Uelzen honors fire department heroes: New local fire chiefs in office!

Uelzen honors fire department heroes: New local fire chiefs in office!

There is currently a lot of volunteer work in Uelzen: Mayor Jürgen Markwardt recently honored numerous fire department members in the town hall who were recognized for their commitment. At this celebratory event, three firefighters were appointed honorary officers: Reinhard Sopniewski from the Hansen local fire department, Dirk-Walter Ritz from Molzen and Markus Ebers from the Oldenstadt local fire department. The appointments are based on the council resolutions of the Hanseatic City of Uelzen and emphasize the valuable work that the volunteer fire departments do.

But honors weren't the only thing on the agenda. Gerrit Mensching-Buhr was elected deputy local fire chief of the Hanstedt II local fire department, succeeding Daniel Schulz. There are also changes in Molzen: Stefan Witt takes over as the new local fire chief and Benjamin van Eijnsbergen supports him as deputy local fire chief. There will also be a new wind in Oldenstadt: Florian Pott is now the local fire chief, and Lars Kuhlmann will be at his side. In Veerßen, Timo Hellenkemper will be the local fire chief for two years, succeeding Tino Henkel.

Important training for new members

The Uelzen Volunteer Fire Department has set up special services for new members since 2013, but these had to be paused during the pandemic. These services serve to familiarize new firefighters with the processes and technology of the fire department. Uelzen fire department emphasizes that it is important to familiarize the new members with the internal processes and the loading of emergency vehicles. Topics such as how to behave in the event of alarms, how to get to the equipment shed and checking the equipment after operations are the focus of the training.

Oliver Hanisch, deputy local fire chief, emphasizes how important these special services are for professional development. The most recent training courses have already taken place and are being carried out continuously in order to set up a strong and effective team in Uelzen.

Volunteering is essential

In general, it can be said that volunteering in the fire department is invaluable. On International Day of Volunteering, which is celebrated on December 5th, the President of the German Fire Brigade Association, Karl-Heinz Banse, remembers the outstanding achievements of the more than one million volunteer members in Germany. The Fire Brigade Association always emphasizes that commitment to the fire brigade is crucial not only for emergency service, but also for youth work, fire safety education and fire brigade music.

Especially during the pandemic, it became clear how important the support of volunteers is. They ensured basic protection and helped in the areas affected by the flood disaster. Such support is important not only locally, but also across the entire fire brigade network.

In summary, the volunteer fire departments are a fundamental part of the community, and the commitment of the members is valued and supported by both the city and the citizens. A heartfelt thank you goes to all the volunteers who stand by every day to help others.