Honors for heroes: DRK helpers shine at flood award!

Honors for heroes: DRK helpers shine at flood award!

Midsummer temperatures surrounded the German Red Cross (DRK) honorary event in the Lehmann party barn, which took place in memory of the tireless helpers during the flood events in December 2023. In front of numerous guests, Ulrich Kaiser, President of the DRK district association in Celle, and his colleagues Jörg Brandes and Doris Dieskau honored the active emergency services who were on the front line during the crisis. Sonja Requa received not only a certificate of honor from the DRK local association in Winsen, but also the badge of honor.

Around 224 emergency services from the DRK district association in Celle were honored for their remarkable efforts during the flood events caused by a rainy autumn and the storm Zoltan. From December 22, 2023, numerous rivers overflowed their banks and led to flooding of streets and basements. In this critical situation, members of the fire department and aid organizations had to give up their free time in order to actively help. Thanks went not only to the volunteers, but also to the farmers and other helpers who supported us during the crisis.

Commitment and recognition

The DRK provided valuable help during the flood situation: they transported sandbags, evacuated a retirement home, set up emergency accommodation and took part in the medical service. Impressively, over 800 portions per meal were served and more than 3,268 kilometers were traveled in company vehicles. The DRK also provided materials such as camp beds and tents to alleviate the hardship. The successful cooperation between all organizations, which has proven itself during the crisis, was emphasized. Ulrich Kaiser pointed out that the state of Lower Saxony had not valued the achievements of its emergency services for far too long, but was now finally complying.

On the occasion of this large-scale flood disaster, the Lower Saxony state government has launched a tribute for around 55,000 emergency services, which will be presented in the form of badges of honor and certificates from the fourth quarter of 2024. A remarkable measure when you consider that the honor of this magnitude is the largest in the recent history of Lower Saxony. In previous disasters, for example, 35,000 helpers were honored after the Elbe flood in 2002 and 20,000 after the 2013 flood in Lüchow-Dannenberg.

Cohesion and gratitude

Minister for the Interior and Sport, Daniela Behrens, highlighted the tireless efforts of the helpers, who were also on duty during the holidays. Over 100,000 people helped voluntarily during the crisis, and this support is now being recognized with this well-deserved honor. Christiane Gentzmann, one of the helpers, also reported on the cross-departmental collaboration and the emotional encounters with other helpers. The event not only served as a reminder, but also strengthened solidarity among the Red Cross members.

Overall, this honorary event shows how important the commitment of volunteers and full-time staff is to the safety and well-being of the community. The words of thanks spoken on this day are a sincere sign of appreciation for all those who stand together in times of need and work tirelessly for others. It is clear: the operations around Christmas 2023 were a significant challenge, but one that was overcome with a strong community spirit.

Further information about the honors and the commitment of the helpers can be found on the website of Celle press, Volunteer server and Niedersachsen.de.