Fire department - Association promotes a "firefighter-friendly environment"
Bavaria's voluntary fire departments are campaigning for a "firefighter-friendly environment" in society and the economy. Fire departments are a stabilizing factor in society, said Johann Eitzenberger, head of the State Fire Brigade Association (LFV), to the German Press Agency. That is why the association attaches importance to its responsibility to society as a whole. "The future of volunteering depends on how people treat each other." In addition to technical firefighting training for members, there are therefore also courses on conflict management and teaching social skills in the fire departments, "which is a matter close to our hearts".
Firefighters and emergency personnel in general are "cut from the same cloth, a willingness to help others is the central element", emphasized Eitzenberger. They need an environment that has a positive attitude towards the fire department - both on the part of the employer and the family. "I think that basically works well. But working towards this is an ongoing task," emphasized the head of the association.
He described the development in membership as positive, for example, it has been possible to establish numerous new children's fire department groups. The situation in the youth fire department has also recovered after a slump during the pandemic. The volunteer fire departments in Bavaria registered around 270,000 deployments in 2022, ranging from fires and accidents to deployments during floods and storms. "It's good when we can successfully manage operations. But behind every operation is a fire, accident or serious incident," emphasized Eitzenberger.
Digitalization is of course also an important buzzword in the fire department. "But it's a complex matter. There are individual approaches, such as the digital service card. There are many isolated solutions, but we want to find holistic approaches," said Eitzenberger. "Digitalization is an ongoing process. There is still a long way to go before everything to do with the fire department is integrated. But that shouldn't discourage us, it should spur us on to further expand existing networks and collaborations."
According to the association, there are around 7,700 voluntary fire departments in Bavaria with around 320,000 volunteer firefighters. Only the seven major Bavarian cities have professional fire departments.
Association information
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- During the turn of the year, the German Press Agency reported on the efforts of Bavarian fire departments to enhance a "firefighter-friendly environment," emphasizing the importance of societal and economic support.
- Despite the positive development in membership, including the establishment of new children's fire department groups, the Bavarian fire departments faced numerous deployments in 2022, including floods and storms, demonstrating the need for disaster control.
- In the face of increasing digitalization, Bavaria's fire department associations recognized the complexity of the issue and advised a holistic approach, aiming to integrate digital solutions to improve operations like the digital service card.
- In an effort to promote a supportive environment for firefighters and emergency personnel, associations in Bavaria prioritize conflict management and social skills training, acknowledging the central role of a strong "willingness to help others."
- In the midst of flooding emergencies, associations in Bavaria, along with their counterparts in cities like Munich, work closely with environmental associations to help mitigate the impact of disasters on communities, protecting the future of volunteer fire departments and ensuring a safe and sustainable environment for all.
Source: www.stern.de
