Written about us

Introduction of Fire Chief Péter Böhm and Fire Brigade of the Nuclear Power Plant, Paks

Péter Bőhm has been functioning as the Fire Chief of the Power Plant’s Fire Brigade since 1990. He has bright qualities in both profession and management; his hospitality is up to all conceivable western standards, and is always ready to welcome visitors. He not only knows psychology but also acknowledges that it must be applied in a fire department, therefore shows a special preference for it. Psychical training of the personnel and upkeeping its positive mental attitude is as important for him as the physical one. He sets a good example, worth keeping in mind, even for professionals.
“Could you tell us the story of the Power Plant’s Fire Brigade in brief?”
“At the beginning, a part of plant employees was organized into a corporate fire department, as in other companies. However, our power plant requires professionalism and permanent standing by for action, so the Service Fire Brigade of the Nuclear Power Plant, Paks was set up and launched as a state-run rescue organ on 1 May 1990. Our operation costs were covered by the Power Plant itself, while the personnel drew its pay from the Ministry of Interior (BM). In accordance with Act XX of 1991, the Plant’s partly state-run fire brigade was dissolved in ’94, and its tasks were assigned to Special Fire and Accident Prevention Branch within organizational frames of ATOMIX Kft. Thanks to ATOMIX, our firemen’s pay rose by 60%. The Power Plant entered into an agreement with the then Fire Headquarters of BM, in which both parties acknowledged the new structural form and that it had been a correct way of reorganization as far as the profession is concerned; however, the requirements remained the same.”
“What conditions can you provide for your personnel as a Fire Chief?”
“Personnel satisfaction has always been a key consideration for me. To reach it, I bestow great care upon providing a proper working environment – I mean lodging as well as equipment and appliances. Everything counts that can be a contribution to the comfort of our staff, though we don’t have a Jacuzzi, and will not have it either as it is a thing that normally wouldn’t belong to a place like this. Nevertheless, I think that proper clothing is, for example, a suitable means to make the personnel feel well. Each of us is equipped with sports suits, two pairs of sports shoes… practically, we buy everything that might seem to be suitable for reaching and maintaining a proper state of health and fitness.
We provide good circumstances for quality work, therefore it’s only just right and proper to lay down stringent requirements. Here Saturdays and Sundays are also service days, we have some yoga and physical exercise to start with in the morning, then various drill and training elements follow as any other day. And commander’s time is to make up for what might have been missed.”
“What is your available fleet like?”
“As far as fire engines are concerned, we have two universal ones (a 2000 and a 4000 litres Mercedes), a Rosenbauer ULF combined extinguisher (with capacities of 4000 l for foam, 2500 l for water and 1000 kg powder), and a 60 m high Simon SS-600 engine equipped with a special lifting basket. The two universal engines are allowed to march out to extinguish out-of-plant fires, which they actually do, within a 25 km distance. In addition, we have another Rosenbauer built with container to transport breathing apparatuses and protective clothing, and a Renault Traffic suitable for transporting the sick as well as a trailer-type salvage unit for the removal of hazardous substances.”
„What are your preferences in personnel training?”
“Well, we’ve been considering for some time how we could retain our personnel up to their 60th year of age in good health, and not just to 55, eaten up by service. Let’s take sports to start with; everyone knows what physical fitness is required for the performance of a fireman’s job. It was quite long before that we decided to employ a professional sports teacher. For that matter, me too would easily drive them, maybe doing more harm than good, and that’s not our goal. We’ve laid down our thematic physical requirements, and everyone was given a two-year period of grace. I told them ”Gentlemen, those unable to meet this set of requirements by the end of next year will not stay here”. I think that was quite a fair business at that time. Then came yoga, the physiological capacity test and many others in that very context. Yoga was introduced in 1998, and has been exercised every morning ever since then, after a 5 to 10 minute meeting of the commanding staff. Yoga can make a bit boys feel in tune for the day, i.e. to be here. The exercise itself is compulsory in a sense that presence is required, there are some who are just relaxing for half an hour. However, as far as I can see, they take it seriously in a growing number.
I cannot ride or run for them, what I can do is to ensure that time and proper conditions are available. In my view, it’s still quite a problem in Hungary that companies, not only fire departments, raise certain requirements to be met by the staff but fail, on the other hand, to provide appropriate conditions and circumstances. I think that requirements should be based on proper conditions. I’m glad to see them coming in our gym in the afternoon, in their leisure time.”
“And how to gain admission?”
“We can offer admission with definite-term labour contracts; a beginner, for example, is welcome for a period of 2x6 months on gross 200 000 forints. We have a relatively small attrition rate during that period because applicants are strictly sorted out in a preliminary examination. Our basic requirements are the same as for professionals, however these requirements are accompanied by a series of medical, psychical and physical examinations and surveys somewhat more difficult to pass. For, those applying for an own admission card to the Plant have to pass a much more stringent filtering process. With us, admission is also conditioned upon maturity certificate, “C” category driving licence and “PAV-I” vocational fitness certificate. For the officers, graphological examination has also been introduced since ’96, and they should be graduates of institutions of higher education.”
“What the job of a fireman here does consist in?”
First of all, fire-fighting, salvage work and elimination of operational troubles. In other words, all of them should have at least a faint idea of the local technology, as we’re not a bakery. Radiation protection (medium-degree for officers) and labour safety exams, at both theoretical and practical levels, are also part of our training. Second, each fireman has a medium-degree health certificate for the quick and efficient saving of human lives. Third, all employees here should be capable of using various means, therefore they have to obtain their small machine operator’s licences. Basic degree in alpine technology is a general requirement for the whole personnel. Alpine training by an external instructor takes place on a quarterly basis. Preparation for potential terrorist actions is also part of our training, which is, in my opinion, of utmost importance here in the Power Plant. Then, they must be familiar with relevant legislation, able to save humans down from high places and up from down below and be at home in applied fire-fighting. The personnel should give account of its knowledge in this respect on a quarterly basis. Pays closely correspond to the results of annual physical, mental and professional training. The examination for checking medical/physical fitness is accompanied by E.C.G. load tests and physiological capacity tests. This is in the interest of the personnel because this way they can get to know what to do for a good performance level, and what has changed since the previous tests.”
“What results do you score in the contests of professionals?”
“The fact that we attach much value to sports is telling on our results. In addition to competitions organized for service fire personnel, we also enter races of professionals – with very good indeed results as to that. Last year, we represented Hungary in the European First Aid Championship. Our weak point, making us fail, was that just one of ours could speak English. Unfortunately enough, all five of us on the team had to do different tasks. As far as our profession is concerned, we were on top but couldn’t tell them. Many of us still belong to the generation that had to learn Russian in school, but we’ll do our best to make up for these linguistic deficiencies.

Dóra Rabovszky
(30 June 2005)
Source: Lánglovagok