Slight upward trend in fire department accidents
The number of accidents involving volunteer fire departments in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia has returned to pre-corona levels. This year, 1,300 accidents had been reported by November 1, according to the Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia Firefighters' Accident Insurance Fund (FUK). In the years 2013 to 2019, around 1,500 accidents per year were regularly reported. In the pandemic years 2020 and 2021, the accident figures were significantly lower at 925 and 848 respectively.
"Despite the statistical uncertainties caused by the pandemic, there is a slight upward trend in the total number of accidents," explained FUK Managing Director Detlef Harfst. "This may be related to increasing numbers of insured persons - particularly in the children and young people sector. Both countries are doing excellent work with children and young people, with numerous new children's and youth brigades being set up."
Feuerwehr-Unfallkasse Mitte is responsible for statutory accident insurance in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The figures are only shown for the entire area of responsibility, not broken down by state, as stated. In addition, there is no register of insured persons, which means that the FUK only receives the contact details of insured persons when an accident is reported or an occupational disease is suspected. According to the information provided and published by the federal states, the number of insured persons rose from just under 118,200 in 2019 to 120,350 in 2023.
"Overall, the number of accidents reflects the level of use," explained Harfst. There were more accidents in the hot summers of 2018, 2019, 2022 and the first half of 2023 in particular, such as vegetation fires. During operations, there were typical cardiovascular problems, including heat stroke and sunstroke, as well as smoke inhalation, for example when the wind changed. "A significant improvement in reporting behavior can be seen in operations with psychological stress," Harfst continued. "Early intervention can prevent the development of serious mental illnesses." These include post-traumatic stress disorder, for example.
According to Harfst, the most common causes of accidents by far are injuries to the lower extremities caused by tripping or slipping. According to the statistics, 273 of 894 recognized insurance cases in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia last year occurred directly during firefighting and 102 during technical assistance. There were 185 accidents during training and exercises, 45 during physical training and sport, as well as during competitions, work and workshop duties or events.
Harz district fire chief Kai-Uwe Lohse emphasized the importance of prevention, proper footwear, spacing and warming up properly before sports and games. "Every accident is one too many." Most accidents happen outside of operations. However, some of them are more serious during operations.
Lohse called for lightweight firefighting clothing to be declared mandatory for fighting vegetation fires. "So far, this has not been explicitly stated anywhere." Mayors could not simply enforce the procurement. The usual protective clothing is designed for operations in buildings, where firefighters should be protected from extreme heat. In a forest fire with an outside temperature of 40 degrees, this is not the right thing to do.
FUK Mitte spent a good 2.77 million euros on medical treatment and cash benefits last year, compared to just under 2.8 million euros in 2019. "Our aim is to restore health and performance by all appropriate means after the occurrence of occupational accidents and illnesses," explained Managing Director Harfst. "We currently have a portfolio of 125 cases in which we pay pensions due to residual injury."
The rising trend in accidents might be due to the increase in the number of insured individuals, particularly in the children and young people sector, leading to more incidents for the fire department to handle. Despite the lower numbers of accidents during the pandemic years, there have been fires in areas with high vegetation, leading to complications and incidents for the fire department.
Source: www.dpa.com
