Today, August 10, Interior Minister Roman Poseck presented a grant notification in the amount of 21,780 euros to Wiesbaden’s Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende in the small banquet hall of Wiesbaden City Hall. The funds are intended to support the continued maintenance of the tried-and-true fireboat “Franz-Anton-Schneider.” What is particularly noteworthy here is the shared responsibility of the Rhine cities of Wiesbaden and Mainz for fire protection on the water. Since 1995, the fireboat has supported emergency responders on the Rhine in their important work in non-police-related hazard prevention.

During the presentation of the grant notification, Interior Minister Roman Poseck praised the reliability and consistency with which the firefighters ensure fire safety on the Wiesbaden section of the Rhine: “Especially in times of increasingly unpredictable weather and environmental conditions, fire safety on waterways carries a special responsibility. Whether it’s spontaneous fires on riverbanks, diving operations, or the quick and straightforward transport of emergency vehicles, the joint fireboat ‘Franz-Anton-Schneider’ operated by the cities of Wiesbaden and Mainz is equipped to handle it all.

The fact that the fireboat has been operated and maintained in a state of constant readiness for over three decades is a testament to great care and discipline. It has already served both cities well. In fact, it has already been called to various incidents involving people on the Rhine this year. Its basic design as a ferry provides excellent conditions for rescuing people from the Rhine. Another advantage is its high carrying capacity for machinery and vehicles, with a total load of up to 60 metric tons. The fireboat regularly and efficiently transports rescue vehicles called to incidents on the Rhine island of Rettbergsaue. That is why I am pleased that the state, with its grant of just under 22,000 euros, can contribute to ensuring that the fireboat continues to support emergency responders in their vital tasks in the future. 

I would like to thank the more than 1,200 active firefighters who are always ready to protect our citizens. I am pleased that more than 600 children and young people are actively involved in the youth programs and that a good 340 senior and honorary members continue to provide guidance. These figures speak to a vibrant fire department community in the city of Wiesbaden. 

Thank you very much for your outstanding dedication, whether on the water with the fireboat or on land with fire trucks. We can always count on the Wiesbaden Fire Department.” 

Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende said: “The existing fireboat, the ‘Franz Anton Schneider,’ has served reliably for decades—and is set to continue doing so. We are pleased that, with this grant approval, urgently needed maintenance work can now be carried out so that our emergency responders, who do outstanding work every day, have a boat in perfect working order at their disposal.”

The “Franz-Anton-Schneider” is named after the former chief of the Wiesbaden Fire Department from 1968 to 1997. He is considered a pioneer of search-and-rescue dog work and was instrumental in integrating these dogs into the local volunteer fire department. As a result, the use of search and rescue dogs by fire departments throughout Hesse has become a valuable and tactical asset to emergency responders. The naming of the fireboat—which entered service as early as 1989—honors this strategic and prudent contribution to fire safety.

The boat continues to demonstrate its high reliability to this day. During operations, the fire pumps can deliver up to 12,000 liters of water per minute. Its original design as a Rhine ferry also allows for more flexible deployment due to its shallow draft, even at low water levels. 

The state of Hesse continuously and reliably strengthens municipal fire protection. For example, the city of Wiesbaden received grants totaling over 430,000 euros between 2020 and 2025. In the past two years alone, the state has already provided over 115,000 euros in funding for the purchase of four new fire trucks. 

Strengthening fire and disaster protection is a priority for the Hessian state government. As part of its support, the state has been investing for years in fire trucks, fire stations, and firefighting technology, as well as, for example, in the training and continuing education of emergency responders at the Hessian State Fire Academy (HLFS). In 2025 alone, more than 21 million euros in funding was provided for 134 vehicles and 58 construction projects at fire stations. As a result, the state has approved more than 90 percent of all eligible applications received and has thus been able to maintain the high level of previous years despite a difficult overall budget situation. Since 2016, funding for more than 1,770 emergency vehicles and approximately 600 construction projects has totaled more than 200 million euros. 

In 2026 as well, the Hessian state government will continue to make targeted investments in fire and disaster protection and strengthen the units as needed. To this end, the state is once again allocating more than 21 million euros. In addition, funding will be provided for the proven state procurement programs for TSF-W chassis, medium-sized fire engines (MLF), and LF 10 firefighting vehicles. In this area, new supply contracts will be put out to bid in order to continue relieving Hessian cities and municipalities of the burden of conducting procurement procedures and to provide fire departments with high-performance vehicles.