01.08.05 at 12:33 hrs
To begin with, we took on a small excursion to the County Firefighter School in Hamburg. During the fire protection course, the "specialists" were tought one or two lessons in theory and practice.
In addition we held another seminar for all employees relating to "practices of fire protection - use of fire extinguishers and other means".
Included in the seminar was the correct use of fire extuingishers, in this case powder extuingishers. However, you won't have any contact with these extuingishers (which may be hazardous to your eyes and lungs).
In the layout area, we use only CO2-extuingishers which have the big advantage that they don't do any harm to human beings nor to electronics.
All other areas are equipped with water-extuingishers.
Apart from tackling a fire alone
(somebody is always the first to arrive)...
... combined efforts in a team
(which truly promise a higher efficiency) were trained...
and also the rescue of persons was given special attention (delicious fries originate from a pot filled with lots of hot oil).
Since we have the pleasure to welcome more than 800,000 guests a year, we consider it extremely important that our associates are capable to fight any danger befoer it becomes too serious. Apart from the sprinklers which are highly efficient but also very harmful to our layout, we installed more than 70 fire extuingishers in our exhibition hall.
As soon as one of the 380 fire-/smoke detectors goes off, not only the fire brigade but also our team is automatically alarmed. This alarm - chain and the learned know-how should enable us to fight even the smallest incident before actual damage is done and thus minimize the dangers for our guests and the layout.
Early in the morning, our parking lot saw a bit unusual activity:
Another training for "Practiced fire protection- Correct use of fire extuingishers and blankets".
The same program as previously in the fire fighters school was exercised,
just shortened to the practice lessons.
After the final briefing (a big "Thank you!" to the Hamburg fire fighters from here),
we should now be fit to meet any incident.
Oh yes, this training will be repeated on a regular basis as will be the first aid trainings which the Johanniter Unfallhilfe held for our team.
Well, after this quite serious topic, let's have a glance at Scandinavia.
Here are a couple of wonderful nightshots of the "North-East Sea".

Looking around under the layout the other day, I found this. Now what could that be???
Impressions from Scandinavia. This is just a preview (although my pictures might be quite nice, I neither have the equipment nor the expertise of the grand master).
End of September, Frank Zarges will be back in our rooms and in many nights will shoot the pictures for another special edition about the Wunderland and also for our gallery.