European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 9, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 stars and stripes monday april 9 2007 name Gerhard Pfenning age 33 title web master for an information web site created for americans living in Grafe Wohr Vilseck and Hohe fete Day Job managing director of a software firm Why did you set up the web site i reserved the Domain name several years ago and now with a lot of americans coming Here i Felt i should do something with it want to provide Good information for new people coming Here and people living Here and explain our Region our culture and our Laws it is not Complete but in work ing on it what information is on the web site links to local news stories business information All the important Tele phone numbers of German doctors and hospitals around Here facts about Grafe Wohr Al about the history and what happens around Here information about the area and cities around Grafe Wohr a sightseeing guide free classified ads in English for germans and americans the yellow pages a restaurant guide information about extreme sports and activities in Germany is Germany a big technology Center Germany is the Leader for the internet in Europe no 1 is America and the second country is Germany we have a leading role for the internet in Europe How Long have you lived in Grafe Wohr All my life what is the funniest thing that Ever happened in Grafe Wohr there Are not Many funny things that happen in Grafe Wohr what is the Best Leisure activity in Grafe Wohr sport Tus Grafe Wohr is a big military sport Organiza Tion they built the sport Hall they have karate yoga and a football soc cer team of americans and germans what is your most last ing memory of americans in Grafe Wohr i have found lots of friends Over the years i have been meeting american people since i was 10 years old i still have Contact with Many of them Ive also Learned a lot about different cultures in Grafe Wohr you have not Only the americans but also the russians it is a multinational City whats your favorite web site other than your own it is a German newspaper but it also has English news this is my news Portal what is the future of the internet the internet will be on television and on your Mobile phone these things Are growing together they will grow together in a very fast Way internet will go Down to the regions like my web site in the future there will be More web Sites like this with special Content for regions interview by Seth Robson know someone whose accomplishments talents Job Hobby Volunteer work awards or Good deeds qualify them for 15 min utes of Fame How about someone whose claim to glory is a bit out of the Ordinary even dare we say oddball Send the persons name and Contact information to army Small fire station in Stuttgart set to close Panzer Cavern firefighters to rejoin the team at army Airfield by Charlie Coon stars and stripes to Eslingen Germany army Garrison Stuttgart is Clos ing a Small fire station located next to its Community epicentre Panzer Cavern and has told sep tical firefighters to not talk to the press about it or possibly be fired the Panzer fire station which also serves nearby Patch bar Racks Home to the us european command has two fire trucks and a Crew of firefighters they Are to rejoin the main firefighting unit seven Miles away at the Stuttgart army Airfield from where they came in 2003 the move is to happen in the next two months primary fire Protection for Panzer and Patch would then be provided respectively by the German fire depart ments in nearby to Eslingen which has nine full time firefight ers and Vaihinger an Al Volun Teer Force according to an emailed response from the garrisons Public affairs office the spacious build ing that currently houses the pan Zer fire station would be used by the Garrison command for Community events and activities after our risk assessment revealed that the fire department no longer needed to be located at Panzer and our need and desire to use the fire departments cur rent location for other commune to oriented purposes it was decided to relocate the fire department according to the email the Garrison declined to state Why a firefighting unit was moved four years ago from the Airfield to Panzer calling it an internal Deci Sion the army re quires airfields be properly staffed and equipped based on the average amount of aircraft movements per Day a risk assessment performed in october 2001 shortly after the sept 112001 attacks concluded that current fire Protection with in the army Garrison Stuttgart does not meet Stan Dards the to Eslingen fire depart ment which serves its City of 46000 found out three weeks ago that it would become the first re Sponder for fires at nearby pan Zer Cavern they did not come and ask they Only told us said Juergen Ernst second chief of the Zoeblin charge and stripes the army Garrison Stuttgart fire station next to Panzer Cavern in Boe Bingen Germany is scheduled to be closed this Spring and converted into a Community Center for Garrison social events Gen department for us this will be a lot of work every building there has a smoke alarm we will be there three or four times per week for false so this will be a problem for us we Are just nine firefighters Ernst said the rest Are Volun Teers primary fire Protection for Panzer and Patch will be provided respectively by the German fire departments in nearby to Eslingen which has nine full time firefighters and Vaihinger an Al Volunteer Force Ernst said the Garrison must pay his fire station 2400 euro for every false alarm to which it re sponds the Vaihinger fire depart ment which would serve Patch was empty and locked shut thurs Day afternoon when a reporter went there for comment the Garrison fire departments gag order was issued by fire chief Karl Doersam who also declined to speak to the press it stated that employees could be disciplined or fired for doing so Gerhard Wiedmann chairman of the garrisons works Council which represents the garrisons German employees said the gag order was overkill and said it was unlikely a German worker would get fired for speaking to the press it looks to me that they Are making it a Little harder than it re ally is Wiedmann said weve never had anything like this in my 44 years As an army employee where somebody would be Dis missed still five fire department employees declined to speak on the record with stars and stripes when approached in person by phone and email Wiedmann said he did not feel the gag order was a big Deal nor was the decision to close the station he noted that some firefighters whined Back in 2003 when they had to move from the Airfield to Panzer the people were unhappy Wiedmann said now they Are unhappy they Are again going Back sometimes people Are Al ways unhappy if they do talk everybody will talk something different and it will be real confusing Wied Mann said my Legal adviser told me that on military things they firefighters talk if their supervisor Doest think they should email Charlie Coon at
