The Schwetzingen Volunteer Fire Department has been in existence since 1866 and today consists of 50 active firefighters, a youth fire brigade, and a senior division. The Schwetzingen Fire Department is responsible for protecting Schwetzingen’s approximately 22,000 residents, as well as numerous special sites in the city, such as the castle and its theater, 18 schools, the Rhein-Neckar Health Center, and U.S. Army facilities.
Since 2020, the Schwetzingen Fire Department has been laundering its uniforms in its own laundry facility, which is equipped with STAHL laundry machines. The laundry primarily handles firefighter outerwear, daytime uniforms, lightweight firefighting gear, and protective gloves, as well as shower towels, mops, and respirator filters. The laundry facility uses the ATOLL 220 washing machine with a dosing system and the TS 1300 drying cabinet from STAHL. The advantages of having its own laundry facility for the Schwetzingen Fire Department: The STAHL machines ensure rapid washing of contaminated laundry; prolonged contact with hazardous substances is prevented. In addition, there are no more long wait times: Thanks to the STAHL machines, the operational gear is ready for use again within 14 hours. This means only a small stock of spare operational gear is necessary—saving costs on the purchase of additional gear.
STAHL’s world-first innovation was set up as a pilot system at the Schwetzingen Fire Department. „We were very impressed by the spray-on application of the waterproofing. This means that firefighter outerwear can now be waterproofed from the outside—and only from the outside.“ That’s right and important,„ says Lars Hoffmann, firefighting equipment manager at the Schwetzingen Fire Department. The drying cabinet is also a standout feature in this context: The TS 1300 reaches the temperature required to activate the waterproofing agent. It’s also versatile: The Schwetzingen Fire Department uses the drying cabinet to dry all PPE, such as helmets, boots, and flame-retardant hoods. The integrated ozone lamp reduces germs and bacteria. “Especially these days, this provides a reassuring sense of safety while on firefighting duty,” says Lars Hoffmann. During the COVID-19 pandemic, washing PPE after responding to calls involving infected patients was a major concern for the Schwetzingen Fire Department. STAHL’s machines enable hygienic washing.
