Muelheim - population 180,000 - was the only German city which for fifty years after WWII did not have any volunteer fire companies. After postwar control of their fire service reverted to municipal control, the city decided to stick with only full time resources. In recent years this situation has been overcome with the recruitment of approximately 100 unpaid on call volunteers. In 2005 a company was established at the main fire station, followed in 2010 by additional crews at the new second full time location.
So now they are attached to both full time fire stations, which were both new construction designed to accommodate them, rather than having their own separate quarters.
They back up the full time duty watch, which has 28 members at the main station and an additional 15 at the satellite. The full time fleet includes two minor alarm vans, four rescue pumps, two aerials, different rescue rigs, four pod carriers with 19 pods, numerous specialized support and command units, various trailers and several EMS units. With their own total of 12 additional vehicles, including two civil defense pumps as well as regular rescue pumps, the volunteers provide both an added level of fire and rescue response (excluding EMS), have a dedicated role when it comes to water relaying responsibilities and also specialize in hazmat incidents.
I should add that this is a completely separate organization from the THF, the national volunteer Civil Defense service, one of whose most recent multi-purpose tenders is illustrated here...
So now they are attached to both full time fire stations, which were both new construction designed to accommodate them, rather than having their own separate quarters.
They back up the full time duty watch, which has 28 members at the main station and an additional 15 at the satellite. The full time fleet includes two minor alarm vans, four rescue pumps, two aerials, different rescue rigs, four pod carriers with 19 pods, numerous specialized support and command units, various trailers and several EMS units. With their own total of 12 additional vehicles, including two civil defense pumps as well as regular rescue pumps, the volunteers provide both an added level of fire and rescue response (excluding EMS), have a dedicated role when it comes to water relaying responsibilities and also specialize in hazmat incidents.
I should add that this is a completely separate organization from the THF, the national volunteer Civil Defense service, one of whose most recent multi-purpose tenders is illustrated here...
Added by Rob Johnson on 18 December 2020.