Emergency preparedness measures - The fire department needs to enhance its preparation for severe weather circumstances.
Rainstorms, floods, wildfires, and destruction from storms are becoming more common occurrences for fire departments in Rhineland-Palatinate, according to Frank Hachemer, the state fire department association president. "We'll see more and more of this: tons of rain and lots of fires," said Hachemer. In light of this, it's crucial to prepare for such events better than ever before - from alerting the public to sending well-equipped vehicles to the disaster scene. "We need to catch up."
Since the devastating flood in the Ahr Valley last July, significant progress has been made in disaster response, as noted by Hachemer. "There have been positive developments. But these are only minor steps." To overhaul disaster control throughout the state, "we'll need to take many, many more steps," he said. This includes improvements in materials, training, and staffing, as well as realizing the diverse requirements of fire departments in different parts of the state.
Consequently, the association has launched "fire department basic conferences" to gather feedback from firefighters throughout Rhineland-Palatinate. All fire department staff members will be invited to share their specific needs for proper disaster preparedness. "So that by the end, we can say: Here, this is needed more often, and there, that, and that's what everyone needs," explained Hachemer to the German Press Agency.
It is critical that those on the front lines can participate. "Because they'll be operating all the equipment," he stressed. The first basic conference took place in Wittlich, with more to follow throughout the year. The collected data will then be shared with decision-makers in the authorities, state, and state parliament.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, there are about 54,500 volunteer firefighters, a professional fire department, a youth and children's fire department, senior fire department members, and members of support associations. The state fire department association advocates for these firefighters' interests. The number of active female firefighters has nearly doubled since 2017 from 2,900 to 5,300. "We're moving in the right direction," said Hachemer. "But we still need more women on our fire departments."
Read also:
- In Koblenz, the fire department is working to enhance its climate change preparation strategies, as extreme weather events like storms and floods are increasingly common.
- Climate change and its consequences, such as storm damage and forest fires, are posing new challenges for fire departments in Rhineland-Palatinate.
- The State Fire Brigade Association is organizing "fire department basic conferences" to gather feedback from various fire departments across Rhineland-Palatinate, focusing on extreme weather emergencies.
- The association aims to ensure that firefighters, who operate the necessary vehicles in such situations, have the appropriate resources and equipment to combat climate change-related emergencies, such as floods and storms.
- Amid the growing need for climate change preparations, the number of active female firefighters in Rhineland-Palatinate has nearly doubled since 2017, from 2,900 to 5,300.
- Emergency civil protection measures are essential to address the challenges posed by climate change in the Rhineland-Palatinate region, including storm damage, floods, and forest fires.
- The Ahr Valley experienced a devastating flood last July, prompting improvements in disaster response, but numerous steps are still required to enhance overall disaster control and preparedness in the face of climate change.
- After a severe storm, the fire department was called to handle storm damage, and its team worked alongside civil protection services to ensure the safety of the community and restore order in Wittlich, a city in Rhineland-Palatinate.
