"City cycling": New fire stations scrutinised during mayor's ride
On the road together with Mayor Ralf Péus in the municipality of Bestwig: the popular Mayor's Ride was once again part of the three-week "City Cycling" programme in the municipality of Bestwig. Around 30 participants joined Ralf Péus on the pedals. The topic of the ride this time was the fire stations - the municipality of Bestwig is currently investing heavily in modern fire protection and will continue to do so in the coming years.
After starting at the town hall and town hall, the route took them along the Bähnchenweg to Ramsbeck in glorious weather. The construction of the new fire station has begun on Schulstraße. And the shell of the building already offers a glimpse into the future of the Ramsbeck fire brigade. There will be a clear "black-white separation" in the building: A demarcation between areas where operational clothing contaminated with smoke gas - for example after fire operations - is stored and areas where clean and ready-to-use items are stored. The floor plan of the building is based on the functional processes of the volunteer fire brigade. Sanitary areas are separated for firefighters; there are also two large storage rooms and an area for the youth fire brigade. The doors of the vehicle hall are 4 metres wide and 4.5 metres high - sufficient dimensions even for future emergency vehicles. The municipality of Bestwig expects the entire project to cost around 2.5 million euros.
After a drinks break - with non-alcoholic beverages, of course - at Junkern Hof, the tour headed back to Bestwig and on to Ostwig. On the way, Ralf Péus provided some information about the plans for a new fire station for the Ostwig fire brigade. The new fire station is to be built on the K15 between the Alfert junction and Ferdinand-von-Lüninck-Straße. The future fire station will consist of two areas that are slightly angled: In the northern area is the vehicle hall with three parking spaces as well as ample space for roll containers with a wide variety of emergency materials, an area for workshop work and a storage area for contaminated emergency clothing. There is also a room for the youth fire brigade and a technical room. A two-storey social building adjoins this to the south. The municipality of Bestwig estimates the total cost of the project at three million euros.
Via the new Ruhr Valley cycle path along the Ostwig slag heaps and the Nuttlar slate quarry, the tour continued to the next stop, the Nuttlar fire station, where an extensive conversion and extension has taken place. The extension now enables functional and safe procedures for the fire brigade's work and, thanks to new, spacious changing and sanitary areas, also more comfort for the emergency services. A total of 270 square metres of additional space is now available to the Nuttlar fire brigade. The municipality of Bestwig has invested a total of 1.6 million euros in the remodelling and extension of the Nuttlar fire station. This includes 250,000 euros from a funding programme of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for the renovation of fire stations.
At the end of the event, Mayor Ralf Péus drew a threefold positive conclusion: firstly, "city cycling" makes it possible to experience the bicycle as a means of transport suitable for everyday use in the municipality of Bestwig - "and secondly, it's nice to get into conversation here in a relaxed atmosphere." The third aspect: "Our fire stations are a priority for investment in the coming years," says Mayor Péus. Financially, this is undoubtedly a major endeavour: "But our fire brigade and, above all, our citizens benefit very directly from this."