Polskie LNG says professional, trained staff of the new Firefighting and Rescue Unit of the State Fire Service in Świnoujście will protect not only the LNG terminal, but also the entire right-bank area of the city. The official opening event, during which the unit was presented with its flag, took place on Friday 28 October.
Construction of the facility together with the necessary equipment will cost around PLN 20 million. Work commenced in mid-2015.
The construction and equipment of the new fire service unit in Świnoujście, financed by Gaz System and Polskie LNG, is a fine example of corporate social responsibility of the companies using the LNG Terminal, says Artur Zawartko, Vice-president of GAZ-SYSTEM.
The need to provide a professional firefighting unit in the direct vicinity of the terminal resulted from its operational security strategy. Originally, the services were to have been provided by the Corporate Fire Department located on the project site.
After consultations with the project stakeholders, local community and self-government authorities of Świnoujście it was decided to entrust the State Fire Service with the fire protection of the LNG terminal.
Delegation of fire safety tasks and responsibilities to professional staff trained in effective firefighting methods is a guarantee of maximum safety, says Senior Brigadier and Commander-in-Chief of the West Pomeranian Provincial Fire Service Jacek Staśkiewicz.
It will also benefit residents of the right-bank part of the city, who will enjoy the safety and comfort of having a reliable intervention unit nearby, which is independent of the ferry crossing, Janusz Żmurkiewicz, President of the City of Świnoujście adds.
For the last couple of years, this area of the city has only had a State Fire Service Station staffed with a few firemen per shift. Units from the island of Uznam (Usedom) or the neighbouring town of Międzyzdroje had to be called in for backup.
The unit will also host the Headquarters of the Municipal Fire Service of Świnoujście, employing 17 firemen.
In the worst-case scenario, with icy roads and thick fog, the estimated travelling time between the unit and the terminal should be no more than 3 minutes, Witold Kalisz, Commander-in-Chief of the Municipal Fire Service, explains. As a unit designated for combating fire and other threats in Świnoujście, the Firefighting and Rescue Unit in Warszów will implement, organise and carry out effective activities.
Facts about the Firefighting and Rescue Unit (FRU):
The construction design of the LNG terminal provided for the establishment of a Corporate Fire Department on site (4 people per shift with one heavy firefighting truck);
The FRU fire brigade will be provided with the following firefighting and rescue equipment:
SCANIA 6x6 Heavy Firefighting and Rescue Truck, 8 thousand litres of water, fully quipped.
Remote controlled dry powder extinguisher, 250 kg of extinguishing powder.
ISUZU Light Rescue Truck manufactured by Marvel in Lodz.
Medium Firefighting and Rescue Truck – 2.5 thousand litres of water.
Medium Firefighting and Rescue Truck with dry powder module – 2.5 thousand litres of water and 750 kg of extinguishing powder.
Vehicle – carrier of foaming agent container – 10 tons of the agent.
42-meter turntable ladder by MAGIRUS (currently only one such ladder is available in Poland, in Lodz).
Special personnel vehicle for transporting equipment to the site.
Special transport vehicle for transporting equipment to the site.
Trailer fire pump with a capacity of 4 litres per minute.