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| JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany -- Members of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria leadership hold a barbecue at the newly renovated firehouse dormitories April 24, 2024 at Hohenfels, Germany. The garrison Directorate of Public Works handed over keys to the Directorate of Emergency Services, who will be better able to fulfill their 24/7 fire and emergency response mission with the new quarters. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs) |
05.16.2024
Story by Bryan Gatchell
U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria
JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany – In a step to increase the community’s emergency readiness, leaders from U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria recently opened the new firehouse living quarters at Hohenfels with a ribbon-cutting and a key handover.
Angela Johnson, deputy garrison manager for the Hohenfels community, cut the ribbon with members of the Directorate of Public Works, who handed over the keys to the Directorate of Emergency Services, who also helped cut the ribbon.
The building provides sleeping and living quarters for the local national firefighter team, who must be on standby 24/7 in case disaster strikes the community. The dormitory is at the site of the former Child Development Center for the community, and it stands across the street from the firehouse with its ready collection of fire engines.
“The Army is investing in the safety and emergency readiness in Hohenfels,” said Johnson at the event. “This building is both the symbol and manifestation of how important the safety of our service members, civilians and Family members is.
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| JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany -- Members of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria leadership tour the newly renovated firehouse dormitories April 24, 2024 at Hohenfels, Germany. The garrison Directorate of Public Works handed over keys to the Directorate of Emergency Services, who will be better able to fulfill their 24/7 fire and emergency response mission with the new quarters. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs) |
“Our firefighting team has increased recently to better accommodate 24/7 operations,” she continued. “Because of this additional staffing, there is an increased need for long-term dormitories. Disasters can happen at any hour of the day, and our firefighting team requires the facilities to be ready.”
Johnson added that the quarters are an obvious win for the community.
This win was originally conceived in 2017. The conversion cost $4 million, and both the German construction agency (Bauamt) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers came to see the fruits of their labor open.
The building will provide offices for the fire chief and inspectors as well as classrooms to support DES operations. To help consolidate like services in the move, the key section will be collocated in the dormitory building.
After the grand opening and the tour, members of the Directorate of Public Works held a traditional German barbecue of coal-grilled meat on German rolls.
