09. October 2025, 00:00 o'Clock
Article: In focus: What does a fire safety officer actually do at DB Cargo?
Fire protection at DB Cargo: How Stefan Brandl ensures safety - before there is a real fire.
Fires are not only dangerous, they can also have a massive impact on operations and safety in logistics. To prevent this from happening in the first place, the fire safety officer at DB Cargo, Stefan Brandl, ensures that prevention and rapid response go hand in hand.
Fire protection - more than just checking fire extinguishers
"My work is divided into two parts," explains Stefan Brandl. "On the one hand, I'm out on site - at the registration and administration centres and in the workshops. There I carry out so-called system checks, i.e. inspections. On the other hand, I sit in the office and document the findings, follow up on complaints and coordinate improvements."His job goes far beyond checking fire extinguishers. Stefan Brandl checks escape routes, ensures that there are no unnecessary fire loads, organises drills with local fire brigades and authorities and supports the training of fire wardens. Communication is the be-all and end-all: "It's important to find the right way to deal with employees and managers and to take their interests into account."
How do you get this responsible job?
"For me, it was more of a coincidence," he says. "A job offer at DB Cargo was a good match for my work in the volunteer fire service." He believes that a background in firefighting is very helpful. "The combination of preventive and defensive fire protection makes the work exciting and effective."
Stefan Brandl
Stefan Brandl - Fire safety officer at DB Cargo
My job as a fire safety officer at DB Cargo.
What exactly do I do? I check buildings and facilities for preventive fire protection, organise drills and raise awareness of safety among colleagues.
Why is my job important? Safety is the foundation of trouble-free operations. Preventing fires protects people's lives and keeps logistics running smoothly..
What excites me? The combination of technical challenges, communication and the opportunity to really make a difference.
My tip for anyone interested? A background in the fire service is a great help. Flexibility, organisational skills and a willingness to keep learning are also important.
Fire safety assistant training
Workshop evacuation drill
Challenges in fire protection
The biggest challenge so far was the fire involving a locomotive in Ingolstadt in January 2023. The subsequent investigation into the cause together with the criminal investigation department was "exciting and challenging". In an emergency, his experience as a group leader and commander of a volunteer fire brigade helps him to maintain an overview and react safely. Typical stumbling blocks in everyday life are conflicts of interest between different parties and outdated ways of thinking. "You have to be patient and persuasive in order to implement new standards," he says.
Routines and personal experience
"What I particularly like is the variety - the different locations and the collaboration with colleagues, employees and managers," Stefan Brandl reports. And he adds with a smile: "Due to my many business trips in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and the Halle plant area, I always check the escape routes after checking in at the hotel. Recently, there was even a false alarm - it was very helpful to know the routes already!" The training has also changed him in his private life: "I used to only think about extinguishing fires. Now I think every day about how to prevent fires from starting in the first place. Sometimes that annoys my companions - I call it my 'fire safety quirk'."
Fire protection as a shared responsibility
Fire safety at DB Cargo is more than an individual task - it's a team process that involves everyone involved and is continuously improved. Our fire safety officer not only contributes his expertise, but also his passion for safety and prevention. In this way, he ensures that there are no fires in the first place - and if there are, everyone knows how to react correctly.
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