Advice for a UK Photographer

[BritishAndy]

Hi Guys,
You may have seen some of my photographs that I have been posting of UK fire vehicles on this website lately. I have been a 'fire buff' and fire photographer since I was very young - nearly 20 years ago!  

Later this month the club that I am part of - The Fire Brigade Society (www.thefirebrigadesociety.co.uk) is visiting Rotterdam to take part in a joint visit with the VBB. We will be visiting various fire stations by bus to take photographs of different fire vehicles and meet other fire buffs from Holland and Europe.

This will be my first visit to Holland and I am really looking forward to it, I have a group of friends who I am travelling with and we shall be driving by car from Amsterdam (Schipol) down to Rotterdam in a day. It is our intention to stop at some fire stations along the way to take photographs.

I have two questions you guys could help me with please,

1, We are staying at Hoofddorp for one night and our hotel is next to the fire station   I have already emailed Hoofddorp and Amstelveen stations for permission to visit. From there we are travelling along the A2 road towards Utrecht and onto Rotterdam. Can you guys suggest any fire stations in that area that could be worth a visit? Do any stations have unique or brand new vehicles?

2, In the UK it is often acceptable for photographers to call at a fire station without an appointment, if the personnel are not busy then they will help you. Does this work in Holland, or is it by strict appointment only?

Thank you to those guys who have already offered to help, and I am sorry this message is in English only and not Dutch.

Andy  

[sylvester1986]

I've got no advice, only one compliment and one question

1) You've got nice pictures!
2) How did you find this Dutch Forum as an British fire buff?

[Royofzo]

Hi Andy,

Well, i guess it depends on the station if you have to make an appointment. If u want to be sure, just send them e-mail to make sure. While traveling along the A2 -> A15 you'll drive by several city's where we have 'career fire stations' (instead of volunteer).

I might suggest you Utrecht, station 'Leidsche Rijn' or 'Tolsteeg'. (Leische Rijn has more equipment and vehicles, while Tolsteeg is the busiest).
Then you'll pass by Dordrecht, which can be interesting, station 'Leerpark'. This station has a brand new fire station with the latest technology.  

And off course Rotterdam, the busiest station in Rotterdam is station 'Baan', but there are alot of interesting fire stations in the area of Rotterdam. If u want, i can give u some adress'es by PM.  

Good luck, and i'm looking forward to see you're pictures of the trip to the Nederlands!  

[BritishAndy]

I've got no advice, only one compliment and one question

1) You've got nice pictures!
2) How did you find this Dutch Forum as an British fire buff?

Haha   thank you for the compliments

I was searching Google for photographs of Dutch fire vehicles and typed in 'Hoogwerker' which I know is what you guys call an Aerial Platform - and that's how I found this site. I have to use Google translate sometimes but I am picking it up slowly  

[sylvester1986]

Haha   thank you for the compliments

I was searching Google for photographs of Dutch fire vehicles and typed in 'Hoogwerker' which I know is what you guys call an Aerial Platform - and that's how I found this site.

And that, that's how you find the best Dutch forum

[Arnold van Leeuwen]

Hi Andy,

I am working at the station at Maarssen, just near Utrecht (one exit on the A2 before Utrecht).
Happy to show you around and help if u want.
Just tell me if you want to visit us and what date and time.

you can email me at a.van.leeuwen@vru.nl

Greatings, Arnold

[BritishAndy]

Hi Andy,

Well, i guess it depends on the station if you have to make an appointment. If u want to be sure, just send them e-mail to make sure. While traveling along the A2 -> A15 you'll drive by several city's where we have 'career fire stations' (instead of volunteer).

I might suggest you Utrecht, station 'Leidsche Rijn' or 'Tolsteeg'. (Leische Rijn has more equipment and vehicles, while Tolsteeg is the busiest).
Then you'll pass by Dordrecht, which can be interesting, station 'Leerpark'. This station has a brand new fire station with the latest technology.  

And off course Rotterdam, the busiest station in Rotterdam is station 'Baan', but there are alot of interesting fire stations in the area of Rotterdam. If u want, i can give u some adress'es by PM.  

Good luck, and i'm looking forward to see you're pictures of the trip to the Nederlands!  

Thank you for the excellent information. We were hoping to go to Dordrecht as I understand that is where the Multistar vehicle is? Do they have more than one station in Dordrecht?

[BritishAndy]

Hi Andy,

I am working at the station at Maarssen, just near Utrecht (one exit on the A2 before Utrecht).
Happy to show you around and help if u want.
Just tell me if you want to visit us and what date and time.

you can email me at a.van.leeuwen@vru.nl

Greatings, Arnold

Thank you Arnold for your very kind offer, I will email you directly
Andy

[Luke_BNV]

2, In the UK it is often acceptable for photographers to call at a fire station without an appointment, if the personnel are not busy then they will help you. Does this work in Holland, or is it by strict appointment only?

A lot of fire stations in Holland are only volunteer. Mostly there are no firefighters at that firestations.

If somebody is at the fire station, than it's mostly not an problem to photograph the vehicles.

Maybe it's helpfull for you to visit the website www.brandweervoertuigenonline.nl . On this site you will find a lot of dutch fire vehicles, and the fire stations it belongs to. If you don't understand, you allways welcome to ask over here!

At firestation Amstelveen is now an new command unit. This vehicle is almost unique in Holland. There is also an brand new foam tender at Amstelveen. I don't know if Amstelveen has working firefighters at the station.

To photograph some unique vehicles you also can go to firehouses like Hilversum or Zeist. There are some special Forest Fire trucks. This 2 fire stations have 24/7 shifts.

If you like to go some miles futher into Holland you can visit Ede. There is an big 6x6 forest truck with 10.000 Liter of water. Also is there an watertender. It's an truck with an Trailer. Ede had also 24/7 shifts.

At Dordrecht Oranjepark is a combination vehicle. This is an unique vehicle in Holland. Dordrecht Oranjepark had als 24/7 shifts.

At Den Haag Firestation Leidschenveen is an special vehicle for heavy accidents. I Don't know how to call this vehicle in English. But with this picture you will understand:


This vehicle is now 1 year in service. Fire station Leidschenveen is has 24/7 shifts to.

I think there is a lot more to tell, but i'm running out of time for now. If you don't understand something, of if you had questions. Just ask, you're welcome!  

[FF4266]

I work at the dispatch of Amsterdam and region, and the fire house of amstelveen should never be a problem to visit. They've got alot of vehicles, with divers, ladder, rescue unit and two pumpers..(new command unit and foam tender are not to be found there unfortunately)..

Firehouse here is 24/7 occupied..

In the hague and region you can also visit some houses like the one above, or Delft, with alot of vehicles, a new pilot with a pumper with four people..

Delft is between rotterdam and the hague..

In the hague is also a motorcycle to be found, fire house Den Haag Centrum..

In Wassenaar, where I also work, you are always welcome during the day, when the firehouse is occupied.. we have 2 pumpers, from which one is brand new, 4x4 for forest and dune firefighting..

Wassenaar is placed next to the hague..

Oh, by the way, driving from Amsterdam airport tot Rotterdam doesn't take a whole day, just 1 hour...

At last but not least, maybe pay a visit to our dispatch in Amsterdam, which is housed in one of the busiest firehouses in Amsterdam, called Nico..