Ameland Fire Department

The Ameland Fire Department is a well-equipped fire brigade with two firefighting groups. The Ameland Fire Department extinguishes dune fires and small fires in and around the house: the extinguishing groups are well trained and can handle any fire. The firefighters are volunteers who sacrifice their free time for the safety of the island and the islanders. The last very large fire on the island was that of the Saint Clemens Church in Nes in February 2013. The firefighting groups responded to a girl who fell into a well, to fallen trees during a storm and to chimney fires or fires from a riding mower. The fire brigade also helps at events if necessary.

Organization of the Northeast Fryslân fire brigade
Firefighting groups Ameland
Area of work and specialism
To practice
Material
Fire extinguisher houses
Barracks
Fires on Ameland
Addresses and telephone numbers

Organization of the Northeast Fryslân fire brigade

Ameland Fire Department is part of Northeast Fryslân Fire Department. The commander has an office in Dokkum.
The Northeast Fryslân Fire Department is responding to various municipalities in Friesland.
Northeast Friesland includes:

Sint Clemenskerk / Source: Liesbeth Kiewied

Vlieland
Terschelling
Ameland
Schiermonnikoog
Wûnseradiel
Franekeradeel
Het Bildt
Menalduma part
Ferwerderadeel
Leeuwardera part
Dongeradeel
Dantumadeel
Kollumerland
Eight-cart games
Opsterland
Heerenveen
Ooststellingwerf
Weststellingwerf

Firefighting groups Ameland

The Ameland Fire Department has the entire island as its service area. The Ameland Fire Department is on its own in the event of an emergency, which is why the firefighters are all-round trained and deployable. They practice on the island and regularly on the mainland, together with fellow firefighting groups. The Ameland Fire Department has two firefighting groups, each with a commander. Both firefighting groups consist of 12 men. The Ameland Fire Department is open to women, but no firefighter has yet been appointed. the extinguishing groups are:

Firefighting group Nes
Firefighting group Hollum

Area of work and specialism

The working area of the Ameland Fire Department includes villages, recreational areas, coast, forest, dunes and nature reserves. This means that the Ameland Fire Department specializes in:

cleaning up hazardous substances on the beach
fighting dune fires
driving through rough terrain
warning and reconnaissance service

To practice

The island’s fire brigade practices about three times a month.
There are regular exercises with other emergency services:

Ambulance
GHOR
KNRM
Police

Material

Nes

Firefighting group Nes has

TS1, tanker sprayer with larger tank capacity than AS1;
TS2, same as TS1, but it is the second car that pulls out.

Hollum

The new MAN tanker sprayer / Source: Ameland Press Agency

Firefighting group Hollum has:

AS1, car sprayer that is the first to respond in the event of a fire or accident;
PM, staff van.
MAN TGM 15.290 In 2012, the Hollum firefighting group acquired this MAN. It is a four-wheel drive car that can drive well in rough terrain. The car has a foam sprayer.

Fire extinguisher houses

At the beginning of the twentieth century, all four villages of Ameland, Hollum, Ballum, Nes and Buren, had fire engine houses. These houses served as a storage place for extinguishing equipment, such as the hand extinguishing pump. The Nes fire engine house is the only remaining building with that function.

Museum

It is now furnished as a permanent exhibition space and is part of the Amelander museums. The house has been restored and is freely accessible. It is located on the Kardinaal de Jongweg.

Barracks

Firefighting group Hollum had a barracks on the Oranjeweg, next to the boathouse of the Amelander horse rescue boat. In 2008, this firefighting group was given a new barracks on the Fabrieksweg.
Blusgroep Nes has a fire station on Ballumerweg, which was completed in 2000 .

Under the Lighthouse / Source: Ameland Press Agency

Fire after lightning strike / Source: Ameland Press Agency

Girl falls into a well in the dune / Source: Ameland Press Agency

Fires on Ameland

Over the years, the Ameland Fire Department has extinguished or otherwise rescued a large number of small and large fires, in addition to regularly occurring dune and forest fires. The fire brigade is also deployed in stormy weather that causes trees to blow over and in the event of accidents. Some examples:

1925 house is on fire, 7-year-old child dies in the fire
1932 Hotel Ameland partly burns down on Duinoord during Sunneklaas
1951 Camping shed in Hollum burns down
1953 Oil tank explodes in Kiewiet’s forge, A Metz suffers burns
1961 Kossen wooden pavilion near Hollum partially burned down
1961 Farm in Buren in Buren is completely destroyed by fire, cause unknown
1965 Lamps start fire in De Stelp retirement home
1966 Double summer house between Nes and Buren burns down
1967 Farm in Hollum burns down after hay forcing
1971 Hotel Hofker burns to the ground
1974 Painter’s barn burns down after child’s play with ‘stars’
1982 Land and Sea View Pavilion near Buren burns down
1986 Fire brigade saves life from burning house
1987 Peekaboo playground at Buren destroyed by fire
1989 Fire on board Sier
2004 Fire on board tour boat
2008 Holiday home at Buren destroyed by lightning
2008 Fire in dunes near Hollum
2009 Fire brigade responds to helicopter crash
2009 Fire in Zee van Tijd restaurant
2010 Girl falls into a well in the dune
2010 Two caravans on Klein Vaarwater
2010 Small fire at Tromppad Hollum
2012 Fire in former subtropical sea swimming pool Tropica Ambla
2012 Facade of Pancake House Under the Lighthouse
2012 Indoor fire on Strandweg Nes
2013 St. Clemens Church
2013 Shed with Strandexpress
2013 Shed at Kiekduun campsite
2014 Forest near the Ballumer Blinkerd, a small fire
2017 Apartment on the Hans Jochumstraat in Nes
2018 Fire in a clothes dryer in Buren

Addresses and telephone numbers

General emergency number: 112
Fire Department Noordoost FryslânStationsweg 479101 HX Dokkum