the fire brigade on alert they're first on the scene to save lives at great risk to themselves firefighters a

most dangerous job for people with nerves of steel danger is their constant companion every
assignment is high risk never knowing what to expect and frequently a matter of life and death
committed courageous and confident they are the real everyday heroes berlin around three and a half
million people live in the city on average the fire brigade are called out here 1 300 times a day around
550 professional firefighters are on duty every day staffing berlin's 35 fire stations. all calls on the
emergency number 112 come into the central switchboard in charlottenburg there are two calls every
minute anyone wanting to become a firefighter has to attend the berlin fire and rescue training academy
based at a former army barracks in berlin reinigendorf the berlin fire brigade has existed for 165 years
and it's germany's oldest and largest professional firefighting service 120 firefighters and emergency
paramedics are trained here every year there are 16 different facilities for simulating accidents fires and
other emergencies. good morning morning training to be a firefighter is a tough business the campus in
reinikendorf is no place for the faint-hearted one of the facilities on the training ground is also this
flashover simulator in this specially converted container house fires are simulated to ignite the blaze
pallets are set on fire which have to be made of wood because it's a material that produces flammable
gases but for instructor andreas ott the preparations are taking too long hurry up for the trainees this
exercise is completely new territory for me it was a childhood dream i mean who didn't dream of sitting
in a big red fire engine when they grew up and saving lives so with this career i've kind of fulfilled my
childhood dream training to be a firefighter normally lasts 18 months this is a training course and now
they'll first learn how to start a fire and then how to put it out when the wood burns dangerous
combustible gases are created in the fire chamber they're about to play a decisive role because in the
next few minutes the initial fire will develop into a blazing inferno the prospective firefighters now get
ready for the fire chamber exercise by putting on their breathing masks and special protective clothing
that for short periods at least can withstand temperatures of up to 1000 degrees the compressed air
cylinders contain normal ambient air and each one will last for around 30 minutes depending on how
intensively they're used the entire equipment weighs 30 kilos and costs about 200 euros per trainee the
money is provided by the berlin senate before going into the fire the trainees have to carry out a
breathing test and check whether their masks are airtight even the slightest fault can have fatal
consequences you press the palm of your hand without your gloves on against the mask and then
breathe in no gloves that's very important and it's got to be airtight meanwhile a full-scale fire has
developed in the chamber the trainee firefighters first go into the observation room in front of it this will
give them a feeling for what fire actually is they should observe and be aware of the flames intensity so
that they won't panic in an emergency inside it's now boiling hot around their heads it's about 120
degrees standing it would be 400 and the smoke is getting thicker it's an extreme situation at the same
time we want to show the trainees that the visibility in such a fire is almost zero to simulate that the
container doors areall closed for a short time for the trainees it's impressive but it's also intended to give
them confidence in their protective clothing now we're going to let hot smoke fumes into the container
through a leaky door and then try to ignite them by opening all the doors this creates a flashover it's a
scenario that also happens when doors are opened in burning apartments if the fire comes into contact
with oxygen the fumes ignite burning at 600 degrees such flashovers are one of the most dangerous
phenomena firefighters can face during their work that's why it's essential to practice extinguishing
them the first attempt however fails started spraying the water a bit too late and that led to steam
formation a liter of water creates around 1 700 liters of steam physically an extreme increase in volume
that then drives all these combustible gases towards us and the flames just roll over the top of us the
second attempt is more successful [Music] the trainees extinguish the flames with three water jets in a
row then wait a little and aim directly at the flames again a much more effective and economical use of
the water after four hours of practice the exercise is over the young men have completed one of the
most dangerous phases of their training it's exciting to see how a fire behaves that it has a life of its own
and how it starts to breathe you think you gotta work in something like that whoa that's stressful it's
always fun to go in there when others run out we run in that's our motto it will be at least another day
before this training facility has cooled down completely leipzighale airport germany's second largest
airport for air freight traffic after frankfurt on mine in terms of passenger numbers it's in 14th place like
all german airports it has its own fire brigade six large crash tenders and other special vehicles can all be
deployed here in the event of a fire the firefighters must be in their vehicles within 30 seconds if an
aircraft is on fire at the airport they're the first to arrive at the scene the procedures are practiced over
and over again all the firefighters know full well that life or death depends on them but they have a
powerful partner the panther the panther is the very latest in airport crash tenders anywhere in the
world the 48-ton fire engine races across the runway at top speed with its 1400 horsepower it can reach
140 kilometers an hour and accelerate from zero to 100 in 40 seconds after three minutes at the latest
the men must be able to reach any location all over the airport today it's the dummy boeing 747 a
precise replica of the original [Music] 35 meters long and 10 meters high this boeing model is the only
one of this size in the world the training aircraft can be set on fire completely using gas [Music] the cargo
hold and passenger cabins are also turned into a blazing inferno airport fire brigades from all over
germany and now even from the entire world come here to train for emergencies for operations officer
mattias richter and his men there's a hard day's training ahead they'll be combating fire outbreaks in
every possible place on the plane as if it were a real catastrophe nevertheless any hectic is out of place
when things are rushed mistakes are made first the turbine the boeing's jet engine this exercise is
repeated again and again because in an emergency it's one of the most difficult scenarios because the
turbines always run at maximum capacity and there's still oil or kerosene going in that can burn it's
always difficult to bring the fire under control the two panthers now intervene to extinguish the
complicated blaze the two vehicles have different tasks one cools the fuselage which would be the
passenger cabin in an emergency the two front water cannons are controlled by joysticks at the same
time the other panther deals with the burning engine the tank holds 12 500 liters of water and it shoots
out of the boom cannon at a pressure of 16 bar 6 000 liters per minute in two minutes the tank is empty
and the engine fire extinguished the day's first exercise is completed the inconspicuous exterior of this
building in charlottenburg shows no signs of the drama that can often unfold inside this is the berlin fire
brigade control center all emergency 112 calls come in here those who can no longer help themselves
often call this number okay ma'am please calm down what's your last name now here the telephone
rings 3000 times a day berlin fire brigade how old is your wife over 40 is she breathing if you're
uncertain turn her over into the recovery position reanimation so you're sure of that are you it's a case
of reanimation all those working here are either trained firefighters or paramedics like stefan leto every
second call here requires no response from the fire brigade there are lots of pocket calls children playing
