Trained and equipped to act
Siegfried maintains its own fire fighting and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) team of about 50 men and women. With the same legal status as any major municipal fire department, mandatory fire fighting duties can be performed there. The emergency services also include a first aid staff, a hazardous air measurement team and support staff. Around 120 people are on call in case of an emergency.
Equipment and training are geared to the needs of a chemical facility. Along with saving lives, priorities include: fighting solvent fires, controlling gas leaks and environmental spills.
> Siegfried Ltd Fire- and HAZMAT Training Center
Since its foundation in 1991, the Training Center has trained over 10,000 members of fire and HAZMAT brigades, rescue teams, police forces and employees of chemical companies from Switzerland and neighboring countries . > more (German only)
Furthermore, we have a professional emergency team that is on site within minutes of an alarm, 24/7, 365 days a year. As a specialized unit, our emergency service staff (normally 15 persons) collaborates with the Aargau Environmental Department whenever hazardous materials are involved in a significant part of the canton, in neighboring cantons, and on the highways
(> support areas)
The emergency service has the following equipment at its disposal:
- Command car (reconnoitering vehicle for external emergencies)
- Pumper vehicle (breathing apparatus and fire fighting gear)
- HAZMAT vehicle (specialized protective suits and materials)
- HAZMAT vehicle with breathing apparatus
- Rescue vehicle (HAZMAT gear, special rescue equipment, and a crane)
- HAZMAT vehicle (to measure substances in air, water and in the ground)
- Ambulance (first aid and transport of injured persons)
- Trailer with motorized ladder
- Various trailers (blowers, HAZMAT, foam and power nozzle systems)
Over 40 practice drills every year – usually held every Tuesday – ensure an efficient deployment of our extensive emergency-response resources. As a chemical company, in addition to general fire-fighting skills we are specialized in particular emergency response roles. Our drills focus primarily on HAZMAT responses.
Should an emergency be too big to handle, we can ask for support from the Zofingen Fire Department and the neighboring Ringier company fire fighters. This is why our teams carry out cooperative drills to continually improve our coordination.
Protection of our employees, the environment and jobs is a top priority for Siegfried. The company is willing to invest substantial resources in emergency services. However, this investment would be insufficient without the willingness of new employees to join our emergency services to guarantee an efficient deployment of the comprehensive response resources. The company is thankful for their service that benefits all of us.
