Breathing protection technology
In a damaging fire, the greatest danger comes from fire smoke. It contains deadly carbon monoxide along with various other poisonous gases. It is into this deadly zone that the firefighter must go to fight the fire.
When using breathing apparatus, the firefighter inhales compressed air from an air cylinder. In the meantime, almost all Tanzanian firefighters have been trained in the use of these devices, as have the personnel of the respiratory protection workshops that are gradually springing up everywhere. One Tanzanian technician from each new workshop comes to the Hamburg respiratory protection workshop for a long-term internship.
Together with the donated equipment, Tanzanian colleagues are now able to safely approach the fire for effective firefighting through the smoke.
High altitude rescue
If an emergency occurs at greater heights or depths, the high-altitude rescuers are called. They rescue the sick crane operator from his cabin high in the crane. In the same way, for example, injured technicians have to be abseiled down from a wind power plant. In Tanzania, accidents in wells or latrines from which people have to be rescued occur time and again. The High altitude rescuers are first free from giddiness. Due to special training, and equipped with special equipment, they are able to provide effective assistance in these unusual places and rescue people from great heights and even from deep shafts.
Hamburg high-altitude rescuers trained Tanzanian colleagues. African multipliers came to Hamburg for further training for a long-term internship and now take over the training of their Tanzanian colleagues as trainers.
Tanzania is repeatedly hit by major floods. Parts of the city are flooded. Ships on the large inland lakes get into distress or capsize due to overloading. Then it is necessary to rescue people and also to recover the drowned. Firefighters used to stand helplessly before the problems.
Through the initiative of Janne Böhrold, a firefighter from Berlin, close cooperation between the Hamburg lifeguards and firefighter divers and their colleagues in Dar es Salaam was established. From interested African colleagues, first swimmers, then lifeguards, and now also a successful diving group emerged through courses of the Hamburg swimming instructors. Two divers from Dar es Salaam acquired valuable skills during a long-term internship with the Hamburg fire department divers, leading the diving operations and organizing the training in Tanzania.
In order to be able to effectively direct help, the right equipment is required in addition to qualified training. And that is precisely what the colleagues from Dar es Salaam are lacking.
While in Germany equipment and materials are replaced at regular intervals, in Tanzania there is a lack of everything.
Therefore, the firefighters from Hamburg began to collect suitable material and ship it to Tanzania by sea container. ASB Hamburg-Mitte (foreign aid) offers free storage and helps with logistics.
The example set a precedent. Meanwhile, the material is offered by fire departments from all over the country. Manufacturers also offer demonstration units, leasing returns, and residual items after system changes. The donation of technical equipment is always linked to training in Tanzania.