Bilzen-Hoeselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The fire brigades of Hoeselt and Bilzen merged into one base in Bilzen with 82 firefighters and 35 ambulance staff, said Chief Jos Peters; open days on September 27–28.
As VRT News reported, the fire brigades of Hoeselt and Bilzen, in the province of Limburg, Belgium, now operate from one shared base in Bilzen. The new station, located on Linnerbocht, replaces the 2 older posts that worked separately until now.
The merger combines both teams and their resources in a single location. In total, 82 firefighters and 35 ambulance staff are now active from the new site. Chief of Police Jos Peters said the move brings more efficiency and stronger coordination.
What will the new Hoeselt and Bilzen fire station with 82 firefighters and 35 staff mean for the community?
The start of operations was marked with a parade of fire trucks through the local streets. “There were huge crowds lining the road,” says Peters. “The brass band even played a serenade. It’s wonderful to see how much the merger of our stations is appreciated.”
According to Chief of Police Jos Peters, the newly constructed fire station in Bilzen was designed with an emphasis on sustainability. The structure is energy-neutral and provides its own power generation through solar panels. The panels produce energy for daily use, as well as for the operation of the uninterruptible power system.
The public will be able to visit the new barracks later this month. Open days are scheduled for September 27 and 28, 2025. On those dates, residents are welcome to come inside and see the facilities.
The councils of Hoeselt and Bilzen approved a merger plan on 28 June 2021. The agreement brought both municipalities together under one administration. The new municipality is called Bilzen-Hoeselt and became official on 1 January 2025. Local elections were held earlier on 13 October 2024 to prepare the new council. The merged municipality covers about 106 square kilometres and is home to around 42,000 residents.
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