with phones drunks who are just bored children who are bored after school there are hundreds of
callers and only 70 or 80 on each shift that are genuine emergencies that have to be dealt with in this
rather unimposing place split-second decisions have to be made one of the 35 professional fire stations
in berlin is in neukun and it's been here since 1913. two fire engines four ambulances and a turntable
ladder are based here 21 firefighters operate these vehicles in 24-hour shifts dirk pell is in charge of
operations today and right away there's an alert roy savinski has been working at this fire station since
2010. a message just came through we should go to the reanimation of a child so that's why we're
hurrying here too the specified time from the message arriving to the men leaving is 30 seconds a good
60 of the firefighters are trained paramedics 90 of their call outs are medical emergencies in berlin the
emergency service is also the job of the fire brigade [Music] every fire engine has a crew of six
firefighters they prepare everything on the journey itself so no time is lost at the scene and they can
help right away the emergency call is always passed on to the fire station with the shortest route to
travel in a case of reanimation every second is [Music] vital [Music] the firefighters arrive before the
emergency doctor fortunately lots of call outs are not as dramatic as they first seem and that's also the
case here the child was said to have stopped breathing and needed reanimating but after a few minutes
it came around again by itself so everything's okay the child's being taken to hospital in an ambulance
for another checkup and then we'll see what happens next it does get to you sometimes when you've
got small children yourself you've got to stay cool as you can not easy when you're father so you got to
say okay right short break the break really is very short only just back in the fire engine dirk pell receives
an emergency call a traffic accident whether there are any casualties is not clear the call takes them to
plentaval two cars collided while changing lanes one was able to roll off the road itself the other is
causing an obstruction and has to be removed by the fire brigade the first thing to do is assess the
situation the vehicle's front axle has been seriously damaged to avoid any risk to themselves they block
the road for well-trained firefighters it's no great problem to push the one and a half ton car to the side
the three-lane road is quickly opened up again [Music] so now we've determined that there are no
injured people at the scene and we've just got the traffic obstruction we had to get the vehicle off the
road because rush hour's just starting and we need to get the traffic here in the city moving again with
around 50 operations a day the six firemen spend a lot of time in their vehicles but the fire engine
contains everything they need for their call outs lucanvalde in the state of brandenburg is where fire
engines are manufactured the company rosenbauer has been producing them here for fire brigades all
over germany since 1998. [Music] from the first component to the last the vehicles are assembled here
in the production hall at various workstations one vehicle is produced here every day just like on an
assembly line stefan phibiga is the company's technical manager he's always on hand when any
production problems arise everything starts with this black steel frame the off-decent style ramen an
aluminum sheet is glued onto this frame with a five millimeter layer of adhesive and this base layer this
adhesive is what actually bonds the later chassis and our vehicle body together the special adhesive
bonds the mounting frame with the base plate it's extremely flexible and doesn't split even when
subjected to strong vibrations it takes three days for it to harden second station then traverse and
longitudinal walls are mounted before the pump system is installed at the next station and the water
tank as well that means you can see the traverse walls here made of aluminum sections connected to
sheet metal components laser cut and punch riveted metal components the tank would be found right
behind here and in this case would go right up to this traverse wall that you can see there and has a
capacity of about 5000 liters that's the maximum we can fit into this design the adhesive gun is also
being used at the third station here the roof is mounted a crane lowers it carefully into place the roof
must be especially strong because later firefighters walk around on top of it since it needs to be
positioned with millimeter precision the walls are screw-fastened rather than glued at this workstation
the water pumps are also installed for municipal fire engines the specification is 2 000 liters at 10 bar
some of the pumps we have in the company can deliver up to 10 000 liters a minute we don't usually
install those in a municipal fire engine like this but rather in large fire engines for industry or in our
airport crash tenders every pump has to be tested but not on the company premises with so many
vehicles it would all be underwater very soon in the open countryside however it's no problem the
water cannon is set up quickly at 10 bar it delivers 2 400 liters per minute over a distance of 70 meters if
everything works no leaks the throwing range is right it all works really well the switches everything the
vehicle heads back to the factory in the assembly hall the so-called roof gallery is put in place it's already
finished and fitted with lots of electric equipment parts that used to be carried by hand are now
transported by an overhead crane to comply with european standards the vehicle's lateral roof
limitation must be 80 millimeters high on the one hand the roof gallery is a safety rail for the firefighters
in the roof so they can't fall off and on the other hand it's also the housing for lighting the so-called
surrounding area lighting which lights up the area around the vehicle at the same time the flashing lights
are installed on the left and right at the rear so that the fire engine can be recognized as a fire engine
and not just visually but acoustically as well these are what give the fire engine its distinctive siren sound
this is this is what we call a martin porn and it's what most fire brigades order from us it's the best
known siren alarm device on the fire fighting vehicle the compressor is powered electrically and
generates compressed air which is fed through the pipes into the siren and then creates the typical siren
sound that can be up to 120 decibels when it comes out of the horn large and small horns create the
dual tone sound it's not just one sound but a sound sequence and that's why you need different
frequencies although colloquially known in germany as martin's hon the correct term is matinon the
name of the manufacturer meanwhile the structure now has doors the wiring has been installed the
cabin and pump are in place assembly can continue the assembly workers refer to the next stage as the
marriage the structure and the chassis are joined together 2.5 tons are now loaded by crane onto the
chassis what's needed now is experience and an instinct for precision that's why one employee has been
working here permanently for years his experience can't be valued highly enough because here every
millimeter counts once everything fits the parts are bolted together the vehicle is now roadworthy all
that's missing are its interior fittings the fire engines are fitted out here exactly as ordered by the client
altogether there are 10 of these fitting bays in the hall a fire engine for berlin has different equipment
than one for a rural region that's why there's a special plan for the equipping of each individual vehicle
depending on its interior equipment a fire engine like this can cost between two hundred thousand and
two hundred and fifty thousand euros it's all about putting the firefighting equipment into the right
places inside the vehicle and fixing it securely enough so it won't fall out when they're driving also that
the firefighters can take it out easily when they need it 60 employees work around 700 hours on a fire
engine until it's finally delivered [Music] berlin charlottenburg this is where the berlin fire brigade's
technical service is based the approximately 40 special vehicles here are all larger and heavier than
