Summary

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Periods (Dutch):

Summary (Eglish)

Between 900 and 1000 Zoetermeer was a small village, primarily home to farmers and fishermen. Somewhere in the 13th century the still existing village centre was formed, now called the Dorpsstraat. Until the 17th century there was to the north-west of the village a lake, called the Zoetermeer. which is drained and now one of the polders in and near the town of the present day.

The early days

In the early days the only fire fighting equipment were leather buckets, ladders, hooks, canvas and gunpowder. In case of fire the inhabitants first try to protect the adjacent  buildings  From 1642 it is possible in case of fire to alarm people with the bell of the  church tower that was built in that year.

"Oude Kerk" (1703)

After a big fire in 1702 the municipal council decides to buy a manual fire engine constructed by the famous Dutch inventor Jan van der Heijden. This engine was placed near the church (?Oude Kerk?) A regulation was made for the fire fighting. For the use of the manual fire engine 36 inhabitants were needed. These persons were chosen by the fire-chief.

"Dorpsstraat" (1788)

In 1788 after the rebuild of the church a new  for the fire engine was built across the church in the ?Dorpsstraat?.

  In the end of the 19th century Zoetermeer get a train station which has activated the economic development

Leidsewallen (1921)

In 1921 a new building was made at the "Leidschewallen" ,also in the old town. At that moment there were 4 manual fire engines in the town. For the rest the organization and equipment of the Zoetermeer fire-brigade remained unchanged for more then two centuries.

The fire fighting substantially improved when the town got waterworks and fire hydrants in 1928. The fire-station was directly connected with the water distribution. Less people were needed for the fire fighting. The firemen are no longer alarmed by the bell of the church tower but oral by colleagues.

 In 1940 Zoetermeer fire department was equipped with his first motor fire engine. The organization of the fire-brigade was renewed:  a volunteer fire-brigade was introduced. It started with 20 fire-fighters. In wartime, in 1944, the engine was taken away by the Germans. Only a small portable motor fire engine stayed behind.

 A new vehicle came in 1949. A year later all the fire-fighters get each a fire bell in their houses to alarm with is connected to a control panel at the local police office. The police handled the fire-calls.

In 1952 the Dutch government made a national fire-law. Henceforth the mayor and other local politics became responsible for the fire-service. In Zoetermeer the fire-brigade became a part of the public works. The organization, education and training of the Dutch fire-service was made more uniform.

Stationstraat (1959)

1n 1959 the fire-brigade moved to another location, the "Stationstraat". The control room for the fire-alarm moved from the police-station to the local water distribution plant. That location was permanently 24 hours manned.

In 1961 the fire-brigade was equipped with a second fire engine fitted with a high pressure water-pomp and water-tank. In the same period there came breeding apparatus. The combination of both new equipments gave a new way of fire fighting.

From the sixties of the last century Zoetermeer started to grow much. Zoetermeer was adjust as new town for the housing of people in the region The Hague New quarters were built around the old village centre, first of them Palenstein and Driemanspolder.  In short time Zoetermeer expanded to a city with 10.033 inhabitants in 1962 and 100.822 in 1991 This had also influence on the organization of the fire-brigade: now there came (full-time) professional firemen beside the volunteers.

The Dutch fire-service emblem is introduced in 1966 and stayed in use until 2002 when  the current emblem was settled.

 Vlamingstraat (1969)

Because of the growth of Zoetermeer the fire-brigade moved in 1969 to a new fire- station in a old factory at the Vlamingstraat.

More new districts were built, Buytenweg, De Leyens and Seghwaert, also a local railway. The fire-brigade expanded and new techniques were introduced, among other things the mobile radio communication and  portable alarms for each fire-fighter. The control room for the fire-alarms moved also to the fire- station Vlamingstraat. In the nights and weekends a portable control panel was placed in turn in one of six houses of the volunteers at the other side of the road, who took over the fire-calls. For the many new high buildings the brigade in 1975 got a hydraulic platform.

In 1976 there were 11 professionals on working days. The fire department became a autonomous part in the municipality and gets a professional fire- chief was appointed. On working days the professionals took care of the first fire engine. New tasks as rescue diving en technical rescue were introduced.  A new town center ? Stadshart - with a new fire-station was built.

Stadshart (1980)

In 1980 the fire department moved to the new fire-station ?Stadshart?. Now the fire- fighters for the first fire-engine stayed 24 hours on the station and they sleep also there. The crew of the second fire-engine were called up from their home or work by portable alarms.  At that moment the fire brigade exists of 27 professionals en 52 volunteers fire-fighters. The volunteers stay in the nights and in the weekends in turn at the fire station as well. In the fire-station there is also a 24-hour manned control room.

In 1985, after years of talking, the government once again made a new national fire-law. The disaster control became a part of the fire-service. Holland was divided in regions The towns near the Hague were corporate in the fire-region Haagland. The government gave the regions more equipment. In Zoetermeer were a big regional rescue truck and crashtender stationed.

In 1989 demountable units were introduced and distributed by the government over al the regions. One regional hooklift vehicle is stationed in Zoetermeer. One unit for this vehicle  is a heavy hydraulic-drive pump with 1 km 4?? hose. Other units have heavy rescue equipment of 3 km 4?? hoses.

Rokkeveen (1991)

When the new district ?Rokkeveen? was built Zoetermeer has got 100.000 inhabitants. A second fire-station is needed and is built in 1991. In the first years there are on working days professional fire-fighters at the station. After working days volunteer fire-fighters take care of the fire engine from their home.

In 1994 the regions Delft and Haagland are combined to the new region Haaglanden. A regional control room is made in the Hague for all the towns in the region. The fire- brigades in the region slowly co-operate more and more.

 In these years medical care for victims of accidents and crashes improved by technical rescue and new rescue equipment. Also the fire-brigade assist more and more the ambulance with transport of victims.

Further there was more attention for fight against chemical incidents and protection against these hazardous substances. All fire-fighters got a training for the use of chemical protection suits for search and rescue activities.

Oosterheem (2002)

During the construction of the newest district ?Oosterheem? the fire-station Rokkeveen moves to Oosterheem. In the new station stay 24 hours a mix of professional and volunteer fire-fighters. At that moment there are two stations with 24 hours fire-fighters on duty.

 In the Netherlands a new national striping and logo are introduced:

 In the region the Hague there are three specialist hazmat teams each with an own vehicle and equipment. One team is stationed in Zoetermeer. Only few specialist professional firemen are trained for this work.

In 2006 a new digital communication network C2000 replaced the analog network from the 70^th.

After years of talking the corporate local fire-brigades now try to fuse to one region fire- brigade. In case of disasters a bigger fire-service is better equipped. The new regional fire service has the same area as the regional police and the regional medical service. Through this these services will be better attuned to one another. They will co-operate in a security-region.  The new fire-service has to work more professional: more quality and efficiency are necessary.  With this new regional service the local fire department of Zoetermeer is going to come to an end. In 2007 Zoetermeer has got 118.000 inhabitants.