Fire Engines Photos

Larger German cities often use buses like this to relay members to and from major incidents, especially at shift changes. They do not get a lot of use and are often older vehicles.

If it was a control unit it would almost certainly be lettered "Einsatzleitung" ("operational leadership") and if it was a medical unit it would be a light yellow color, which is the standard color for all German EMS units including mass casuality transporters.

Added by Rob Johnson on 23 July 2013.

The Hamburg "Grossrettungswagen" (mass casuality transport) was Day-Glow red, same as the Fire appliances but had a white roof and front bumper, same as their other ambulances. Frankfurt's was in their standared Red/White livery. Also not all "Einsatzleitungwagen" are marked as such, (pic to follow).

Added by Chris Stone on 23 July 2013.

Chris - this is a Munich fire service vehicle.

Added by Rob Johnson on 23 July 2013.

Wondered why I'd put Munich in the orignal caption. I was just pointing out that your blanket statement that all medical units are a light yellow colour wasn't right.The German offical colour for " Sanitats und Betreungsdients" (First Aid and Care Service), Vehicals is RAL1014 Elfenbein (Ivory). And I still don't know what it was in use as!

Added by Chris Stone on 23 July 2013.

It was a bus. If you look at the Munich website they have photos of their control unit and their two mass transport units, and this is not any of them. I guess you could describe ivory as light yellow, or perhaps very light yellow?

Added by Rob Johnson on 23 July 2013.

So would that be an air-con pod on the roof? There's a Malteser Rettungswagen behind the BMW Plant Fire Brigade Motor Bike picture I put on here, sort of a creamy colour, though could be the sun-light. There's more of them on this sites sister site on Ambulances. Still it's nice to talk to someone about German fire appliances etc who knows what I'm talking about!

Added by Chris Stone on 23 July 2013.

Yes, I think it is a/c, which was probably an optional installation.

Added by Rob Johnson on 23 July 2013.

May be a cooling unit for rehydrating firefighters ??? Merseyside has a 'cool-van' for the same purpose.

Added by Barrie Green on 23 July 2013.

I think I may be able to help a bit. In Hamburg, the GRTW (mass-casualty unit) is a light, almost fluorescent yellow, whereas in other cities, such as Munich, the colour is day-glow red. In the vast majority of cases throughout Germany, those fire departments who run ambulances generally have them painted red like the bus in the picture. The ambulances of other care providers, such as the DRK (German Red Cross), KatS (Civil Defence), Johanniter (a religious relief organisation based on St John's Ambulance, also known as JUH), Malteser Hilfsdienst (a Catholic relief organisation, provides some ambulance cover, but is mostly responsible for providing EMS at major incidents in conjunction with other agencies such as the fire service and the DRK) and various other private are generally painted white. A handy rule to help is this one that an old friend, a veteran of the German Fire Services, told me: A red ambulance is run by the fire brigade, a white ambulance is run by the Red Cross or a similar agency, and a yellow ambulance is run by a private, generally for-profit agency. Lastly, if this were an ambulance vehicle, it would have a white cross on it.
I know this is a very long post, but I hope this helps!
Tiger

Added by Tiger on 24 July 2013.

I looked a little closer to the photo. Noticed the callsign 5.75.1. So it means this unit was at Fire station 5. The 75 stands for a GKTW (Großraumkrankentransportwagen, Major casulaty ambulance)
And Tiger...a white cross if it was a ambulance ? Never ever seen one driving with a white cross.....

Added by Marcel Sloover on 24 July 2013.

Thanks Marcel, I would say that clears that up.

Added by Chris Stone on 24 July 2013.

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