The German Fire Brigade Association reports an increased number of people who are with the Fire department want to get involved. According to Karl-Heinz Banse, the president of the fire brigade association, this is also related to the war in Ukraine. “That woke up some people,” Banse told the dpa news agency. Many people have realized that they no longer live in a “comfort society” and that solidarity and mutual help are needed.
“We suddenly feel that many young people and adults want to join the fire department,” said Banse. According to the association, there are nationwide more than a million volunteers in voluntary fire departments as well as more than 39,000 in professional fire departments.
Free train rides in uniform?
Banse emphasized the importance of the voluntary fire brigades for the comprehensive management of operations in Germany. There is currently a fire department in almost every village. If there were only full-time staff, only two to three locations would be possible per district.
Although Banse said, the volunteer work had already been strengthened by an expense allowance for volunteers, but at the same time he called for further improvements. For example, he suggested that firefighters in uniform should be allowed to travel by train for free. This regulation has been available for soldiers since 2020. It is also conceivable to give priority to emergency services when allocating land and apartments near fire stations.
