23 May 2022
Flood protection exercise in Görlitz with the fire brigade, THW and the Red Cross
In May 2022, the city of Görlitz carried out a large-scale flood protection exercise to test its new mobile flood barrier system from Haawal. The exercise was led by the local professional fire brigade, with support from THW (Technisches Hilfswerk) and the Red Cross.
Usecase summary:
Use case: Excersice with Fire department
User: Görlitz firedepartment
How many meters: 400 meters
Terrain: Concrete & grass
Protection height: 90cm
System: Haawal flood barrier
Outcome: Key infrastructure and city protected
The main objective was to install and test more than 400 meters of The Haawal flood barrier under realistic conditions. The area tested is one of the most flood-prone sections of the city, located along the river in the city centre. Görlitz has experienced severe flooding in the past, including major damage during the 2010 flood, making preparedness a high priority.
After a brief introduction, the participants began installing the system. The speed of the installation was later highlighted by the fire brigade:
"400 meters of Haawal were efficiently installed within the planned four-hour timeframe, and we were impressed by how fast it was to set up". Uwe Restetzki, Fire Chief, Görlitz.
One of the reasons Görlitz purchased Haawal flood barriers is that the city also faces challenges related to forest fires and therefore needs flexible solutions for temporary water storage. The modular system can be quickly configured into a basin of the required size, depending on operational needs.
Several German media outlets, including Saechsische.de, covered the exercise and documented the installation with images from the field.
Interested in learning more?
Flood protection exercise in Görlitz with the fire brigade, THW and the Red Cross
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