those in the individual fire stations the technical service is called out whenever local fire brigades can't
cope with emergency situations using their normal equipment divers are also based here today they'll
be recovering this car from the bottom of the river hoffa and as you can see not for the first time chief
firefighter places an air cushion inside the wreck in a real emergency of course this can only be done at
the scene this car's got a lot of sharp edges because it's our practice vehicle so we put the cushion inside
before we start so we don't ruin our equipment in the exercise this special crane has an important role
to play it can lift 30 tons and extend the boom out to 38 meters it weighs 630 tons for the training drill
the car now has to be loaded onto a truck and taken to the river hoffa in an emergency an entire convoy
moves out to recover a vehicle that's fallen into water and rescue the occupants the fire boat and the
river police are already on the scene and have cordoned off the exercise area the crane is ready to set
the car down but then suddenly the exercise is stopped the men have been called out to an emergency
we have an emergency call so the exercise is being stopped the call out takes precedence exact details
will be provided to the fire crew as soon as possible for now all they know is that they're heading to
vanze station where a fallen tree is blocking the road the crew from the local fire station have already
arrived for berlin gale force six or seven has been forecast and the wind is so strong that it's uprooted
this lime tree which has fallen on top of a parked car the crews discuss their joint approach but first they
need to clarify whether this is actually the fire brigade's responsibility if this were private land then a
private company would have to deal with removing the tree but there's also a danger to public safety
here so we'll have to do it [Music] but it isn't simply a matter of lifting the tree off the car vonsey fire
brigade's turntable ladder has to be called in branches need to be cut away so that the crane can grip
the tree trunk [Music] a suitable gripping point has now been cleared 15 meters up the crane from
technical services can now be prepared for action special high tensile lifting straps are used with a load
capacity of five tons the wind speed is still a good six meters per second a challenge for both men and
machines the crews from the two fire stations work extremely well together since the crane driver's
view of the trunk is obscured by the branches he has to be directed by hand signals all done the car is
now free and can be driven away the first obstacle has been overcome the car is now removed from the
danger zone so the firefighters can carry on working unhindered normally the tree with a weight of one
and a half tons would now crash down onto the road but since it's being held up by the crane these
1500 kilos can be lowered down carefully successfully averting further danger the lime tree is now lying
across the road [Music] the tree wasn't all that heavy only one and a half tons but because of its height
it could only be really dealt with by the technical service and we didn't make such a bad job of it the
men cut up the tree into logs to make it easier for the responsible parks and gardens department to take
it away [Music] to finish off the road is swept clean and then the convoy drives away if nothing else
happens over the next few hours the crew can now continue the exercise with the sunken car on the
bank of the hoffa everything is ready to sink the car into the water when it's inflated the vehicle
recovery air cushion inside the wreck can carry two tons [Music] underwater the divers will connect an
air hose to this valve to inflate the cushion this wooden plank is used to help the crane immerse the car
underwater [Music] the divers get ready they're wearing tri-laminate dry suits which are made of a
special triple layer material with much better properties than neoprene the difference is that the
neoprene suit has air bubbles in the material and that's not so good if there's a bit of oil on the water
surface because that would contaminate the suit and make it useless so you'd basically just have to
throw it away and that doesn't happen with trilaminate because it can be hosed down and cleaned
better diver michael dons his 35 kilos of equipment with the cylinder on his back he can breathe
underwater for up to 30 minutes if in a real emergency the rescue takes longer another diver takes over
and depending on the circumstances the cylinder is also changed sometimes like all his colleagues from
the technical service michel stuve began at a normal fire station later he became a specialist diver and
moved here on the huffle the river police and the fire boat have again taken up their positions [Music]
slowly the crane driver lowers the wrecked car down onto the riverbed here at the bank the river is
about four meters deep [Music] the first diver enters the water it's 15 degrees and he can feel the cold
through his dry suit underwater he removes the slings from the plank leaving the car completely free
just as it would be after a genuine accident now michael estuva goes down they train this scenario three
to four times a year so that in an emergency every move underwater is second nature visibility is bad
and the water temperature is not exactly pleasant once at the wreck the diver first has to locate the air
cushion valve to which he has to connect the air hose the divers stay in contact with their colleagues on
land using lifelines by pulling on the rope they can communicate with each other each pull has its own
meaning a single pull means emergency get me out the air hose for inflating the air cushion is put into
the water michael schtuve has to connect it to the valve he's now hanging upside down in the wreck
only when the diver has left the car will the hose be connected to the cylinder on the bank it would be
disastrous if a technical fault caused the cushion to inflate while the diver was still inside the wreck a
diving emergency you can turn it on slowly okay i'm going to pump in some air ready after
approximately 30 seconds the cushion is filled with air and brings the car up to the surface [Music] the
divers secure the slings around the wooden plank once more so the car can be recovered from the river
[Music] [Music] the exercise took a whole hour involved were two divers in the water 20 firefighters and
eight vehicles great effort and great expense but ultimately it's all about saving lives back to lucenvalde
before the fire engine is delivered it has to pass its final inspection by the technical standards authority
tiff the inspector always comes from the same federal state in which the engine will later be used so he
carries out the inspection on behalf of the respective state government uvebeck comes from tufsud in
stuttgart and checks the entire vehicle for roadworthiness and operational many components are the
same as in normal vehicles but others are quite different because this is a very specialized vehicle and
has a special design so for this reason there are lots more things you need to pay attention to here than
in a normal vehicle fire brigade requirements are very special so the demands the vehicle has to meet
are special tools his job is also special during the safety check he has to look at every single technical
device it takes him at least half a day to inspect one vehicle on average such a vehicle has approximately
400 parts and components the inspector has to check whether they are all securely fastened whether
they can be removed easily and it's a job that can also be quite physically demanding a fire engine of this
type has at least two thousand to two thousand two hundred kilos of equipment on board full [Music]
so i suppose the meanwhile it's become second nature yes you could say that inside the vehicle too he
has to check if the equipment is complete if the safety belts are all there and whether they can be
fastened easily the main concern here is the safety of the nine firefighters while they're on the road
[Music] this is a rescue backpack practical for first aid and because of that it should be relatively easy to
take out nice and soft so in this case it makes a very good back rest after his thorough technical
inspection uffa beck's conclusion is that this fire engine can be given unconditional approval on one of
