This new partnership, with an annual cost of €15,000 including VAT, will see the CTL handle the turnout gear of the HEMECO Zone following fire interventions. The system integrates transport logistics and treatment tracking via RFID identification for each item, ensuring traceability.
The Laundry Treatment Center, established in 1978, processes approximately 77 tons of laundry annually for provincial services, covering cleaning, repairs, and logistics. Its experience with turnout gear, developed since 2017 at the Amay Training Center, is vital for meeting the specific requirements of this equipment.
"A turnout gear is obviously not just any garment. Its maintenance requires special attention and, above all, precise monitoring," emphasizes the Provincial Deputy responsible for Public Procurement and the provincial Laundry service. She adds that this partnership utilizes existing provincial expertise for a concrete operational need of the HEMECO Zone, illustrating the Province's role in territorial support.
Each piece of gear from the HEMECO Zone is equipped with an RFID chip for recording treatments and wash cycles. This tagging process, covering 305 trousers, 311 jackets, and 300 suspenders, is now nearly complete. The system has been ready since late May 2026, with HEMECO's gear tagging concluding recently.
This pilot project aims to evaluate the system's functionality in real conditions, testing identification, post-intervention handling, transport, treatment, and monitoring. Benefits for the Zone include geographical proximity, short turnaround times, integrated shuttle service, and RFID traceability.
This collaboration is part of the broader support from the Province of Liège to the six rescue zones within its territory, including financial aid (a budgeted expenditure of €50,452,026.80 for 2026, with €5,003,448.58 allocated to HEMECO) and training. The goal is to enhance the efficiency of rescue services, allowing firefighters to focus on their operational missions.
