Since December 2019, the Ellwangen Volunteer Fire Department has been laundering its protective gear in its own laundry facility. „We haven’t regretted that decision for a single day—we’re extremely satisfied,“ explains Commander Rainer Babbel. At the time, the team decided to set up its own laundry facility at the Ellwangen fire station for health and safety reasons. Clean protective clothing is extremely important for emergency responders to protect themselves from diseases such as cancer. Carcinogenic soot must be removed from the clothing after every call, and this requires specialized equipment to protect the membrane of the protective gear. In the past, the firefighting gear in Ellwangen was sent to an outside laundry service or, if necessary, hung back in the closet to avoid the long wait times associated with external cleaning.
Ever since the ATOLL 220 E professional washing machine and the TS 1300 drying cabinet were installed at the Ellwangen fire station, the protective gear has been clean and ready for use at all times. The three full-time equipment managers take turns operating the machines. The Ellwangen Volunteer Fire Department particularly appreciates how easy the machines are to use: „The equipment technician simply selects whether to wash with or without waterproofing; the machine takes care of the rest, perfectly automated,“ says Rainer Babbel. After 6–8 hours, all protective gear is clean and dry.
People in Ellwangen are also very pleased with STAHL’s service for routine maintenance. The customer service team is quick to arrive on site when needed.
The fact that, back then, the laundry room even required some remodeling during the planning phase because the doors were too narrow is now just an amusing anecdote. Everyone at the Ellwangen Volunteer Fire Department agrees that the decision to set up their own laundry facility and purchase equipment from STAHL was the best investment in the firefighters’ health and represents a convenient solution that no one would want to do without.