the 16 training areas at the berlin fire and rescue training academy the scheduled exercise today is how
to open a large car from the side instructor olaf lehmann explains the task the situation is a traffic
accident with an injured driver and all doors are locked get to it man where the hydraulic rescue devices
you've got to stabilize the car that's all first the rear window is broken they need a weigh-in as far from
the injured occupant as possible one firefighter works his way through to the front to administer first aid
the windows on the side they want to open are broken in a controlled manner they need to gain access
to the vehicle interior to rescue the injured occupant in a real emergency the first aider would put a
neck brace and a support collar on the victim the water group will use the spreader the a group the
shears try to reach inside again from the top onto the lock and not right then you'll see a gap forming
here and let it run good with its battery the spreader weighs 22 kilos and works with a spreading force of
42 kilo newton more than four tons and achieves a maximum spreading distance of 60 centimeters just
let it work the academy gets the cars for cutting up from a local scrap yard about 120 of them every year
after the exercises the yard picks the cars up again now the shears come into play but the trainee makes
a decisive mistake what do we do before we start cutting push it away no scan for airbags scan for
airbags yes put the shears down and we take the time to have a look first we check if we can find any
airbags in there if there's a belt tensioning system and if we don't find anything then we push the plastic
away it would be fatal if an airbag was triggered in there and no airbags great now we can start cutting
the electro-hydraulic shears are also an important item for the fire brigade's daily work they weigh 14
kilos have a cutting force of almost four tons and can cut through any metal part of a car during their
training every firefighter goes through this side opening exercise several times after 15 minutes the
driver's side of the car has been opened up to prevent any further risk of injury the car's b pillar is cut off
completely the way is now clear for the rescue in accidents like this one the victims often have serious
head and spinal injuries that's why the spine board is often used in such cases it has a solid straight
surface made of hard plastic and is x-ray permeable to give the injured person stability when the
backrest is folded down a flexible tube is used to support his back it's a spine ball place the spine board
at 90 degrees under the patient and lift him up that's right but make it more of a right angle is his butt
on it good good good he's stabilized now put the back rest down let him take over inside right turn his
head around as far as he can yes now slide the patient onto the board ralph of spinebot scene undo that
tube coupling [Applause] removed from the danger zone the patient would now be handed over to the
paramedics okay okay guys put it down now you see what can happen out there under stress when
we're called out at three in the morning and find a situation like this we have to be able to work and
know what we're doing but mistakes will happen too firefighter training is practice based future call outs
won't be much different from this located on the outskirts of berlin in schunerfeld is this unusual
building with the help of a gas-fired training facility house fires are simulated here and firefighters from
all over germany practice rescuing their colleagues such an exercise is taking place here today today the
respiratory protection emergency team known as ants from its german name are training what to do if
firefighters get into difficulties while extinguishing a blaze and can't get out on their own anaheimic is
also going into the flames today she's in charge of the operation thanks to their protective suits the
firefighters won't be affected by the enormous heat in the firehouse of about 200 degrees celsius the
two air cylinders contain enough compressed air to breathe for 40 minutes the simulation in the
firehouse now begins on the upper floor the firefighter has an accident while combating the blaze he's
passed out his colleague calls for help mayday may day mayday casualty on the first floor atrium man
down help needed leader 51 message understood ants is on its way the respiratory protection
emergency team is ready for action in no time at all the rescue team operates like clockwork and sets off
on their mission together because smoke reduces visibility in such fires each team member puts a hand
on the one in front no one must get lost each of them has a job to do the team leader assesses the
situation two others are the rescuers and the fourth secures their withdrawal and puts out the fire first
of all the unconscious colleague is brought to safety away from the flames and the heat one two three
one two three one two three now things have to move quickly while the rescuers take care of the victim
the fourth man puts out the fire in the bedroom the water shoots out of the hose at a pressure of 10 bar
here too a special sensor determines when the fire is actually out first ana speaks to her colleague
[Music] patient not responding now every move must be correct it's a matter of life and death to keep
him breathing a rescue hood is placed over their colleague's face are you ready you can connect it
connect it rescue hood connected at the same time the second man removes the victim's breathing
mask one two three [Music] the rescue hood has its own air supply enough to last for about 40 minutes
[Music] the thermal imaging camera is vital for working wherever smoke reduces visibility it helps to
provide orientation and can locate casualties in the shortest possible time ana now cuts the belts on the
breathing apparatus as it's no longer needed [Music] also connected up to the system is the pass device
which automatically sounds an alarm if the carrier is motionless on the ground for more than 30 seconds
the equipment includes a special lightweight stretcher which is adjustable in length it's easy to handle
and guarantees that the injured person is moved as little as possible [Music] before taking him down the
narrow stairs he is secured in real emergencies the rescuers would hardly see anything because of the
smoke that's why every move they make in this exercise is felt with their hands their sense of touch is
vital for orientation their injured colleague is ready for transport four firefighters carry him down if
anyone falls now there's nothing to hold on to after five minutes their colleague is safe the ants team
has completed a tough assignment [Music] of course it's exhausting you've got to be physically fit and
from women they always expect 200 percent rather than just 100 percent but it's not something you
can just do off the cuff either their own skill is essential for survival but in such operations the special
suits are also their life insurance they're made in the balkans [Music] a small town with a long tradition
in textiles in 2015 the austrian enterprise tech sport built a new production plant here on a greenfield
site 400 seamstresses work at the factory they produce protective clothing for professional fire brigades
waterproof and flame resistant clothing produced to save lives requires highest manufacturing precision
the company produces protective uniforms for fire brigades in more than 30 countries the most
important part is the outer layer when firefighters go into a fire they have to be protected from burns
for short periods this material can withstand temperatures of up to one thousand degrees when things
heat up reliable protective fabrics are vital for survival this is pva dc this is pbi and it was developed for
the apollo program by the american space agency the development of such a fiber is extremely
expensive so it's only in sectors like the military or aerospace that it can actually be developed and it has
very special properties the benefit of this material is that it doesn't break open after flame exposure the
fiber remains stable even after repeated contact with fire pbi stands for poly benzemidazole and is an
extremely resilient durable tear resistant and feather light fabric the unbeatable benefit that this
material offers is that when it comes into contact with fire it maintains its shape it doesn't shrink or
