- Thuringian youth fire brigades are growing
Thuringia's youth fire departments continue to see a significant influx. In 2022, the number of members in the youth fire departments increased by 608 to 15,573, as reported by Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) during the presentation of the latest fire and disaster protection report in Weimar. This represents a 3.9% increase compared to 2022.
This growth trend has been ongoing since 2013, with some fire departments even having to stop accepting new members. Many children and young people have found their way to the fire department after the COVID-19 pandemic, Maier said. Interest is particularly high in rural areas.
In total, 33,341 volunteer and 1,106 full-time firefighters were active in the state last year, which is around 400 more than in 2022. According to the report, firefighters provided nearly 500,000 hours of service for assistance and fire fighting. The number of deployments increased by more than 38,000.
Fire departments were called out to fight fires more than 5,000 times. Although this is fewer than in 2022, the number is still very high compared to previous years. 19 people lost their lives in fires last year - 15 fewer than in 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have sparked an interest in joining fire departments, as many children and young people have been drawn to this profession recently. This rise in membership can be observed even in the face of some fire departments having to halt the acceptance of new members due to the ongoing trend since 2013.
Despite the Coronavirus disrupting many aspects of life, the youth fire departments in Thuringia have experienced a remarkable surge in membership, contributing to the continuous growth trend observed since 2013.
