." To address this problem, they monitor potential road hazards from climbing trees, which could interfere with their operations like impeding the use of turntable ladders. To alleviate the situation, they might even axe or prune them.
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Source: www.stern.de