break even when it cools down [Music] the company produces suits in up to 36 different sizes for each
model the first step is cutting to size the protective suit consists of several layers of fabric these are first
laid on top of each other and then cut with especially mobile machines the suit has to fit and adapt to
the body shape especially during an operation and must in no way restrict the firefighter's movement
one suit is made up of up to 300 individual parts here we see the material for the entire jacket beginning
with the lining the thermal insulation already sewn the together is the next barrier and here the outer
fabric and chafing protection and here are some of the prefabricated smaller parts reflector strips anti-
moisture trim for the front and the sleeve hems that's just one jacket every seamstress is specialized in
the production of certain parts precision work is essential here no stitch can be out of place especially
for the expensive outer layer the wholesale price for one square meter of pbi fabric is 60 euros with
fluorescent yellow and silver reflector strips firefighters are highly visible in the dark they don't need
safety vests directly beneath the outer layer is the heat insulation and aramide fabric this thermo-
insulating layer prevents heat penetration and reduces the temperature under this is the waterproof
layer the next layer is the membrane which guarantees the jacket is watertight wind resistant and
breathable the pores of this gore-tex membrane are about 20 000 times smaller than a water droplet
which explains why this material is especially waterproof however the one weak point could be the
seams that's why they're given special treatment sewing machine needles damage the membrane and
create holes which can leak to close the leak a hot melt adhesive tape is applied to the membrane side
to do this hot air of 480 degrees is applied to the tape the adhesive bonds with the seam and seals it
watertight and permanently not one needle puncture remains open when fighting fires the water is
boiling hot if it were to get through the suit and onto the skin the person wearing the suit would be
badly scalded the final layer of fabric is the lining here special attention is paid to the padded shoulder
area here when the jacket is worn an air cushion is created here between the surface of the body and
these cavities and this gives the firefighter additional protection from burns once the lining thermo
insulation membrane and outer layer are finished the four layers are then joined together from the
initial cut to the finished jacket takes the skilled seamstresses about 10 to 12 hours finally the zipper is
sewn into place it's one that was specially developed for the fire brigade we call it the panic zipper i can
push the zipper up and open the jacket at the top relatively quickly if a man is injured every second
counts so it's important to get him out of the jacket quickly tests have proved that the pbi protective suit
can withstand fire of up to 1000 degrees in other suits in such infernal temperatures a firefighter's
chances of survival would be very low berlin's highest buildings the television tower and the park inn
hotel can be found at alexanderplatz the hotel is 150 meters high and has 39 floors [Music] on the roof
terrace the berlin fire brigade's specialist high altitude rescue team are getting ready their exercise here
aims to rescue a person from a great height one of the team ab sails down in an emergency he could be
a window cleaner who got into a difficult situation from 150 meters he lowers himself down the hotel's
slippery glass facade at this dizzying height his rescuer the firefighter climbs over the parapet and the
exercise can begin he's wearing a belt with exile and securing devices besides this he's also secured to
two ropes his colleagues lower him down using a rope break this is the same system that's used in
mountain rescue operations they too are additionally secured the 45 high altitude rescuers are the
berlin fire brigades special unit they're not only deployed to rescue people from great heights but also
from dangerous depths two more meters 100 meters above the alexanderplatz the rescuer gradually
approaches the victim secured by his colleagues on the roof and on the ground he has now reached the
victim and clicks him into his absile device safety is paramount the slightest mistake can be critical the
two men are now exiled down to the ground by their colleagues the berlin fire brigade's high altitude
rescue team is called out about two or three times a month but they don't only work as high altitude
rescuers there are also normal firefighters at the station in matsan after 12 minutes they've got their
feet on solid ground again and the exercise is now successfully completed down in the cellar at the
berlin fire and rescue training academy the prospective leading firefighters are on their way to an
important exercise their physical resilience is being tested each of them is wearing a belt under their
clothing to measure their pulse rate is the responsible instructor the fitness test with air cylinders and
breathing masks begins with a light warm-up on the treadmill the target is 200 meters in four minutes
on the endless ladder specially developed for the fire brigade they have to climb 10 meters but there's
no time limit on the end of the cable there are 15 kilos each candidate has to pull 12 times in reality
there won't be a mission like this but it's a good way of testing how physically resilient the trainees
actually are for all of these exercises the pulse rate must not exceed 220 minus age that's the standard
after their warm-up they are prepared for a mission first an experienced firefighter checks to make sure
their heart and pulse rates are okay you'll be working with this breathing mask for the next 30 years and
you've got to learn to control your breathing and your pulse breathe in through your nose and out
through your mouth close your eyes put your feet on the ground and just follow what i'm saying breathe
calmly and regularly i feel fine breathe calmly and regularly clench your fists tense up your arm muscles
deep breath and eyes open the best example is biathlon the women ski ten thousand meters through
the forest they're wound up completely exhausted they stop and hit five targets the size of two euro
coins from 50 meters they don't do that with strength but because they can control their breathing okay
right in we go they now go into a room containing the crawling cage the entire distance the prospective
firefighters have to cover is 60 meters and the whole cage is monitored [Music] crawling with 30 kilos of
equipment on their backs and breathing masks over their faces is a real challenge going feet first on your
backside makes some obstacles easier to take anyone with claustrophobia has got a problem [Music]
the exercise in the crawling cage is intended to create physical and mental stress situations later during
operations they will also have to enter narrow spaces under extreme conditions this is where the trainee
firefighters learn not to panic in the first place [Music] only those who pass the recruitment test can
become firefighters and this test demands physical fitness from the candidates above all else [Music]
fire brigade requirements are not exactly low there are requirements regarding school education
technical know-how and physical fitness so that limits the number of suitable applicants and makes it
difficult for us to attract young people to the job [Music] 800 young women and men applied to the
berlin fire and rescue training academy every year for the reasons already mentioned only about 10 are
taken at the end of the 18-month training course every one of them knows why they chose this
profession because it's a fascinating job with a very positive background it's one of the very few
professions that actually helps 100 of the population training at leipzighala airport is now entering the
second important phase the dummy boeing can also be set on fire inside putting that fire out as quickly
as possible is the aim of this exercise the firefighters from station west enter the aircraft through the
freight hatch a luggage container is on fire in the cargo deck the temperature quickly rises to 200
degrees celsius water runs the hose pressure is eight bar the men operate at intervals this enables them
