The story of firefighter Gerard - VVV Ameland

The story of firefighter Gerard

A sense of togetherness, that is what Gerard (32) experiences in everything on Ameland: from living on the island – where everyone knows their neighbor – to his work as a volunteer firefighter, where he and his team give their all for a good outcome during an emergency call.

Our know-us feeling, combined with his love for the island, made Gerard want to mean something to the community from a young age. It's almost a sense of duty: "I was born here, so I have to take care of the island a little."

For 10 years 

For ten years, Gerard has combined his full-time job with his volunteer work at the fire department. As a commander, he leads the crew. As soon as the sailor and helmsman set foot ashore, he is on call for an incident. Whether it is rescuing a life or extinguishing a (small) fire. "If something is going on, my pager goes off and I receive an alarm on my phone," Gerard explains. And then he goes to the station in his hometown of Hollum as quickly as he can.

Sacrificing free time

In his free time, Gerard can always be called upon. Even if he is at a birthday party or just asleep. Gerard says: “Of course, that is sometimes difficult, especially when you have made nice plans. If it really does not work out to be on standby once, I indicate that in advance, but otherwise I have to be available.” 

Sufficient people available

With more than thirty firefighters spread across the stations in Hollum and Nes, there are always enough people available to respond, according to Gerard. "We need at least six people for that. If that is not possible with the people from our own station, we can call on the station in Nes. For major incidents, people come from the mainland to the island, but that does not happen very often: the last time was in 2013. Fortunately, because they are of course not immediately on the island."

More than just putting out fires

A firefighter puts out fires; that is nothing new. But Gerard's volunteer work is more than that. Sometimes the fire hose is not even used: “For example, we are also called in for technical assistance, such as supporting ambulance personnel when people are trapped in a car or on a cattle grid.” Firefighting activities on Ameland consist of approximately thirty to forty percent of these ‘other incidents’. “Whatever the incident is; we always do our best to help people and prevent escalation of dangerous situations. And we really do that together, with the whole team.”

The story of firefighter Gerard - VVV Ameland

Engagement with Impact

The deployment that Gerard remembers the most, by the way, did involve a fire: “This was one of my first deployments as a commander. At a fire in a hotel, a large blaze could already be seen from a great distance. Upon arrival, it was initially unclear whether there were still people inside. After an extensive reconnaissance, it turned out that everyone was safe. Additionally, the fire was quickly extinguished, which kept the damage limited. That’s what you do it for!”

The story of firefighter Gerard - VVV Ameland

Crowds in the high season

While it is much quieter in the autumn, Gerard's firefighter pager goes off weekly in the summer: “When the season has started and there are more people on the island, there are naturally also more incidents. The drought on the island also plays a role in this.” Despite the smoking and burning ban and many warnings from the municipality, unfortunately, natural fires still occur every year. Not only because of barbecues, fire pits, or campfires, but also because of trivial causes. Gerard: “For this, all it takes is a cigarette butt or a piece of glass lying in the dry grass. That is why it is so important that we do not throw our waste in nature.” But according to Gerard, we must not only take nature into account but also each other. In this way, everyone can enjoy all the beauty that Ameland has to offer.

Three tips from Gerard

Tip 1

Never throw your waste in nature
On a sunny day, a cigarette butt, can, or piece of glass can already set the dry nature on fire.

Tip 2

Do not hesitate to call 112
For some people, the threshold to call the emergency number is high. It should not be that way. We are here to help, so call 112 if there is a life-threatening situation, immediate danger, or emergency.

Tip 3

Give emergency services space
Never park your car or bicycle in front of entrances or on and along paths. This ensures a clear passage for all emergency responders. 

Choose your language

We noticed your device is in a differnt language.
Please select your prefered language.