- Volunteer firefighters continue to grow
Voluntary fire departments in Lower Saxony have once again seen an increase in members. By the end of 2023, there were 131,844 men and women across the state who were actively volunteering - an increase of 1,262 from the previous year, according to the Ministry of the Interior in Hannover. This marks the fourth consecutive year of growth. In 2023, Lower Saxony's fire departments responded to approximately 125,500 incidents, a 2,100 increase from 2022.
The positive trend in membership numbers continued among youth fire departments as well. According to the ministry, there were around 51,500 girls and boys actively involved in 2023, an increase of over 4,100 from the previous year.
Minister of the Interior: People can rely on disaster protection
The fire and disaster protection services in the state were heavily tested in recent times, particularly during the flooding around New Year's. Minister of the Interior Daniela Behrens (SPD) thanked the personnel for their efforts. "It's a reassuring feeling to know that people in Lower Saxony can always rely on a functioning disaster protection system," the minister said in a statement.
The volunteers will be honored with a medal of merit for their efforts. Such an award has been given in previous years for major floods or the great forest fire of 1975.
The flooding around New Year's affected large parts of Lower Saxony for weeks. Many water levels remained above the highest alert level for several days, and hundreds of residents had to temporarily leave their homes.
The flooding during New Year's required significant efforts from the disaster protection services. Despite the challenges, they managed to maintain a functional system, providing reassurance to the residents of Lower Saxony.
The aftermath of the New Year's flooding resulted in many areas of Lower Saxony being submerged for weeks, forcing hundreds of residents to temporarily relocate due to the high water levels that remained above the highest alert level.