to bring the fire under control more effectively go to the right inside and hold it in from above the two
men have to work with precision to prevent the flames from spreading commander unit 420 first leg is
over no time to pause for breath on the deck above the passenger cabin a number of luggage
compartments and seats are on fire fire in the rear section [Music] the attack begins for passengers
without protective clothing the temperature now up to 100 degrees would be life-threatening [Music]
the man goes ahead and opens the luggage compartments so the water can hit the fire source quickly
and precisely one two three a fire in the luggage compartments is quite conceivable one two three this
is where passengers stole their cosmetics and spray cans commander unit 420 please respond command
listening okay the first leg is over we're going to move forward a row of seats in the boeing 747s rear
section is in flames the two men have to work fast real flames give off fumes the passengers could be
suffocated careful flash over in an emergency the fumes under the ceiling would have ignited by now a
flashover the firefighter's nightmare they both have to throw themselves onto the floor to avoid being
caught by the [Music] flames flesh over center control we're going to the next row the row of seats is
still burning after one minute the inferno has been put out every fire site inside the dummy boeing is
fitted with special sensors when the water has cooled them down to the right temperature the fire is
considered extinguished and goes out the men begin their withdrawal five minutes for the entire
operation doesn't sound very long but they are the difference between life and death that's why this
exercise is so important every move must be perfect they can't afford to lose time so it's vital to keep up
their training it's the job i've chosen and the one i want it's what i want my body to be able to do and
what i demand from it and we've achieved that again today for the panther however the day isn't over
on the end of its boom there's a piercing tool that's used whenever the fuselage has to be pierced to put
out the fire the boom is brought into the correct position for this it can be extended up to 16 meters in
emergencies the men use a thermal imaging camera to find the hottest place in this case it's the practice
plate okay now punch through at 210 bar the piercing lance is fired through the fuselage it is fitted with
perforated nozzles that spray out water at high pressure and water on its output is 1 000 liters per
minute the piercing tool is only intended for use in the cargo hold the risk of causing life-threatening
injuries to passengers is simply too great this crane is in berlin it's 45 meters high and is used for practice
by the berlin fire brigade special unit the high altitude rescue team the men repeatedly have to practice
dealing with situations that can arise in their everyday work one important aspect is learning to protect
themselves their life insurance policy is the equipment that stops them from falling [Music] the exercise
today will be to get the crane driver out of his cabin rescue him and bring him back to the ground on a
stretcher the person being rescued and three other firefighters climb up the 45 meter crane the ascent
is no problem for them this is a normal working crane that usually loads components onto trucks it's
only stopped temporarily for the rescue team's exercise for the high altitude rescuers securing
themselves is most important because their own life is at stake and that should never be put at risk in an
emergency everything needs to run like clockwork that's why regular training is so important watch out
rope in the bag there are 200 meters of rope this will secure the stretcher in which the injured person
will be lowered down ropes for the rescuers have to be pulled up as well the system is based on
mountain rescue it's cold windy and wet the exercise is strenuous even for the trained rescue team a
colleague fastens the pulley high up on a so-called anchor point all the ropes required for the rescue will
run over this pulley the maneuver is controlled from the ground by alexander sladek and thomas reiser
the teams exchange messages by radio when all preparations have been made the two men will bring
the stretcher down in a controlled manner this is the lowering system with which will control the entire
lowering procedure down here is the anchor and up there is a pulley that's what the stretcher and
rescuer are hanging on and it's all controlled from down here we always have to find an anchor point
that's strong enough to carry at least a [Applause] ton now the exercise can begin the injured crane
driver is pulled up through the hatch on the cabin roof it's tight and dangerous and a genuine casualty
certainly wouldn't be as calm as their colleague the rescuers have already experienced similar situations
in reality mostly involving potential suicides balancing out on the end of the outrigger so besides their
rescue skills they also have to provide psychological care once on the outrigger the injured man is laid on
the stretcher and secured in berlin the high altitude rescue team are called out around 30 times a year
everything is ready to start lowering the men on the ground dictate the speed you ready so we'll start
pulling okay this kind of operation is a passive rescue daniel the team member assigned as the rescuer
who's coming down with the injured man only accompanies and looks after him the actual rescue is
someone else's job we have to work in sync with them visual or radio contact that'll be ideal that means
we can take the strain down here and lift the stretcher and our colleagues up there swing it out at the
same time we have to let it up again so that when everything's hanging in the air and it's checked again
we can then determine from here how fast it comes down and then it's all about what we do down here
yeah stretcher's out and the rescuer's going over to alex dania shimonk now climbs over the railing a
very tense and dangerous moment he is suspended in midair [Music] using the rope break alexander
sladek slowly lets the stretcher down meter by meter the ropes are carrying a load of 200 kilos slowly
slowly slowly the stay cable system works perfectly as the accompanying rescuer dania shimonk
constantly has to reassure the injured man the high altitude rescue team carry out an exercise like this
five times a year every team member has to take part at least once it's all about perfect team
coordination the injured man and his rescuer spend two minutes hanging in the air the entire exercise
takes around 30 minutes another five slowly okay carry on one more and contact the whole thing went
extremely well just routine really a crane rescue something we practiced quite a lot so everyone plays
the victim once or goes down with him or lowers from above it secures down below you do get a tingling
in your stomach when you go over but we do this regularly if it's a patient who's never done it before
you can put yourself in his position and know exactly how he's feeling you can't see anything down
below so you really have to trust your colleagues 100 percent and that's part of the job i trust my
colleagues to set the anchor points properly and get me back down again safely and that creates a lot of
trust within the group after the exercise everything is packed away so that it's ready for use again
immediately the rescue team refer to this as restoration of operational readiness back at the berlin fire
and rescue training academy 170 prospective firefighters and paramedics are trained here every year
and today is important instructor christophe is putting the trainees through their practical breathing
apparatus examination there are 74 teachers at the academy all trained firefighters who are no longer in
active service they accompany the trainees through the entire training course with that i've now carried
out the function test okay that's good so get ready now and we'll meet down at the course i started as a
driver 29 years ago and have seen and done so much i just wanted a quiet life but the trainees here
provide me with plenty of amusement as in real call outs teamwork is a key aspect for the examination
too everyone helps each other put on their equipment you do that in the fire engine too if i've got the
breathing apparatus on my colleague sits opposite me and checks if i've done everything right i can't see
