How did 3D printing get into a fire station?
The idea came from Lukáš, a firefighter who prints as a hobby at home. After the crew toured the Prusa Research factory, Prusa supplied a printer for a pilot at the central station. Roughly 67 firefighters serve there in three rotating 24 hour shifts, and each shift has one trained operator who runs the machine and limits wasted material.
What do they print, and what does it save?
The crew makes flashlight brackets, radio mounts, tool holders for truck compartments, door wedges that grip wet tiles and lightweight elevator keys. Fitted bracket sets for axes, mops and squeegees replace commercial tool rails. Prusa reports savings of around 90 to 95 percent on parts such as helmet brackets that previously meant buying original vendor items. Dry suit pressure plugs, hard to source from suppliers, are printed locally for leak tests. Parts are mostly printed in Prusa Orange to match the vehicles and stay visible in dark compartments. Before use, parts are tested, including in the brigade's Flashover Container training facility.
Why does cybersecurity matter here?
As a state agency, the service must follow rules from NÚKIB, the Czech cyber security agency. The article says many consumer printers depend on external clouds and closed software, which this setting rules out. The Prusa printer can run fully offline, with files moved by USB drive or local network via PrusaLink, and is built in Prague.
What comes next?
The brigade's Technical Department prints interior trim, hose adapters and tool mounts for heavy vehicles, and the USAR search-and-rescue unit prints lightweight camera mounts and sensor cases. Prusa plans separate case studies on both. Other Czech fire stations also use 3D printing and share designs and test results on Printables.com and at regional workshops.