A fire department within your reach

As in previous years, Tempelhof Airport was a magnet for the audience on September 1, 2018. Last year as well, about 22,000 people gathered at the former airport on Platz der Luftbrucke. This year, GPDS is on the spot again with eight vehicles and a firewall.

The Berlin-Tempelhof Airport building, which has not been in operation since 30 October 2008, is not just one of the most popular sights in Berlin, with its length of 1230 m, but is probably the longest building in Europe. Only the terminals in Beijing and Hong Kong, as well as the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in the United States, are world leaders before the building built in 1923.

On September 1, 2018, Berlin-Tempelhof Airport reopened its doors to visitors. The tenth anniversary of the closure, it is still uncertain what will happen to Tempelhof. Some areas of the former airport building have already been rented for about 100 companies, and others are currently being used as a space for organizing events. There is also refugee accommodation on site, where GPDS provides fire protection. But there are other ideas. Over 600 were presented at the summer festival. These include, for example, spaces for the creative and cultural scene. The rooftop terrace in the western part of the main building should be completed by 2020 and will be available to visitors.

GPDS was also part of the open house. With eight vehicles, trailers and a bulkhead, we were a special starting point for the smallest visitors. In addition to marveling at the fire brigade technology, the bulkhead was also attractive for children. While the parents were doing their best with the bucket injection, the “young firemen and women” were spraying. There was a surprise for the winner. In total, we gave away 500 children's fire helmets, 200 fire model cars, 150 fire extinguisher water pistols and 300 key rings. A week earlier, we were on site on a small scale at the open day for PWC at Kapelle Ufer with three vehicles and the bulkhead.