myself there's no mirror that's why there's always two of us we complement and support each other
really well it's reassuring when you're not on your own the test starts now the examinees are in their full
outfit with breathing masks and air cylinders on their way to the entrance of a seller so the scenario as
follows the fire's out didn't spread to the seller one person a child has been reported missing in the
seller your assignment search for person and seller number five repeat search for person in seller
number five since it's dark in the cellar the two men secured their way back with a lifeline which they
attached to a fixed point before going into the cellar room so look here close this up so you don't let any
more line out good carry on now they screw on the regulator switch on the non-motion detecting device
and put on their gloves instructor krista fabna raises the degree of difficulty again by adding these visors
they simulate visibility levels in thick smoke and darkness the examinees see nothing but shadows okay
let's go first they cleared their escape route if the doors suddenly closed in a burning cellar their lives
would be in danger since their visibility is almost zero they have to feel their way along their hands
become their eyes they mustn't get separated that's why the trainees hold on to each other's hands the
lifeline guarantees their escape and is connected to them like an umbilical cord this training cellar is
constructed like a maze the walls can be adjusted to enable instructors to simulate various scenarios and
constantly set new tasks this time a child must be found here as soon as possible we found a sealed and
cold gas canister [Music] over you can leave the canister there out radio messages are also constantly
simulated communication is vital the air in the cylinders lasts for 30 minutes the calculation is 10
minutes to go in and search plus 20 minutes to return should the rescuers not find the child in those 10
minutes they'll be called out by radio so as not to endanger their own lives [Music] [Music] so don't
worry we're just going to put this hood over your head and we'll pump some oxygen into it and then
you'll be able to breathe normally again the rescue hood provides the child with an air supply putting it
on in complete darkness while wearing gloves is a real challenge child is safe the trainees start on their
way back always holding onto the line that leads them out of the darkness of the cellar and back outside
well done man exercise over who gets the victim ambulance service or doctor that's me now so give him
here they've passed the test the prospective firefighters saved the child without exceeding the 30-
minute time limit it went well communication could have been better they could have talked a bit more
when you can't see anything communication can compensate for that he should have described what he
encountered in there a lot more they're just little things but they did find the person and took care of
them the way we've taught them it looks brutal at times when we stick the head first into a rescue hood
but that's what works best in our experience if you try to do it nicely the way you dress a child the hood
ends up around the neck and when we leave the scene it falls off we rescued the person so we
completed the main task and i hope everything else was just little things his hopes proved justified
despite their tenuous communication they both passed the test with flying colors roy savinski and andrei
simon from the fire station in noikon are not just firefighters they are also trained paramedics so so the
following situation has occurred my father's been unconscious for five minutes i've tried to talk to him
but he's not responding that's why i've called you and now he's your patient mr miller mr miller he's not
responding no reaction to pain either let's get him down at the paramedic school the classrooms are
designed like apartments [Music] no breathing no pulse we have to do further training every year
because we don't often get to deal with reanimations but as trained personnel were expected to do it
well so it makes sense for us to keep our training up to date and to carry out a reanimation at the school
once a year under the critical eyes of an instructor press down five to six centimeters your speed is 100
to 120 times a minute in cases of sudden cardiac arrest the cardiac massage is the key to the patient's
survival as it pumps the still oxygen-rich blood through the blood vessels to the body's vital organs in
addition a tube is placed in the trachea and connected to a ventilation bag for manual ventilation so
check if he's breathing stop reanimation yes well done two minutes are up now so change around
pressing 120 times a minute is quite strenuous even for a trained paramedic but in an emergency it
could help to save someone's life how long such a cardiac massage goes on depends [Music] in
reanimation every second is vital the first three minutes decide the patient's fate and in that time
anyone who happens to be on the scene can save a life there's not always someone around when a
person collapses but if there is it would be good if they knew what they're supposed to do people don't
have to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation no one expects that but just keeping the circulation going by
doing cpr massage would be a great help [Music] originally there were separate emergency numbers for
fire brigade and ambulance service but there were good reasons for using one number for both the fire
brigade gets called to a road accident and are joined by the ambulance and the two teams work
together like clockwork so it's good that it's all one service and not two different organizations all
paramedics in the berlin fire brigade go through refresher training once a year apartment and dummy
are now available for the next course now taking place on the academy grounds is an exercise involving
chemical protective clothing known as cpc with instructors ralph simon and dirk kruger in charge this is a
hazardous goods operation in a parked shipping container i can't tell you what hazardous substance it is
response unit with cpc step forward the response unit includes two prospective leading firefighters the
chemical protective suits are made of gas tight synthetic fabric all openings have elaborately worked zip
fasteners the suit is always worn with a breathing apparatus and a second person must always be at
hand to help put the suit on emergency personnel wearing full protective suits are under great strain
they are completely cut off from the outside world cpc is the highest level of protective clothing used by
the fire brigade you've only got here for a certain time they say about 30 minutes but these 30 minutes
include approach and departure time and the time it takes to decontaminate the suits until the men get
out so the time you can actually work in these suits is relatively short on top of this their field of vision
and movement is also limited the suit remains open until the operation begins closed suits keep the heat
in which would unnecessarily increase the strain of wearing one the second unit has set up a place for
decontamination and cordoned off a 50 meter area around the scene of the exercise suit is closed
before the two response unit members enter the hazardous goods container they calibrate this gauge it
could save their lives if things go wrong this gadget measures the so-called lower explosive limit that
means a gas mixture that's below the explosive limit isn't dangerous because it can't ignite this device
measures this lower explosive limit and can give me an early warning before the mixture reaches an
ignitable concentration they both indicate that everything is fine and head towards the operation site
during their training every firefighter must have worn one of these suits at least once the warning signs
on the container indicate flammable gases and corrosive go substances the container to check what's
inside there should be a silver box take a measurement there and if the lids open just close it and get
back outside the two men don't really know what to expect and open the door carefully if it were to
close behind them it could put their lives in danger their most important tool is their gauge if there's a
deadly gas mixture inside the container it will sound an alarm so far however everything seems fine as
