Tatü-Tatra: Fire Brigade Benneckenstein fights for forest fires!

Tatü-Tatra: Fire Brigade Benneckenstein fights for forest fires!

in the Oberharz, more precisely in Saxony-Anhalt, the fire brigade comrades of the Benneckenstein volunteer fire brigade face a major challenge: combating forest fires. An extraordinary vehicle is the Tatra 815 GTLF, a former Czech military truck that now serves as a secret weapon in the fight against the flames.

The Tatra is anything but an ordinary fire truck. With a capacity of 18,000 liters of water, which is almost three times as much as with conventional extinguishing vehicles, it is perfect for extinguishing water supply in hard -to -reach areas due to its enormous capacity. Frank Goldhammer, an experienced firefighter, describes the converted Tatra as a "water cow" and explains that the vehicle plays a central role in combating forest fires.

extinguishers with history

originally used as a manure tank during an agricultural operation, the Tatra 2018 was upgraded after continuing drought time to increase the efficiency of the fire brigade. "We acquired the vehicle for a ridicule price of 2,500 euros," said Goldhammer. But even if the Tatra is an official part of the fire brigade fleet, it remains a private vehicle of the former Truck trial team members who have a lot of experience in dealing with this special truck.

The Tatra in the Harz has been in use since 2019 and its performance is remarkable. Olaf Wille, also a firefighter, remembers a mission in which he transported 230,000 liters of water to fight fire on a single day. The missions impressively show how important the Tatra is for the local fire brigade, especially for large forest fires, such as the last fire on the Brocken, in which 17 hectares of forest were destroyed.

an urgent challenge

Despite the Allied technology and performance, the Tatra also has its weaknesses. After the latest fire, the engine was heavily used and urgently needs an exchange. The Benneckenstein volunteer fire brigade now has to raise around 6,000 euros for a replacement engine and is looking for sponsors and donors. "We hope that we will get the necessary funds so that we can be ready again at the next fire," says Goldhammer.

The frequent use of the tatra in operations not only shows the value of the vehicle for the fire brigade. It also illustrates the increasing challenges that the firefighters face in the face of increasing risk of forest fire. With a robust and powerful vehicle like the Tatra, however, they are well prepared as long as the equipment remains in good condition.

Thanks to innovative technology and the use of experienced firefighters, the hope remains that the Tatra can continue to act as a lifegian in the Harz in the future. Further information on these exciting developments and the challenges in fire brigade use you can Read here