Dry feet during flooding.

In January, the fields were once again under water and a link road was flooded. Nothing unusual in Monheim for the time of year. The floodplain landscapes thrive on flooded areas, but for residents the flooding once again means closed roads and blocked access routes. "It's normal here," says Rainer Fester of Monheim town council. "There was no damage to the dykes. The second wave of flooding since the start of the year was well contained by the dykes along the Rhine." In Monheim, large areas of water had formed behind the dyke due to rising groundwater.

To reach remote properties such as the historic Haus Bürgel estate despite the flooding, the fire service is called on. With their new extreme off-road Unimog U 5023, the crew can not only fight fires but are also always ready on site in extreme weather conditions. With the water level in Cologne at a peak of 8.70 metres, the Monheim fire service was deployed for the first time in January with the tough off-road fire engine.

The Unimog U 5023 is designed as a tank fire-fighting vehicle (TLF) for use in forest and vegetation fires. In addition to its role in firefighting, the highly capable off-roader is also used in civil protection and during floods. The off-road specialist, with its high ground clearance, exceptional articulation and strong fording capability, offers exactly the advantages that make it so valuable when operating on difficult terrain.

In the firefighting configuration TLF 3000, the Unimog can carry up to 3,000 litres of extinguishing water. Watercourses or flooded areas are also no serious obstacle for the Unimog series U 4023/U 5023. The variable interior layout allows a flexible arrangement of pull-out drawers, compartments and mounts. Thanks to the raised intake snorkel and water-protected components, rescuers can easily negotiate water depths of up to 1.20 metres. The gearbox and axles are protected against ingress of water and fine sand.

On the access road to Haus Bürgel, which houses a riding stable, a horse-breeding farm, a local history museum and a nature education centre, the water is in places hip-deep in early January. Fortunately it is not yet so bad that the horses had to be evacuated. On its first flood deployment, the new Unimog U 5023 in Monheim proved its worth. The fire brigade first had to assess the situation and find an access route in order to be on site quickly in the event of a fire-fighting operation or any other emergency.

This time Monheim residents did not have to fear for their cellars, because fortunately the groundwater did not rise that far. Otherwise the fire service would have been deployed with all available vehicles to pump out the flooded cellars or to evacuate the residents. The Rhine level also fell again as January progressed. But the next flood deployment for the new Unimog U 5023 is sure to come.