yet nothing has escaped from the silver box with the hazardous substance the alarm on the gauge goes
off the lower explosive limit has been reached the box contains drain cleaner and a propane gas
cartridge for a camping stove the mixture of chlorine fumes and leaked gas has triggered the alarm they
close the box exit the container and head back to the decontamination site special units will now be
called in to dispose of the box stop there don't move as it's not clear whether or how badly the suits
have been contaminated the two men can only move onto designated terrain now turn around very
slowly in an upright position so we can see if your suit's been damaged right crouch down we'll rinse the
suit off taking the suit off must be done just as painstakingly as putting it on as it could still be
contaminated [Applause] you can help from the inside but don't touch the outside now things have to
move quickly the air in the cylinders is almost exhausted it's a seriously sweaty business i'm a bit
exhausted of course but otherwise i feel great all good [Music] it was just a simple check we had to take
a reading and close a container and the lid wasn't heavy so what we actually did wasn't all that hard but
it does put you under a bit of strain it's all quite heavy and then there's the temperature and the mask
makes it difficult to breathe it's all a bit tiring but it's fun the suits made of highly resistant fabric cost
around 5 000 euros after each operation they undergo special cleaning and are ready to be used again
berlin templehof the former airfield provides the course for the firefighter combat challenge a
competition for firemen and women from all over europe in full protective gear they battle their way
around an assault course with five different stations in temperatures of around 30 degrees come on
come on pull the organizer of the competition is the berlin fire brigade's own sports association it all
started in the united states in the 1970s when research was done to find a fitness test for firefighters
then in the 1990s this competition grew out of that and the first one was held in 1991 using elements
that were taken from the original fitness test and in the us there's now an entire series of 25
competitions a year that's become established since 1991. since 2007 this competition has also been
held in berlin it simulates the five most frequent tasks in a fire brigade operation so here we go 19 kilos
of fire hose are carried up a 12 meter stairway once at the top it's all about strength and weight again
pulling up 19 kilos on the end of a rope and back down the steps again at the hammer box 72.5 kilos
have to be moved one and a half meters with short precise blows this is followed by a 40 meter slalom
run just before the end of the course they have to pick up a 20 meter hose and hit a designated target
with the water jet the finale involves a 90 kilo dummy being dragged 30 meters to the finish line
reaching the end symbolizes one human life saved the firefighter completed the entire course in two
minutes 50 seconds the world record is one minute 15. for most it's not about the time but about
finishing the course and testing their fitness this is mike vicam from the matsan fire station warming up
ahead of his run he's taken part in this competition in berlin ever since it started he's 42 years old and
knows he isn't going to win today his best time so far is one minute 38.34 seconds first to prove to
yourself that you're still in shape and that your fitness level is enough to survive this circuit which is also
part of our job how often do i have to train well if i can every day not always at 100 but i do have a
training program for each day doesn't always work out of course but basically one day power exercises
one day endurance one day competition training special techniques comes from the same fire station
he's last year's winner in 2015 he got around the circuit in one minute 34.88 but he doesn't feel quite fit
this year i hope i can break 140. mike wants me to go under 130 but i go all out up the tower i'm really
fast from tower to hammer box and then it's just cruising rarely and the dummy at the end i've usually
had enough at the fire hose and i think just get through this and then those 30 meters can be such a long
way and you think when it's finally over a lot goes through your mind so far no competitors have beaten
daiya shimon's time from last year because the competition is based on a real mission the firefighters
wear protective clothing and breathing masks the equipment alone weighs 30 kilos dania is competing
against a colleague from munich [Music] ready [Music] climbing stairs and carrying hoses to put out a
fire on the top floor are practice related tasks just like getting down the stairs again fast [Music] the
hammer box is supposed to simulate breaking open a roof so far dania shimonk barely has his nose in
front he takes the hose first to put out the imaginary fire [Music] oh come on danny [Applause] what's
going through his mind now we'll never know he's fighting hard and it looks like he'll reach the finish line
first but will he beat the one minute 34.88 from last year [Applause] one minute 37 not as fast as last
time but under one minute 40 just as he'd aim to do in the end it's the second best time of the day
daniel is completely exhausted firefighters always push themselves to the limit mike weickmann also
gives all he's got like dania shimonk he too belongs to berlin's special high altitude rescue team and is a
fighter by nature at 42 he's one of the most experienced participants here in berlin [Applause] one
minute 45.3 at the end he is visibly exhausted but it's astonishing how quickly he gets his breath back
how satisfied is he with his time it's always too slow no i'm really satisfied faster than last year so
everything's good that was slower i really wanted to go even faster in retrospect before the race he said
he wanted to be under 140. but i did reach my target the fastest in the competition this year was a
firefighter from neue brandenburg he finished the course in one minute 31.44 mike weickmann and
danyashimank already have their next goal in mind america back to the boeing training exercise
extensive blaze burning kerosene our mission is to drive the fire away from the aircraft to enable
evacuation to take place on the other side airport an extensive fire is ignited by remote control the
simulated catastrophe could so easily be real when the wing of an aircraft breaks off kerosene leaks out
of the fuel tanks and the fumes ignite on the hot turbine the men make themselves fire proof not a
patch of bare skin should be left uncovered before they engage the flames the panther drives up [Music]
the airport crash tender will throw a channel of water between the fire and the aircraft to prevent the
flames spreading to the fuselage the extinguishing hoses the firefighters use can withstand pressure of
up to 10 bar they generate enormous power together the three firefighters attempt to combat the
flames they have to prevent the aircraft from catching fire as well slowly but surely the men start to feel
the 600 degree heat they're being exposed to the risk shouldn't be underestimated because if they don't
succeed in putting out the fire they themselves will be trapped between the aircraft and the fire
enclosed by the flames [Music] the fire has been prevented from spreading to the aircraft after this
strenuous exercise the men are well aware of how hard they've had to work and even though this was
only an exercise each of them knows that in an emergency they can rely on each other 100 percent we
go in there together and we come out together the weakest link sets the pace even if the others could
carry on if things get too hot the only way is out because we all want to get back to our families it's
really hard no question but it's always great to practice and train so you're prepared for emergencies we
try to get as much practice as we can of course so it becomes routine and we get the moves right know
the individual procedures so that when that scenario really does happen everything clicks like in training
because it's a team game for this a calling that demands everything ambition discipline team spirit and
the willingness to go to extremes only those who put heart and soul into their work will be able to
master this profession and succeed in bringing any catastrophe under control